Cowboys’ Offseason Outlook: Bigger Budget, Big Decisions Ahead
The Dallas Cowboys are heading into the offseason with more financial flexibility than ever-and some big choices to make because of it.
With the NFL reportedly informing teams that the 2026 salary cap will rise to somewhere between $301.2 million and $305.7 million, Dallas finds itself in a prime position. That’s a massive jump from just four years ago, when the cap sat at $208.2 million.
This year’s number was already a record at $279.2 million, but now we’re talking about a nearly $100 million increase since 2022. In short: the money’s there.
The question is, how will the Cowboys spend it?
They’ve got a few names circled in red ink already-none bigger than wide receiver George Pickens and running back Javonte Williams. Both are coming off 1,000-yard seasons and were central to the Cowboys’ high-powered offense in 2025. Add in a healthy Dak Prescott playing some of the best football of his career, plus Pro Bowl-level seasons from CeeDee Lamb and tight end Jake Ferguson, and you can see why the front office is eager to keep the band together.
Stephen Jones, the team’s COO and right-hand man to Jerry, made it clear this week at the Senior Bowl in Alabama: opposing defenses did not enjoy game-planning for Dallas last season.
“Talking to these defensive guys we brought in, we were a pain for them,” Jones said. “They start talking about, ‘Oh my gosh, when we had to play you guys, that was a problem.’”
That’s the kind of feedback that sticks. According to Jones, defensive coordinators were practically reliving the nightmares of trying to cover Pickens and Lamb simultaneously or figuring out how to slow down a rushing attack that could beat you in multiple ways.
So now the Cowboys are looking to keep that offensive firepower intact, and the expanded salary cap gives them a better shot at doing just that.
Let’s start with Pickens. He’s the easier of the two to project-at least for now.
The franchise tag is very much in play here. That would keep him in Dallas for the 2026 season at roughly $28 million and prevent him from testing the open market, where demand for a physical, explosive wideout like him would be sky-high.
Whether it’s a tag or a long-term deal, the Cowboys want him back. Jones said as much, acknowledging they’re working through the options but confident they’ll find a way to keep No. 1 in a Cowboys uniform.
Williams’ situation is a little more fluid. He’s proved his value as a dependable, downhill runner who fits Brian Schottenheimer’s system perfectly.
But the running back market is always tricky. Even with a strong year under his belt, Williams may need to wait and see how the market shakes out before a deal gets done.
A raise is likely-potentially doubling his 2025 salary to $6 million annually-but Dallas also knows this offense has produced solid run games with players at a variety of price points.
That’s not to say Williams isn’t worth the investment. He is. But the Cowboys may take a more measured approach with him, especially as they juggle other roster needs and evaluate how the rest of the league values running backs this offseason.
For now, the focus is clear: finalize the coaching staff, lock in the core offensive pieces, and take advantage of a rising salary cap that gives Dallas more options than ever. The money is there.
The talent is there. And if the Cowboys play it right, the offensive headaches they caused in 2025 could be just the beginning.