So let’s play a game. You are the GM. There are several key Cowboys players that will be either on one year contracts, or in their final season of their contract this year. The Cowboys currently have $16,650,389 in CAP space. When Zeke Elliott’s salary falls off the books on June 1st, that will add $10,900,000 to the CAP space. But signing the rookies will dip into that.
After the rookies are all signed with their bonuses, Zeke falls off the books, the Cowboys will have about $23.1M in CAP space. They still must sign a place-kicker. Also, the Cowboys have to reserve $2,040,000 to pay their practice squad players during the season (assume 10 players at $12,000 per week for 17 weeks.) And they need to keep some CAP space in reserve in case they need to sign players during the season for injury replacement.
Who would you try to sign to extensions this summer, or during the 2023 season? Here are the players on one year contracts or in their final year of a contract that are currently on the roster:
RB Tony Pollard – Currently on one year franchise tag deal for $10,091,000. The Cowboys have until July 17th to negotiate a long-term deal and possibly reduce the CAP hit for this season. Pollard is 26 years old, and made the Pro Bowl in 2022.
CB Stephon Gilmore – Current salary of $7,960,000 plus roster bonuses of $1M roster bonus in September for making the team, plus additional per game roster bonuses of up to $1.53M if he plays all 17 games. His total CAP hit for 2023 is $9,920,000. Gilmore is a former 1st round pick of the Bills (10th overall), won NFL defensive player of the year in 2019, and is a 5x Pro Bowl player, and 2x All-Pro. He is 32 years old, and will be 33 years old in 2024.
OT Tyron Smith – Current Salary of $3,000,000, plus $3,000,000 signing bonus. With accrued charges of $4,005,000 for past bonuses, Smith’s CAP hit is currently $8,005,000. Smith was scheduled to earn $13,500,000 this year, but his salary and signing bonus means he is only guaranteed to earn $6M this season. But, he will earn an additional bonus of $529,412 for each game he starts and plays a minimum number of snaps. Also, he can earn a $2M bonus for starting in the playoffs. If Smith starts all 17 games and the playoffs, he can earn $11M in additional pay, for a total of $17M paid this season. So, Smith gave the Cowboys a discount for the 2023 season of $7.5M, but he could conceivably earn all that back in, plus an additional $3.5M if he can stay healthy through 17 games and the playoffs.
DE Dorance Armstrong – Armstrong is final year of his 2nd contract, and is scheduled to earn $5,000,000 plus a $500,000 roster bonus, and a $250K workout bonus. His CAP hit for 2023 is $7,250,000, which included $1,500,000 for his prorated signing bonus from last year. With Micah Parsons playing at RDE, Armstrong only started 5 games in 2022, but had 8.5 sacks playing in all 17 games as a key rotational pass rusher.
S Jayron Kearse – signed a 2 year, $10,000 contract last year. His current salary is $4M in 2023, plus he has a per game roster bonus of a total of $500,000 if he plays all 17 games. He’s 29 years old, and will be 30 years old in 2024.
CB Jourdan Lewis – signed a 3 year, $13.5M deal in 2021. In the final year of his contract, he is scheduled to earn $4.5M, plus he has a per game active roster bonus that equals $500K if he’s on the active roster for 17 games. Lewis is 28 years old, and will be 29 years old in 2024.
CB Trevon Diggs – is in the final year of his rookie contract. He’s scheduled to make $4,304,000 this season. He made 2 Pro Bowls in 2021 & 2022, and was All-Pro in 2021. He will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024 if the Cowboys do not negotiate a long-term deal this year.
WR CeeDee Lamb – is in the 4th year of his rookie contract. He is scheduled to make $2,520,456 this season. He has made two consecutive Pro Bowls. The Cowboys have picked up his 5th year option, which guarantees him a minimum salary of $17,991,000 in 2024, unless the Cowboys negotiate a longer term deal for him between now and next year.
S Malik Hooker – the former 1st round pick of the Colts (15th overall) is in the final year of a 2 year, $7M contract he signed last year. His current salary is $3M, plus he has a total of $500K in per game active roster bonuses if he plays all 17 games in 2023. He is only 27 years old, and will be 28 in 2024.
OT Terence Steele – Signed his restricted free agent contract for one year for $4,304,000 this Spring. He is 26 years old, and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024 unless the Cowboys sign him to a long-term contract extension this year.
DE Dante Fowler – signed a one-year deal for $3M this Spring. A former 1st round pick of the Jaguars (3rd overall), he will be 30 years old in 2024.
DT Neville Gallimore – is in the final year of his rookie contract, and is scheduled to make $2,743,000 in 2023.
C Tyler Biadasz – is in the final year of his rookie contract, and is scheduled to make $2,743,000 in 2023. Biadasz made the Pro Bowl in 2022. He will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024 if the Cowboys don’t sign him to a long-term deal this year.
DB C.J. Goodwin – signed a one-year contract for $1,317,500 this Spring. Because of his veteran status, he only counts $1,092,500 against the CAP.
DT Johnathan Hankins – signed a one-year contract for $1,317,500 this Spring. Because of his veteran status, he only counts $1,092,500 against the CAP. Hankins is 31 years old, and is a former 2nd round pick of the Giants (49th overall).
OL Chuma Edoga – signed a one-year contract for $1,232,500 this Spring. Because of his veteran status, he only counts $1,092,500 against the CAP. Edoga will be 26 years old later this month, and will be 27 years old during the 2024 season. He is a former 3rd round pick of the Jets (92nd overall).
RB Ronald Jones – signed a one-year contract for $1,232,500 this Spring. Because of his veteran status, he only counts $1,092,500 against the CAP. Former 2nd round pick of the Buccaneers (38th overall). He will be 26 years old when the season starts, and will be 27 years old during the 2024 season.
DE Takkarist McKinley – signed a one-year contract for $1,232,500 this Spring. Because of his veteran status, he only counts $1,092,500 against the CAP. Is former 1st round pick of the Falcons (26th overall). McKinley is 26 years old, and will be 27 years old in 2024.
LS Trent Sieg – signed a one-year contract for $1,232,500 this Spring. Because of his veteran status, he only counts $1,092,500 against the CAP. Sieg is 28 years old.
There are some other players that are unlikely to have a chance to make the roster that are on one year deals. Based on the list above, I would prioritize:
- Signing Tony Pollard to a long-term deal (4 years, with a 2 year out) as the first priority.
- I would prioritize signing Terence Steele and Tyler Biadasz to long-term deals to secure the future of the Cowboys offensive line.
- After Pollard and the young Olinemen, I would work on a long-term deal for Trevon Diggs. This can be negotiated during the season.
- I would look at the potential of signing Malik Hooker to a contract extension during the season.
- Working on a long-term deal for CeeDee Lamb would be the next big priority after signing Diggs, but because of the 5th year option, this can wait until next Spring.
- If they play well and stay healthy in 2023, I would work on signing both Tyron Smith and Stephon Gilmore to contracts in 2024. But I would wait on that until next Spring.
None of this addresses the ticking time bomb of Dak Prescott‘s contract, but I would wait on that until next Spring also. Let Dak rebound from his poor showing in 2022 under the new offense of Mike McCarthy, and then make a decision after the season. There is no need to rush into a $50+M per season contract at this time.
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