The Dallas Cowboys are getting the band back together for one last attempt at glory. Or at least, that’s how things seem at the moment from the outside. Dallas has, at least to this point, not been able to work out a long-term arrangement with either quarterback Dak Prescott or wideout CeeDee Lamb. Combined with the coaching staff all being on the final year of their deals, and there seems to be real pressure from the front office to win now or disband.
And the rest of the Cowboys’ roster feels in a similar situation. Prescott and Lamb aren’t the only ones on the final years of their deals. Each year, teams are allowed to have 90 men on their offseason roster. Currently, Dallas is using 87 of those spots and of those, there are 30 Cowboys who will be free agents in 2025, barring an extension between now and next spring.
Without an extension, Prescott will cost $40 million in dead money on Dallas’ 2025 cap, monies that were already paid to him but didn’t count against the cap in the years he received it.
The future first-ballot Hall of Famer will have $27M of dead money spread across 2025 ($10M) and 2026 ($17M) if he isn’t extended beyond this next campaign.
The 32-year old, 10-year vet will have $7.5 million in dead cap hit in 2025 unless he returns to the team.
Cooks’ will count against the 2025 cap as well, $4 million, due to his void year that was used to stash cap hit.
With the top of the WR market now hovering around $32 million annually, it will be interesting to see if Dallas signs on for a player they convinced to don the iconic 88 jersey.
He’s still yet to break out statistically, but a strong 2024 could lead to untold riches that Dallas may not be willing to offer in 2025.
There was no way Dallas considered Lance’s fifth-year option for over $20 million in 2025 salary, but it does leave them without any QB under contract for next season.
Rush left the team for a short stint, but his entire career has basically been Prescott’s backup and sounding board and he, too, is scheduled to hit the open market.
Anger is a much-heralded special teamer who Dallas has paid well. Will they look elsewhere next offseason?
Lewis returned on a one-year deal to continue his career in Dallas. Will he return with a fourth Cowboys’ contract?
Kendricks’ familiarity with new DC Mike Zimmer’s scheme made him a perfect one-year add at this stage of his career.
There are multiple reasons why Ezekiel Elliott may have been a good fit to return to Dallas, but “getting the band back together for one last go” feels like a strong factor with so many on this list.
A relatively unknown player, he’s to serve as Mazi Smith’s understudy at NT.
Goodwin’s been in Dallas on one-year contracts for a very long time and he’ll likely be around as long as Bones Fassell runs the ST unit.
Long snappers only matter when they mess up, but Sieg has been good at what he’s asked to do and as long as he’s cheap, he’s welcome.
The offseason addition isn’t even guaranteed to make this year’s team; no point in thinking about 2025 yet.
Chuma Edoga didn’t play well in Tyron Smith’s absence in 2023 but he’s back for another go round this season.
Dowdle is probably RB1 right now for Dallas and while the run-game expectations are low, no player stands a better chance to rise from anonymity on the NFL scene than him.
Yet to make any discernible impact for the team, Golston enters his walk year buried as rotational depth despite third-round pedigree.
After several years away from Dallas he was grabbed towards the end of last season as depth and returns on a look-and-see deal for 2024.
Another third rounder from the 2021 draft class who has yet to make a tangible impact on the club.
The selection of Ball rubbed many the wrong way based on off-field things during his college years and he has done nothing on the field to change anyone’s thoughts about his presence.
It felt like there was a big role waiting for him after the way he played down the stretch of 2022, but there weren’t any steps forward in 2023 and now he faces a walk year.
Turpin was technically a UDFA when signed in 2022 and his three-year contract is coming to an end after this season unless an extension is signed. Yet to become an integral part of the offense, his special teams value has been tremendous.
The Florida A&M star returns to the safety position after being a do-whatever teammate and moving to fill the LB void in 2023. A strong breakout candidate that will hit free agency with a ton of suitors if all goes well.
Seemed to have fallen out of favor with the coaching staff after an enticing rookie season as a UDFA. Make or break year in 2024.
Another breakout candidate who saw a lot more snaps than most realize in 2023, Thomas has endeared himself to the fanbase who are almost all rooting for him to take a bigger piece of the pie in ’24.