The Cowboys have a handful of important roster decisions to make and not much time left to do it. NFL free agency begins on March 15 at 4:00 p.m., ET, which means Dallas must have their favorite pending free agents signed, tagged or tendered or they run the risk of losing said free agents to another team.
One player whose status is unresolved heading into the deadline is that of the Cowboys’ starting right tackle, Terence Steele.
With three accrued seasons under his belt, Steele becomes restricted free agent. The restricted status differs from the unrestricted variety because it allows Dallas to apply a one-year tender with the right to match any contract he may be offered by another team.
The Cowboys have three tender options at their disposal:
- A first-round tender which costs Dallas $6,005,000, but compensates them with a first-round pick if he signs elsewhere.
- A second-round tender which pays him $4,304,000 but compensates the Cowboys with a second-round pick if he goes elsewhere.
- A right of first refusal tender which pays him $2,627,000 but compensates Dallas nothing if he signs elsewhere.
All three tender options allow the Cowboys the right to match any contract he would receive by another team, but only the top two would compensate Dallas, should he move on.