If the Dallas Cowboys find themselves in a deep playoff run in 2026, they will be able to point to Wednesday as where it all began.
The Cowboys officially opened up approximately $66 million in salary cap space by restructuring the contracts of a trio of their best and highest-paid players in quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and offensive lineman Tyler Smith.
The Cowboys entered the offseason approximately $66 million over the salary cap, and the move to restructure the 3 contracts had been in play for some time.
“Cowboys now have officially restructured the contracts of Dak Prescott and Tyler Smith, creating $47 million in cap room,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account.
“Sources say the CeeDee Lamb’s contract has been restructured as well,” ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote on X. “Cowboys now under the cap.”
There will be more moves on the way to clear up more cap space so the Cowboys can, presumably, be a player in free agency.
“The Cowboys will restructure the contracts of QB Dak Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb and G Tyler Smith, which will create $66 million of room,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Saturday. “Jerry Jones said the Cowboys will rework the contracts of DTs Kenny Clark, Quinnen Williams and Osa Odighizuwa, who are scheduled to count around $63 million against the cap.”
Cowboys Could Clear Up To $85M in Salary Cap Space
If you’re doing the math at home, all of those moves could deliver some $85 million cap space for the Cowboys this offseason — more than enough money to be a major player in free agency or any trades the Cowboys might try and pull off.
It all came on the heels of an emotional Jones talking with the media from the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis and seemingly brought to tears by his team’s recent failures.
“(Jones) teared up talking about his desire to get another Super Bowl,” The Fort Worth Star Telegram’s Nick Harris wrote on his official X account “Called it his biggest desire aside from health of family & friends. ‘Nothing has as big a prize to me.’ “
Salary Cap Called ‘Kryptonite’ for Jerry Jones
Jones, 83 years old, bought the Cowboys for $140 million in 1989 and the franchise is now worth an estimated $10 billion — he’s also served as the general manager and essentially sole decision maker in that time.
Which makes it even more curious is, with that business acumen, he’s had such trouble learning the intricacies of the salary cap.
Before last season, ESPN called the NFL’s salary cap and Jones’ inability to sign the Cowboys’ best players in timely fashion as his “Kryptonite” as the Cowboys were engaged in prolonged, messy contract negotiations with NFL All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons — a dispute which eventually led to the Cowboys trading Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and 2 1st round picks.
“The salary cap has been Kryptonite for Jerry Jones for a long, long time,” ESPN’s Mike Greenberg said. “From a financial standpoint, his philosophy (on contract negotiations) doesn’t work. From a football standpoint, inarguably, it doesn’t work.”
Cowboys Stars Dak Prescott, Tyler Smith & CeeDee Lamb Make Massive Salary Cap Move Official