Create space, big hits and more

The NFL salary is continuing to skyrocket. The league informed teams on the scout combine the cap will be a record high $ 279.2 million by 2025, an increase of $ 23.8 million. That’s up $ 102 million since 2018.

What does that mean for cowboys? In short, the club will have more money than expected to keep its free agents and possibly add new talent to the schedule.

Stephen Jones, the club’s COO and co -owner, has said that cowboys will be “selectively aggressive” in free agency. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said the club does not appear to free agency to fill the cavities, but rather be opportunistic shoppers.

We’ll find out exactly what it means soon. Meanwhile, here are five things to know about Cowboys’ paid cap before the NFL Free Agency negotiation period begins Monday, March 10.

(Editor’s Note: All statistics are through Thursday, March 6 and are from the Sports Wages Website Spotrac.com.)

1. Cowboys create space

Team representatives will tell you that Lønnsstue is a moving goal, especially this time of year, as clubs shrink to move under Cap before the NFL’s financial year begins on Wednesday, March 12. Things can change quickly.

(Remember that the cap is an accounting measure, not a reflection of cash paid to players, but rather when the money hits the books.)

Cowboys made several traits last week to set the organization up to free agency and moved from about $ 1.5 million in space under the cap to about $ 50 million. How did they do that?

The biggest feature was to convert part of DAK Prescott’s base salary for the 2025 season to a signing bonus. Quarterback counts $ 53 million on the team’s headbok this season instead of his original $ 89 million projection. This reduction along with the $ 20 million in the room that the club picked up by Restructuring receives Ceede Lamb’s Deal, Carved $ 56.6 million in Caprum.

2. Prescott’s hit still massive

Prescott’s Cap -Hit remains the largest part of Cowboys’ headbok, but it is no longer the top brand in the league. After restructuring, Prescott now slides into second place in NFL Bag Kansas City Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the three-time Super Bowl winner.

Prescott did not give up any money in the restructuring process, and his average annual salary of $ 60 million is still the top number in the league.

The Top 10 Cap hits in NFL all belong to quarterbacks.

3. Cowboys are top -tongue

Cowboys’ Big Three players (Prescott, Lamb and Micah Parsons) account for three of the top four seats on the team’s pay ceiling. Parsons is due to a major expansion and his cap number can increase significantly.

Outlier is Terence Steele for $ 18.3 million. The offensive lineman who enters his sixth NFL season may be a candidate to have his appointment restructured.

The cowboys also recently signed the free agent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa for a four-year extension worth $ 80 million, but the club backed his agreement for payroll and he goes on the books in 2025 for $ 6.25 million.

4. Expenses for tilted violation

Not surprisingly with the big deals for Prescott and Lamb, Cowboys’ expenses are tilted against the offensive side of the ball. A little more than 50% percent of Cowboys’ Cap is devoted to offense.

And it’s with the fact that cowboys spend a league-low $ 2 million in running position. Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis are the only ones running their backs under contract, but team officials have said they would like to keep free agent Rico Dowdle.

5. Remaining free agents

Dallas got his great offseason movement by preserving Odighizuwa to anchor the interior of the defense line. It also locked special team ACE CJ Goodwin.

Hold officials have said they would like to bring Dowdle back, run back and cornerback Jourdan Lewis. It seems that both will test the market.

This market can dictate a new home for Veterans de Demarcus Lawrence and WR Brandin Cooks.

Find more cowboys coverage from Dallas Morning News here.