2026 Salary Cap: 8 more moves Cowboys can use to create $86M in space

· Yahoo Sports

The Dallas Cowboys have done what was necessary, and now it's time to execute the plan to improve. Dallas held on to what they considered their most important pieces who could leave town. A three-year extension for Javonte Williams solidified the running back depth chart and the franchise tag for George Pickens secured the best 1-2 combo the league has at wide receiver. Declarations of eventual second-round tenders (by the April 17 deadline) for kicker Brandon Aubrey and reserve OL TJ Bass promises a worst-case compensation package if they need to look outside the org for solutions at those spots.

And now that the team has pulled the restructure trigger on QB Dak Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb and LG Tyler Smith, the team has brought themselves under the cap with enough room to take on those RFA tenders for Aubrey and Bass, if long-term deals aren't reached by the deadline.

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But Dallas still needs more cap space in order to sign their 2026 draft class and of course to be players in free agency, as Jerry Jones has all but promised the fanbase.

Here's how they can create an additional $77 million of cap space through eight moves to get up to $86 million of space.

Recommended Moves to Create $31.7 million in additional space

The two moves that should be on the Cowboys itinerary require some buy-in from current players and their agents. It should be assumed the club has already approached each with these ideas, but Dallas would be best served by extending their DTs acquired via trades. The club did not write these contracts, so there may not be the typical restructure triggers in Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams' deals, even as they are prevalent throughout the league.

Even if they are, there are greater savings with extensions, and extensions mean spring checks for players, so they should definitely be interested. As for Bryan Anger, a mediocre kicker shouldn't have a team's 14th-highest cap hit.

  • ExtendDT Kenny Clark- $14.8 million in savings
    • Currently signed through 2027 for $41.5M total
    • $21.5M cap hit in 2026
      • $8.8M base salary, $11M bonus due March 14
      • $1.7M in other bonuses due in 2026
    • Add 1 real year (2028) at $22M, add three voids
      • $19.8M due into $18.5M bonus + $1.3M vet min
      • Reduces $21.5M cap hit down to $6.7M
  • Extend DT Quinnen Williams - $13.75M savings
    • Currently signed through 2027 for $47.25M total
    • $21.6 cap hit in 2026
      • $20.75M due ($5M guaranteed) base salary, $1 million bonus due ($882k LTBE)
      • $2.656M of base salary becomes guaranteed on March 16, 2026
    • Add three real years (2028, 2029, 2030), $96 million in new money: 5 year, $142.25M deal
      • New money average makes him NFL's highestpaid DT above Chief's Chris Jones' $31.75M
      • Base salary $2M, $30M signing bonus
      • Reduces $21.75M cap hit to $8M
  • Release P Bryan Anger - $3.1M savings
    • Currently signed through 2026 for $3.1 million
    • $4.1 million cap hit in 2026
      • $1 million prorated signing bonus from original deal

Risky Moves to Create up to $45.5M in additional space

These moves can help create additional space for the Cowboys, but they aren't as cut and dry decisions as the two above. After signing Osa Odighizuwa to an extension last offseason, his fit for the new 3-4 defense is a bit of a question mark. Restructuring his deal makes it more costly to release him after the season. The team also has a similar option with CB DaRon Bland, who also inked his extension last year.

Bland is super interesting because Dallas structured his deal similarly to how the Philadelphia Eagles make their contracts, with the last two years of his four-year extension (2028, 2029) having built-in option bonuses instead of high base salaries that would need to be restuctured. TE Jake Ferguson falls in this category as well.

All of these moves would likely be triggered as needed, once deals with free agents are agreed upon, so that room could be created to add salary to the cap.

Meanwhile, as many see Terence Steele as replaceable at right tackle, it would probably be best to actually have an alternative solution in hand before making that decision.

Likewise, moving on from Malik Hooker would need a replacement in hand.

  • Restructure DT Osa Odighizuwa - $12M Savings
    • Currently signed through 2028 for $56.75 million
      • Three void years (2029, 2030, 2031)
    • Current $20.75 million cap hit for 2026
      • $16.25M in base salary for 2026, $500k per-game roster bonuses, all guaranteed
      • $4 million prorated cap hit from original signing bonus
    • Convert $15 million into a restructure bonus, spread across five seasons
      • Reduces $20.75 million cap hit down to $8.75 million
  • Restructure CB DaRon Bland - $8.6M Savings
    • Currently signed through 2029 for $74 million
      • Four void years (2030, 2031, 2032, 2033)
    • Current $17.4 million cap hit for 2026
      • $12M in base salary for 2026, $1M per-game roster bonuses, all guaranteed
      • $4.4 million prorated cap hit from original signing bonus
    • Convert $10.8 million into a restructure bonus, spread across five seasons
      • Reduces $17 million cap hit to $8.4 million
  • Restructure TE Jake Ferguson - $4.8M Savings
    • Currently signed through 2029 for $40 million
      • Four void years (2030, 2031, 2032, 2033)
    • Current $10.4 million cap hit for 2026
      • $7.25M in guaranteed base salary for 2026, $750k per-game roster bonus
      • $2.4 million prorated cap hit from original signing bonus
    • Convert $6 million into a restructure bonus, spread across five seasons
      • Reduces $10.4 million cap hit to $5.6 million
  • Release or Restructure RT Terence Steele - Save between $8.75M and $13.25M
    • Currently signed through 2028 for $48.5 million
      • No guaranteed salary remaining on deal
    • Current $18.125M cap hit for 2026
      • $13.25 million in base salary, $750k per-game roster bonus
      • $4.125M in prorated cap hit from original signing bonus
    • Release removes $13.25M, accelerates $5.25M in 2027, 2028 prorated signing bonuses
      • Pre-June 1 cut, savings $13.25 million, leaves $5.25M in dead money on 2027 cap
      • Post-June 1, savings $8.75 million
    • Restructure (add one void year) $12M would save $9 million in space
  • Release safety Malik Hooker - $6.85M savings
    • Currently in final year of contract for $7 million
    • Current $8.85 million cap hit for 2026
      • $6.5 million in base salary, $500k in per-game roster bonuses ($352k LTBE)
      • $2 million in prorated signing bonus allocation
    • Release removes base salary and LTBE amount of bonuses, $6.85 million

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 2026 Salary Cap: 8 more moves Cowboys can use to create $86M in space

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