The Dallas Cowboys’ offseason strategy continues to raise eyebrows across the NFL, with the team taking a notably conservative approach to spending and roster management.
After a remarkably quiet previous offseason, the Cowboys’ “all in” declaration for 2024 seemed more rhetoric than reality.
Stephen Jones, the team’s executive VP, recently pulled back the curtain during recent NFL league meetings, signaling that their financially cautious strategy isn’t changing anytime soon.
“I think we knew we were gonna have a challenge [in 2024] and [2025],” Jones said, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “It’s gonna be really, really tight. We still have some money left over from some guys who are not here today, and we’re gonna have some other guys that won’t be here in the future that you’re still gonna have their cap count.”
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones on how the team will approach the offseason, as he sees similar issues ahead in 2025 as what the team had in 2024:
“I think we knew we were gonna have a challenge in [2024] and [2025]. It’s gonna be really, really tight. We still have some money left…
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) December 11, 2024
The financial constraints are telling. Currently, the Cowboys are wrestling with $9.28 million in dead cap space for 2025, per Over The Cap, a number likely to inflate as veteran players like Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence potentially exit the roster.
To create much-needed breathing room, the team will probably need to get creative – restructuring contracts, exploring trades, and making strategic cuts.
These tight finances have already extracted a significant toll. The Cowboys are going through a disappointing 5-8 season, with critical roster gaps emerging at key positions.
The situation became even more complicated when star quarterback Dak Prescott, who recently signed a massive four-year, $240 million contract, suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in Week 9 requiring surgery.
Jones acknowledged the ongoing financial challenge, noting they still have residual cap space from departed players and anticipate further roster modifications.
The subtle subtext is clear: the Cowboys are playing a long-term financial chess game, prioritizing fiscal discipline over immediate, splashy acquisitions.