Still, the fan in me knows that if there is a potential deal that could help lift Dallas to their first Super Bowl in 26 years, the Cowboys will debate it thoroughly over the next week. Guys like Demarcus Lawrence, Anthony Brown, and Jourdan Lewis could be on the chopping block to create space. On defense, Randy Gregory, Dorance Armstrong, Leighton Vander Esch, Keanu Neal, Damontae Kazee, Jayron Kearse, and Malik Hooker are all set to hit the open market. In addition, veterans like Tyron Smith or La’el Collins will be debated as cap casualties with the emergence of Terence Steele. On the offense, Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, Dalton Schultz and Connor Williams all have expiring contracts.
ANDREW BILLINGS PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS FREE
It’s also important to remember that the Cowboys will see a lot of contributors hit the free agent market this spring. And make no mistake, any acquisition would have to have a potential out in their contract this offseason, as the Cowboys will have to make some tough decisions on possible cap casualties. The bottom line is it’s difficult to further handcuff your future with a player that is only likely to be here for the next several months. In addition, they project to have the least amount of space under the projected number in 2023. The Cowboys currently have between $4 and $5M in cap space and are expected to be above the estimated cap number for 2022. Yes, names like Miami’s Xavien Howard, Atlanta’s Grady Jarrett and the Jets’ Marcus Maye have been floated out, but the truth is, the Dallas Cowboys don’t have the cap space to make those deals work without compromising what little space we have in the future. Offseason and trade acquisitions have rarely been swings for the fence, with the front office, instead, hoping for a solid single on a budget player. In recent years, Jerry and Stephen Jones and Vice President of Player Personnel Will McClay have dedicated themselves to drafting well, developing their young players and resigning their own. Still, it’s important to remember the front office’s stance on building a team. This year, a 5-1 start has Cowboys Nation swooning over the possibilities of making a run at an NFC Championship or even their first Super Bowl since the days of Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith. However, Dallas has also swung and missed at the trade deadline or even chosen to stand pat. It was a gem of a deal for a player that most Raiders’ fans mistook for unmotivated because of his quiet nature. Since then, he’s hauled in 254 passes for 3401 yards and 23 scores in 47 games.
In 2018, America’s Team struck a deal with the then-Oakland Raiders for Amari Cooper that cost the Cowboys a first-round selection.
For the Dallas Cowboys, we’ve seen some terrific trade deadline acquisitions, as well as some flops. Whether it’s bringing in talent that can help them contend this year or shipping off a veteran for a young player or draft compensation, everyone loves to get in on the prognoses. It’s that time of year where every football fan is putting on their general manager caps and forecasting possible trade scenarios to make their favorite team better at the NFL Trade Deadline.