Cowboys Rumors

Cowboys Restructure Dak Prescott’s Contract

Talks on a Dak Prescott extension are ongoing, and the Cowboys would likely see significant cap savings in 2024 by working out a new deal. The team’s alternative, of course, has remained a restructure to lower Prescott’s cap charge in case a long-term arrangement cannot be worked out.

Dallas has indeed taken the latter route, as detailed by ESPN’s Field Yates. The Cowboys converted a $5MM roster bonus Prescott was owed on Sunday into a signing bonus, creating $4MM in cap space. As a result, the 2023 MVP runner-up’s cap charge now sits at $55.46MM, a figure which more than doubles the amount from last season.

Two void years were tacked onto Prescott’s deal, Yates adds. As a result, void years now extend into 2028 on the contract as currently structured. Yates’ colleague Dan Graziano notes Prescott’s permission was required to add void years, so this short-term agreement is a sign the parties remain willing to work out more permanent solution. The parties are discussing a deal, although owner Jerry Jones has publicly stated he is prepared to carry out the season with Prescott carrying a massive cap hit. The latter has considerable leverage given his no-tag and no-trade clauses coupled with the 2024 cap relief an extension would yield.

The $4MM in immediate savings will become dead money next year in the event Prescott were to depart in free agency. If that were to be the case, the Cowboys would be hit with roughly $40MM in cap charges, another factor which will no doubt influence extension efforts on the team’s part. Dallas also has monster second contracts to work out with wideout CeeDee Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parsons, both of whom are now eligible for a deal keeping them in place beyond their respective rookie pacts.

2023 trade acquisition Trey Lance will remain in place for the coming season, and he is set to occupy the backup quarterback role as a result. Prescott’s play as Dallas’ starter in 2024 will be a key determinant in the value of his next contract if he and the Cowboys are not able to agree to a new deal this spring. Even with this small move aimed at providing short-term flexibility, though, an extension remains firmly on the table.

Cowboys To Re-Sign RB Rico Dowdle

There will be plenty of uncertainty in the Cowboys’ running backs room heading into 2024, but the team can at least count on some continuity at the position. SportsTrust Advisors announced that running back Rico Dowdle is sticking in Dallas.

Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports that Dowdle will be inking a new one-year deal with the Cowboys. The contract is worth $1.255MM and includes a $200K signing bonus.

The South Carolina product joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2020. After appearing in only 19 offensive snaps through his first three seasons in the NFL, Dowdle saw a larger role in 2023. The fourth-year player served as Tony Pollard‘s primary backup and finished the season with 505 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns on 106 touches. The 25-year-old also returned six kickoffs this past season.

Pollard left for the Titans in free agency, and the Cowboys have yet to add a replacement. That would leave Dowdle and 2023 sixth-round pick Deuce Vaughn atop the depth chart, with Malik Davis and Snoop Conner also around to soak up snaps.

LB Leighton Vander Esch Retires

MARCH 18: Vander Esch announced his retirement on Monday, confirming the expectation that he would be forced to hang up his cleats. This news was further foreshadowed last week when the Cowboys released him. In all, Vander Esch will depart the NFL having played 72 combined regular and postseason games and with $18.25MM in career earnings.

The Cowboys have landed Eric Kendricks in free agency, but further moves will likely be coming to address the linebacker spot. Replacing Vander Esch will now officially be a permanent endeavor.

MARCH 1: Neck issues once again forced Leighton Vander Esch to miss considerable time during the 2023 season. As a result, signs continue to point to the veteran Cowboys linebacker bringing his career to a close.

Vander Esch is expected to retire, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Speculation that would wind up being the case increased in November when it was learned he would be out for the remainder of the campaign. The 28-year-old was diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis, and undergoing surgery to correct the issue would seriously threaten his playing future.

When asked about the matter during this week’s Combine, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones deferred (via Hill) to Vander Esch himself about making a formal announcement. The former first-rounder had fusion surgery in 2020, which itself led to questions about his playing future. He managed to remain healthy for two seasons after that, however, suggesting he would be able to remain a central figure in Dallas’ linebacking corps for years to come.

Vander Esch enjoyed a highly impressive rookie season, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors along the way. His production never matched the level of that 2018 campaign, but the Boise State alum nevertheless remained a full-time starter throughout the rest of his Cowboys tenure. One year remains on Vander Esch’s contract, and he is set to carry a cap hit of $4.4MM.

As Hill notes, overhauling the linebacking corps will be a priority for the Cowboys with or without Vander Esch in the picture. The team was gashed on the ground several times in 2023, including the wild-card loss to the Packers. Dallas has 2022 fifth-rounder Damone Clark on his rookie contract for two more years. DeMarvion Overshown – taken in the third round of last year’s draft – generated high expectations for his performances in training camp but missed his rookie season due to an ACL tear. A healthy campaign could see him handle a notable workload. Former UDFA Markquese Bell will also be in the fold for next season.

Dallas is currently over the 2024 salary cap, but a Dak Prescott extension and other cost-cutting moves will help give the team financial breathing space. Free agency could be an important avenue for the Cowboys to pursue LB help, given the absence of first-round prospects at the position amongst this year’s draft class. Day 2 and 3 additions in April would come as no surprise, though, especially if Vander Esch does indeed retire.

Cowboys Never Pursued RB Derrick Henry

With Derrick Henry owning a home in Dallas and the Cowboys eyeing a new running backs corps in 2024, there seemed to be a natural connection between the two sides when the veteran hit free agency. Instead, Henry ended up signing with the Ravens, and during a recent appearance on “Schein on Sports,” the running back admitted that the Cowboys never reached out.

[RELATED: Ravens To Sign RB Derrick Henry]

“The Cowboys never called at all,” Henry said (h/t Lawrence Dow of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram via Yahoo). “That’s where I stay in the offseason. I’m kind of on the back end of my career and that’s a great organization. It would’ve been a great opportunity, but I’m thankful that I ended up here in Baltimore.”

The Cowboys were mentioned as a “dark horse” suitor for Henry back at the trade deadline, but a move never materialized. As Henry’s contract expired and Tony Pollard hit free agency, it seemed like this would be the time for the Cowboys to pounce.

Instead, the organization hasn’t done anything to address the depth they’ve lost at RB in recent years. Pollard led their backfield in 2023, and the organization moved on from offensive stalwart Ezekiel Elliott last offseason. At the moment, 2023 sixth-round pick Deuce Vaughn is expected to lead the depth chart, with the team also rostering Malik Davis and Snoop Conner.

While the cash-strapped Cowboys have been quiet this week, it wouldn’t have taken a massive commitment to sign Henry. The deal was described as a two-year, $16MM deal with $20MM upside. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero has more details on that contract.

In 2024, Henry will earn a guaranteed $1.21MM salary in addition to a $7.79MM signing bonus. In 2025, that salary will jump to $5MM, and Henry will be due $1MM via a roster bonus in March. There’s an additional $2MM that Henry can earn each season via incentives.

Cowboys, QB Dak Prescott Begin Extension Talks

Free agency has opened and the draft is rapidly approaching, but the Cowboys have another focus weighing heavily on their plate: a potential extension to the contract of quarterback Dak Prescott. According to a report from Calvin Watkins at Dallas Morning News today, Cowboys executive vice president, CEO, and director of player personnel Stephen Jones claimed that the team has had some talks with Prescott about an extension.

Now, we’ve reported plenty on mutual interest between the two parties in an extension and the seeming inevitability of a new deal in the spring, but lately, more and more sources seem to be of the opinion that an extension isn’t certain. ESPN’s Dan Graziano claimed two weeks ago that he was not convinced it was a sure thing.

While it certainly makes the most sense for the organization as it attempts to avoid a $59.46MM cap hit (the second-largest for the 2024 season), Prescott has more leverage than the team would like to admit. Prescott heads into a contract year and also holds a clause in his contract that prohibits the Cowboys from applying the franchise tag on him when his deal is up. Graziano points out that Prescott hasn’t been an easy sell in the past, either, so it’s not likely that we’ll see him waive that clause for the ease of the deal.

Team owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones spoke on the topic to the media at the NFL scouting combine, as well. “We don’t need to (extend Prescott),” Jones said, “but we can if everybody wants to solve (our cap space issue). You can get in and get on the same page and see if you can come to an agreement. If you can’t, what we have in place works. And so obviously, if you do it one way, you’ll be working through some of the other areas on the team in a different way, but you can’t really plan on that until you see when you’re there.”

Jones made sure to clarify that, should an extension not come to fruition, he doesn’t believe it changes to team’s long-term future plans. He still believes that Prescott can be the future in Dallas, but his comments seem to put a lot of responsibility on Prescott to be a team player, or else that money will have to come from elsewhere.

If a deal can’t get done, Graziano speculates that Dallas could convert some of Prescott’s 2024 base salary into a signing bonus in a restructured contract in order to save about $18.5MM. The team would have to be able to do that, though, without adding any additional void years to the three already on the tail-end of his current deal. Doing this could result in a potential $55MM cap hit in 2025, even though Prescott would not be under contract for that season and could possibly be playing elsewhere.

With all this in the forefront, another factor to keep in mind is the recent allegations of sexual assault involving Prescott. According to Watkins and his colleague, Lana Ferguson, Dallas police are investigating claims that Prescott raped a woman in the parking lot of a Dallas strip club in 2017. Nearby, Prosper police are reportedly looking into claims from Prescott that he is being extorted by that same woman for $100MM. Investigations are likely to follow, but for now, both the NFL and the Cowboys have declined to comment on the situation.

NFL Restructures: Mahomes, Chiefs, Allen, Bills, Broncos, Browns, Martin, Cowboys

Completing a Marquise Brown signing after franchise-tagging L’Jarius Sneed, the Chiefs were able to find room due to once again taking advantage of Patrick Mahomes‘ unique contract. Kansas City created $21.6MM in cap space by restructuring the three-time Super Bowl MVP’s contract, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. The Chiefs have gone to this well twice before, making the move in 2021 and 2023 to create cap room. The team reworked Mahomes’ deal in September 2023, following the QB market moving well beyond the Missouri-based superstar’s $45MM AAV, by moving guaranteed money around. But the extension still runs through 2031, giving the team room to maneuver here. Even with the Sneed tag on the books — ahead of a potential trade — the Chiefs hold more than $15MM in cap space as of Friday afternoon.

Here is the latest on the restructure front:

  • After the Bills made a few high-profile cuts last week, they restructured their centerpiece player’s deal this week. Buffalo created $16.7MM in cap space by restructuring Josh Allen‘s deal, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. This merely moved Allen’s 2024 cap charge down to $30.4MM. No void years are on Allen’s $43MM-per-year extension, but monster cap numbers in 2026 and ’27 ($63.9MM, $56.9MM) will need to be addressed. Allen’s deal runs through 2028. The Bills also adjusted Dawson Knox‘s contract to create cap space, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
  • The Broncos may be preparing to take the bigger Russell Wilson dead money hit this year as opposed to in 2025. Though, the final number has not yet emerged. The team has created considerable cap space as of late, releasing Justin Simmons and trading Jerry Jeudy. The Broncos also restructured the contracts of 2023 UFA pickups Zach Allen and Ben Powers, per Yates, creating nearly $20MM in cap room.
  • The Cowboys reorganized Zack Martin‘s deal recently, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer, who indicates the move created roughly $13MM in cap space. To end Martin’s holdout last year, Dallas provided considerable guarantees over the final two years of the All-Pro guard’s six-year deal. That contract now features four void years. If the Cowboys do not extend Martin before the 2025 league year, they would be staring at a $24.5MM dead money blow.
  • Jedrick Wills will check in here, even though he is not on a veteran contract. The Browns restructured their left tackle’s fifth-year option, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The move created more than $10MM in cap space. Cleveland tacked four void years onto Wills’ deal. If the team does not re-sign him before the 2025 league year, it incurs an $11.8MM dead money bill. The Browns also turned to Jerry Jeudy‘s fifth-year option, which the team recently acquired from the Broncos, to create more than $10MM in space, Yates adds. The team likely used the same void years-based structure with the wide receiver’s option.

Cowboys To Release WR Michael Gallup, LB Leighton Vander Esch

Less than a week after giving Michael Gallup permission to seek a trade, the Cowboys are moving on. They plan to release the veteran wide receiver, the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken reports.

Gallup was due a $4MM guarantee on Monday. This will end a six-year partnership, with Dallas initially selecting Gallup in the 2018 third round. The TCU alum was set to enter the third season of a five-year, $57.5MM deal — one the Cowboys authorized in March 2022, as they traded Amari Cooper.

The Cowboys held out hope for a trade, per the Morning News’ Calvin Watkins, but teams effectively knew the team would cut him due to the injury guarantee vesting. The team will use a post-June 1 designation here, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer tweets. This move will spread out Gallup’s $13.1MM dead money hit, creating $9.5MM in cap space this year. Gallup, 28, was due $8.5MM in 2024 base salary.

Although Leighton Vander Esch is expected to retire, the Cowboys are also releasing the veteran linebacker. They will do so with a failed physical designation. Neck trouble has plagued the talented linebacker, and it recurred last season.

The turning point in Gallup’s career came in December 2021, when the former 1,100-yard receiver suffered a torn ACL. Gallup reached that four-digit total in 2019, just before CeeDee Lamb‘s arrival, and topped 800 yards with Cooper and Lamb in 2020. The Cowboys kept all three again in 2021, but after the expiration of Gallup’s rookie deal, the team gave Gallup a new deal and sent Cooper to the Browns. Cooper has continued to deliver 1,000-yard seasons in Cleveland, while Dallas has remained on the hunt for a No. 2 wideout. Even before the ACL tear, Gallup had no cleared 450 receiving yards. That trend continued from 2022-23.

After its much-publicized Odell Beckham Jr. crusade did not produce a signing in 2022, Dallas sent fifth- and sixth-round picks to Houston for Brandin Cooks. The oft-traded wideout remains under contract for 2024, with Lamb going into his fifth-year option season. Cooks totaled 657 yards in his Cowboys debut, with Jake Ferguson stepping up as a viable auxiliary target post-Dalton Schultz. Still, the Cowboys should be a candidate to add another Lamb supporting-caster soon.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/14/24

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Cowboys To Re-Sign CB Jourdan Lewis

Now employing two All-Pros at cornerback, the Cowboys will still find room for Jourdan Lewis. The career-long Cowboy will stay with the team once again, per the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken.

This will be Lewis’ eighth season with the Cowboys. The past three came under Dan Quinn. While the new Commanders HC is believed to have expressed interest in adding Lewis to the Dallas-to-Washington pipeline, via ESPN’s John Keim, Lewis will be set to work with Mike Zimmer next season.

With DaRon Bland posting one of the most productive seasons in cornerback history last year and Trevon Diggs coming back from an ACL tear, the Cowboys may have their top three corners in place. As Stephon Gilmore remains a free agent, Lewis is coming back on a third Cowboys contract. With Bland establishing himself as a boundary corner last season, Lewis working as the team’s nickel again in 2024 appears a likely scenario.

Lewis, 28, made it back from a severe foot injury to play that role in 2023. During the 2022 season, the former third-round pick suffered a Lisfranc injury that was deemed career-threatening. The Cowboys ramped up Lewis’ workload early last season. By the midpoint, he was working as a regular again. After playing out a three-year, $13.5MM deal, the 5-foot-10 cover man is signing up to play a supporting once in the Dallas secondary once again.

The Cowboys gave up on ex-second-rounder Kelvin Joseph after two seasons, but their Joseph-for-Noah Igbinoghene swap did not move the needle. Rolling out a Gilmore-Bland-Lewis trio, the Cowboys ranked fifth in pass defense. Pro Football Focus did not view Lewis’ first season back from injury in a positive light, however, ranking him in the bottom 10 among cornerback regulars. The Michigan alum did force three fumbles and intercept a pass. Lewis ranks behind only DeMarcus Lawrence as the longest-tenured Cowboy defender.

The Commanders have added Dorance Armstrong and Tyler Biadasz from the Cowboys, but they have not made a move at corner yet. Both Washington’s secondary starters who entered free agency among the best options available — Kendall Fuller, Kamren Curl — are unsigned on Day 4 of free agency.

RB AJ Dillon Eyeing Deal With Cowboys, Giants, Colts

Most of the top available running backs have quickly found a new home this offseason. The 2024 free agent class featured several prominent names, and they have switched teams (in certain cases, remaining in the division while doing so). AJ Dillon is among the best remaining backfield options, and he appears to have a shortlist of destinations.

The former Packers back has interest in a deal with the Cowboys, Giants and Colts, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Dallas could indeed be a suitor for Dillon (although nothing is imminent at this time), colleague Jane Slater adds. Slater also notes a Cowboys reunion with Ezekiel Elliott is not in the team’s plans as things currently stand.

Dallas saw Tony Pollard take a deal with the Titans in the early portion of the negotiating window, a departure which did come as a major surprise. Pollard took on undisputed lead back duties with Elliott out of the picture last year, and his efficiency saw a notable decline. Still, eyebrows have been raised at the lack of action on the veteran market with respect to RBs for the Cowboys. The team’s second-leading rusher in 2023 was Rico Dowdle, who is unsigned.

The Giants also lost a 2023 franchise tag recipient in the form of Saquon Barkley. He made an intra-NFC East swap by joining the Eagles on a three-year deal, after the Giants did not submit a new offer this offseason. New York has, however, responded by bringing in Devin SingletaryThe latter landed a three-year, $19.5MM pact to serve as the Giants’ lead back, so any Dillion arrangement would see him play as a backup or part of a tandem as he did in Green Bay with Aaron Jones.

Indianapolis appeared destined to trade Jonathan Taylor for much of the 2023 offseason, but he and the Colts ultimately worked out an extension. The 2021 rushing champion will be tasked with carrying the load next season and beyond, so like the Giants the Colts have less of a need in the backfield than the Cowboys. With Anthony Richardson at quarterback after a four-game rookie season, though, Indianapolis will no doubt prioritize a strong ground game.

Dillon played sparingly as a rookie in 2020, but since then he has seen a consistent workload serving as a change-of-pace compared to Jones. The 25-year-old totaled 1,573 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground between the 2021 and ’22 seasons, but he regressed last season. Dillion saw his yards per carry average drop to a career-low 3.4 in 2023, something which has no doubt hurt his market. If at least one of the three teams on his radar reciprocates his interest, though, a deal could be worked out somewhat quickly.