7 Cowboys with major money on the line in 2022

Despite some fans’ dreams, it’s not likely Dallas is going to rush to the phone lines to spend the extra cap space gained by spring’s release of La’el Collins. The Cowboys had $13 million of cap space already, more than enough to work with and sign someone from the remaining free agency pool. The additional $10 million moves Dallas into the top 5 of teams with cap space going into the season.

As has been pointed out over and over again in this space, while Dallas could still sign someone this offseason, it appears they are preparing to make a push in the 2023 offseason. For the first time in several years, the Cowboys don’t have a sizeable percentage of their roster set to hit free agency. It’s a rare window that might actually convince Stephen Jones to open up the purse to outsiders. Or, it will could be used on more in-house guys.

Dallas has a number of players who have the opportunity to earn themselves a big payday in 2023. Some are pending free agents, others are players eligible and worthy of early re-ups. Here’s a look at the Magnificent Seven for 2023.

TE Dalton Schultz

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Proud papa time.

Schultz and the Cowboys still have a chance to solidify a long-term deal this offseason, after the tight end was slapped with the franchise tag. The deadline there is July 15 or they’ll have to wait until January. That may work out just fine for Schultz as Blake Jarwin, the most likely candidate to syphon targets at the position, was lost for the year and released.

If Jarwin follows up his 2021 campaign with a similar season, then he will look to be the latest TE to cash in. Schultz became a staple of Dallas’ offense in 2021, clocking in at a 20.3% DVOA, fifth-best in the league. He ranked eighth in PFF grades for tight ends at 78.2.

Meanwhile Cleveland’s David Njoku ranked 11th and 18th, respectively, was also tagged like Schultz and just earned a five-year, $54.75 million deal. This past November, the Eagles’ Dallas Goedert signed a four-year extension for $57 million of new money.

Whether it be a deal to stay or he’s poached away, Schultz will be paid as long as he stays in the vicinity of his 2021 self.

CB Trevon Diggs

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Drafted in 2020, Diggs will be eligible for an extension for the first time following this season. After 11 interceptions in just his fourth season playing the corner position (two at Alabama, two in the pros), the sky appears to be the limit.

The Black card likely won’t have one.

Corner is one of the Money 5, as I coined the five most expensive positions in the NFL, so top guys get beaucoup duckets when the contracts are up. While some weirdos try to diminish Diggs’ accomplishments because he gave up almost 1,000 yards in coverage, his adjusted net yards per coverage snap (ANY/CS) had him ranked as the fourth-best corner in the league. A follow up performance, even without the gaudy totals, will get this man a new tax bracket and then some.

Six corners (Jaire Alexander, Denzel Ward, Jalen Ramsey, Marlon Humphrey, Marshon Lattimore and Xavien Howard) all make over $18 million per season. It would be foolish for Diggs to accept anything less without his performance nose diving.

Anything close to resembling last year would likely put him at the top of the list. The question is where Dallas looks to get out in front or play the waiting game like they did with QB Dak Prescott and DE DeMarcus Lawrence. Utilize the franchise tag to avoid the top deal at the position for as long as possible.

RB Ezekiel Elliott

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No, Elliott isn’t in line for a new deal, but he has plenty on the line when it comes to his financials. Elliott put in the work, on the field and as the de facto face of the franchise while Prescott was developing into one of the league’s best QBs and Elliott was handsomely rewarded for those efforts.

[Read more about the Cowboys’ philosophy to paying players here]

The Cowboys are now at a point where they wouldn’t suffer a financial hit if they were to move on from Elliott following 2022. He’s on the books for a $10.9 million base salary in 2023 and would bring the club $4.9 million in cap savings if released after accounting for bonus acceleration.

But a dynamic, healthy campaign may convince the Cowboys to keep him in the fold for at least one more season. Despite the squeaky wheel complaints on social media, Elliott remains a fan favorite for much of Cowboys Nation. Those complaints are annoying especially considering Dallas is hoarding cap space and Elliott’s (nor Prescott’s) contract is keeping them from making any moves, but we digress.

Elliott’s 2023 salary, and possible home city, will likely be determined by how well he performs this year. This despite being signed for three more seasons.

On the open market in 2023, Elliott may be in line for a reduction to a deal worth between $6 million and $7 million.

WR CeeDee Lamb

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Like Diggs, Lamb will be eligible for a new deal after the 2022 season, but as a former first-round pick, the Cowboys have a fifth-year option to consider.

Lamb has one Pro Bowl under his belt, and as the new No. 1 receiver in the league’s top offense, one has to consider a second one a formality based on health. For 2019 first rounders, the fifth-year option for a wideout with two Pro Bowl berths was $18.4 million, and that will go up next year.

That’s the starting point for negotiating a long-term deal for the sides. There are currently 12 receivers who make $19 million or more with Davante Adams at a $28 million average for the Raiders and Tyreke Hill at $30 million per.

Lamb doesn’t have the storied production of those guys, so Dallas may look to slow roll a new deal for their top wideout until 2024.

The Cowboys could theoretically go through the entirety of Prescott’s contract without awarding another WR deal if they option Lamb and don’t extend before being able to franchise him.

RB Tony Pollard

(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

Joined at the hip with the Elliott convo is what happens to Pollard. The 11th back taken in the 2019 draft, Pollard has become more and more impressive every season. The question is whether Dallas or another team sees him as a lead back. He’s not a bell cow back, but he could be utilized more by a team that also doesn’t have an Ezekiel Elliott to lean on.

He’s never played over 400 snaps in a single season, but with no firm slot option in the fold, perhaps he could see himself get an Austin-Ekeler-in-2019 role where the Chargers back had a whopping 92 receptions (up from 39) and still had over 500 yards on the ground.

Ekeler turned that into a four-year, $24.5 million deal and the way Pollard is revered in so many circles, that’s hardly out of the question as a baseline.

OG Connor McGovern

(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

Unlike the others on this list, McGovern is going to have to wait to make the most of his opportunity. More than likely he is going to be a backup as he enters his fourth and final season of his rookie deal. McGovern got a shot to replace Connor Williams at left guard in 2021, but failed to secure the long-term job much less the immediate one, going back to the bench.

Now he’ll back up future Hall of Famer Zack Martin and 2022 first-round pick Tyler Smith. He’ll have to wait for an opportunity to prove his worth, but if he gets in and fills in like he did for Martin in 2020, another team could think the former Nittany Lion with third-round pedigree could be their guy.

In his fourth year, McGovern is on the books for a $2.5 million salary, which could actually lead to his release should someone outplay him, or equal his play for lesser dollars, in training camp. If he gets in the lineup and thrives, though, at 25 this year he could see a $4 million or $5 million a year deal in his future with a team who liked him coming out of Penn State.

LB Leighton Vander Esch

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Vander Esch finally had a healthy season again. After a breakout rookie campaign in 2018 with 140 tackles, Vander Esch became a has been relatively quickly. But in 2021, he proved capable of staying on the field for a full season. Can he do it again?

If he can, perhaps he can get somewhere close to the riches that were once seemingly promised when FOX was doing profiles on his family RV they brought to Texas from Idaho. The Cowboys balked at a fifth-year option which would’ve paid him $9 million in 2022. He signed this offseason on a one-year deal for $2 million. If he lasts a full season, he has a chance to earn a multi-year contract somewhere around the league, even if the jobs next to Micah Parsons are clearly being held for Jabril Cox and Damone Clark.

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