Cowboys dead cap: 45 players account for over $23 million
The Dallas Cowboys have done a masterful job of being able to put together a championship contender. They’ve done so with a slew of homegrown talent, mostly through the NFL draft. 22 of the first 25 players in our most recent Player Power Rankings have only ever worn a star on their helmet, with Amari Cooper also being acquired via use of draft picks.
Dallas simply chooses not to invest in outside free agents and the process has culminated in one of the deepest rosters across the NFL. Still, they do sign some outside guys and they do make some mistakes when it comes to handing out second contracts to their own players. Those mistakes can impact the team in multiple ways. For one, the dead weight can be progress stoppers, but more often than not the team realizes the error of their ways and move on from bad investments as soon as financially feasible. Those releases end up as dead money and the 2021 Cowboys have over $23 million of it on their cap.
That matters, regardless of how one feels about the individual decisions, as the Cowboys have just $4.2 million of cap space this year and that may have played into their decision not to entertain bringing in any pieces during the last days before the trade deadline.
Dead money refers to money that is taken up on the current year’s salary cap for players who are no longer on the team’s roster. Sometimes a player gets released, signed to the practice squad and appears as both a current cap hit and also dead money, but normally it’s an indication of a player the club no longer wants.
Here’s a look at the 45 players who have cap hits for contracts that no longer exist. There are more than a few surprising names that are still “with” the team.
ILB Jaylon Smith $9,800,000
(AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker)
Center Travis Frederick - $6,065,000
(Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
DT Gerald McCoy - $2,000,000
(Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
FB Jamize Olawale - $1,200,000
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
DT Dontari Poe - $750,000
(AP Photo/LM Otero)
Punter Chris Jones - $500,000
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
TE Jeremy Sprinkle - $426,500 (Currently on roster)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
DE Bradlee Anae $406,107 (Currently on PS)
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
OL Brandon Knight - $237,778
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
DT Justin Hamilton - $223,333 (Currently on roster)
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
DT Austin Faoliu - $194,266 (Currently on PS)
(AP Photo)
FB Nick Ralston - $165,065
(AP Photo/Stew Milne)
FS Darian Thompson - $155,000 (Currently on PS)
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
DE Joe Jackson - $142,844
Punter Bryan Anger - $137,500 (currently on roster)
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
LS Jake McQuaide - $137,500 (currently on roster)
Billy Hardiman-USA TODAY Sports
WR Brandon Smith - $124,000 (currently on PS)
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
WR Stephen Guidry - $103,333
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Center Braylon Jones - $78,333 (currently on PS)
Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
TE Nick Eubanks - $56.666
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
TE Artayvious Lynn - $56,666
Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
Safety Tyler Coyle - $51,666 (currently on PS)
(AP Photo/David Richard)
WR Brennan Eagles - $51,666
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
RB JaQuan Hardy $51,666 (Currently on PS)
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
LB Anthony Hines - $51,666
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
RB Brenden Knox - $51,666
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
WR Osirus Mitchell - $51,666 (currently on PS)
Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu - $45,866 (currently on roster)
(AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
OLB Jalen Jelks - $39,334
(AP Photo/John Hefti)
CB Holton Hill - $28,000
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
QB Clayton Thorson - $25,000
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
QB Ben DiNucci - $23,787 (currently on PS)
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
FS Isaiah Johnson - $18,400
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
DE Ron'Dell Carter - $13,334
(AP Photo/Emilee Chinn)
RB Darius Anderson - $6,667
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
LB Francis Bernard - $6,667 (currently on roster)
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
DE Ladarius Hamilton $3,334
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
WR Jon'Vea Johnson - $3,334
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Safety Luther Kirk - $3,334
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
DT Garrett Marino - $3,334
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
FB Sewo Olonilua - $3,334 (currently on PS)
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
WR Aaron Parker - $3,334
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
WR Kendrick Rogers - $3,334
TE Charlie Taumopeau - $3,334
(AP Photo/LM Otero)
WR Tevin Jones - $2,500
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
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