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Report Details How Deep Dallas Cowboys Are in Salary Cap Hell After Pickens Franchise Tag
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- Report Details How Deep Dallas Cowboys Are in Salary Cap Hell After Pickens Franchise Tag
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A new report explains why it will be very hard for the Dallas Cowboys to add any meaningful veteran players this offseason unless they slash some serious money off their payroll.
A 7-10 finish to the 2024 season cost head coach Mike McCarthy his job a year ago. However, his replacement, Brian Shottenheimer, wasn't any better in 2025 as Dallas ended the campaign with a 7-9-1 record. If the team doesn't reach the playoffs for a third straight year in 2026, it would be the first time that's happened in over a decade.
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Obviously, improving the roster — especially their awful defense will be a priority this offseason. However, a new X post from NFL payroll experts Spotrac explains the salary cap hell the Cowboys are in and why bringing George Pickens back creates more problems.
"WR George Pickens ' franchise tag will add an estimated $28M cap hold to the Cowboys' books, rendering them around $57M over a $303M league cap," the outlet wrote. "Second-Round RFA tenders for Brandon Aubrey & T.J. Bass up that to -$68M."
In a time when teams are looking to payroll, the Cowboys are falling even deeper into salary cap hell heading into the start of the new league year.
Who could the Cowboys soon cut to save payroll?
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Dak Prescott , CeeDee Lamb , and now Pickens, after getting the franchise tag placed on him, are the three highest-paid players on the Cowboys' payroll . The trio amounts to an over $140 million cap hit in 2026. Both Lamb and Prescott have had their contracts restructured in recent seasons.
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Guard Tyler Smith and late-season addition Quinnen Williams could be options for restructured deals. However, will the former New York Jets star be open to a restructure in the final guaranteed year of his deal? A new long-term contract could make things easier for Dallas in 2026.
Furthermore, it is imperative that the team can agree to a new long-term deal with Pickens so they can significantly drop his salary in the upcoming season. The Cowboys can, and likely will, need to cut some veteran players soon.
Malik Hooker (potential $6.9 million savings), offensive tackle Terence Steele (as much as $18 million slashed), defensive tackle Kenny Clark ($21.5 million in possible savings), and linebacker Logan Wilson ($6.85 million in potential savings) are probably on the chopping block in the days ahead. All four could be cut and may need to be replaced with rookies or internal options in 2026.
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