Cowboys restructure safety Malik Hooker on final year of deal

The Dallas Cowboys continue to work to create cap space ahead of the 2026 league year beginning. With the legal tampering window opening on Monday, teams are going to start announcing intended signings soon after the noon opening gun. Those deals cannot be official until Wednesday at 4pm, but that won't stop the flood of reports of agreements.

Dallas wants to be in on that, but they are currently right up against the cap. Earlier on Monday, word emerged that the club would create around $10 million of space by restructuring RT Terence Steele , a controversial move for those who were hoping Dallas would be looking for a new solution at the position. Now they've followed suit with another veteran, restructuring the final year of Malik Hooker 's deal to save around $2 million on this year's cap.

The Cowboys are going to add some incentives to Hooker's contract that reduces the base salary, but gives him more money in the long run should he meet certain incentives.

Entering the day, Hooker was scheduled to earn $7 million in base salary. Clearly the Cowboys went to him with the threat that he would be released, and then worked from there. The restructure will save them $2 million in base salary, and the $3 million in possible incentives would have to be things he didn't achieve in 2026 in order for them to not hit the cap now. Those incentives are classified as "not likely to be earned".

More to come.

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys restructure safety Malik Hooker on final year of deal