- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,269,167
- Reaction score
- 59
The Dallas Cowboys entered Tuesday with a bit of cap management work to do after Monday's events. Although free agency had started, the new 2026 league year doesn't begin until 4pm Eastern on Wednesday, at which point all 32 clubs had to be compliant with the 2026 salary cap. Set at $301.2 million last month, Dallas entered the week with around $220,000 to spare, but that quickly evaporated once they made their Monday moves.
Despite the new contracts for RT Terence Steele and safety Malik Hooker, Dallas found themselves around $14 million over the cap again after the trade acquisitions of edge Rashan Gary and the free agent agreement with safety Jalen Thompson. On Tuesday, the club made a big effort to help get them compliant by restructuring the contract of defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
The Cowboys have now restructured the contracts of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Smith and Clark to shift 2-2026 salary into bonus that could be spread across multiple years of the cap.
Related: Who are the best remaining free agency targets for the Cowboys?
When Clark was acquired in the trade that sent Micah Parsons to Green Bay, Clark came back with nothing but per-year salary in the form of base salary and roster bonuses. Those count each year they are paid. But by changing the $11 million roster bonus into a restructure bonus, and adding three void years beyond the 2027 true final year of his contract, it allows Dallas to spread the cap charges across five seasons.
The $11 million hits each of the 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 caps equally at $2.2 million, therefore saving four years of allocation, or $8.8 million saved from this year's cap hit.
If Clark is extended, then those cap hits will be on those years plus whatever other money is added from a new deal. If 2027 is his last year, the 2028-2030 allocations would all accelarate to 2028, leaving $6.6 million in dead money.
The choice to restructure Clark is a notable one, as there was some question whether or not Dallas would want to carry three defensive tackles at over $20 million in salary a year. Quinnen Williams, acquired in an in-season trade with the New York Jets, and Osa Odighizuwa, have not yet had their contracts updated.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys restructure DT Kenny Clark, create $8.8 million in cap space
Continue reading...
Despite the new contracts for RT Terence Steele and safety Malik Hooker, Dallas found themselves around $14 million over the cap again after the trade acquisitions of edge Rashan Gary and the free agent agreement with safety Jalen Thompson. On Tuesday, the club made a big effort to help get them compliant by restructuring the contract of defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
The Cowboys have now restructured the contracts of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Smith and Clark to shift 2-2026 salary into bonus that could be spread across multiple years of the cap.
Related: Who are the best remaining free agency targets for the Cowboys?
When Clark was acquired in the trade that sent Micah Parsons to Green Bay, Clark came back with nothing but per-year salary in the form of base salary and roster bonuses. Those count each year they are paid. But by changing the $11 million roster bonus into a restructure bonus, and adding three void years beyond the 2027 true final year of his contract, it allows Dallas to spread the cap charges across five seasons.
The $11 million hits each of the 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 caps equally at $2.2 million, therefore saving four years of allocation, or $8.8 million saved from this year's cap hit.
If Clark is extended, then those cap hits will be on those years plus whatever other money is added from a new deal. If 2027 is his last year, the 2028-2030 allocations would all accelarate to 2028, leaving $6.6 million in dead money.
The choice to restructure Clark is a notable one, as there was some question whether or not Dallas would want to carry three defensive tackles at over $20 million in salary a year. Quinnen Williams, acquired in an in-season trade with the New York Jets, and Osa Odighizuwa, have not yet had their contracts updated.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys restructure DT Kenny Clark, create $8.8 million in cap space
Continue reading...
