Doing the math, the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason already looks like a cap space hell. While the team is busy reloading its defense with a new defensive coordinator, some heavy-hitters are approaching free agency in Texas. With more than half of those representing the offense, losing them would be a problem for franchise quarterback Dak Prescott.

As free agency approaches on March 9, Dallas finds itself staring at a long list of expiring contracts. In total, 22 players will see their deals expire after the 2025 season, as reported by the Cowboys’ official page. That group includes notable names like Javonte Williams and Jadeveon Clowney. The biggest name for Prescott, though, would be George Pickens.

After being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers in an offseason trade, Pickens had career highs of 93 catches, 1,429 yards, and nine touchdowns. He certainly helped lift the offense to the ninth-best in the league. He could ask for top-of-the-market receiver money. Perhaps more than the $34 million annual pay the Cowboys paid CeeDee Lamb two years ago.

They could use the franchise tag on Pickens and ensure his availability in the voluntary offseason program and training camp. But we saw that movie with Micah Parsons before he was traded off to the Green Bay Packers right before the season kicked off. Making it worse is that the two have the same Athletes First agency.

While not everyone will hit the open market the same way, the numbers still matter. 15 of those 22 players are set to become unrestricted free agents; six of those 15 are on the offense. This means the Cowboys will have to move faster to retain them before free agency hits.

From a roster balance standpoint, the split is interesting. Let’s have a look at the 15 unrestricted free agents before we grab our calculators and see how Jerry Jones will overcome this mess:

Put simply, Jones has a lot of contract decisions to make heading into the 2026 season, decisions that directly affect Dak Prescott and the core around him.

On paper, Dallas has long been viewed as one of the more cap-aware teams in the league. But this offseason may test that reputation.

The math behind Dallas’ cap space

While the cap limit will not be decided for at least another month, many projections predict it to be between $295 million and $305 million. The Cowboys, meanwhile, have contracts totaling about $330 million in cap room. Consequently, they will be roughly $31 million over the cap for 2026.

Pickens, certainly, is a priority extension contract. However, if they put the tag on the wide receiver, that’s another $28 million or so immediate hit on the cap.

Additionally, Williams could also factor into Dallas’ plans, but the other name that stands out is Clowney. The veteran led the team with 8.5 sacks and has openly expressed interest in returning, particularly with a new defensive coordinator now in place.

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To make any of this work, the math has to come first.

Fortunately, again, no one is expecting them to sign every free agent. Then, of course, they can create upward of $100 million in salary cap room with the good ol’ accounting tricks: restructures, extensions, trades, releases, and cap roll-offs.

• Restructures: As is always the case, the top players will see their salaries restructured. While it won’t mean that they don’t get the money they were promised, it will simply shift them so the Cowboys can have better cap space next season.
  Targets for this strategy would be Dak Prescott ($30 million relief), CeeDee Lamb ($19 million), Tyler Smith ($17 million), Osa Odighizuwa ($12 million), among others. In total, the Cowboys could secure at least $90 million to $111 million through restructuring.
• Extensions: If the Cowboys extend some contracts, they can then use the remaining years to further restructure the deals. This will not only allow them to keep the players they want but also lose some cap space.
• Trades or trims: Dallas will also need to look at how they can replace or adjust contracts through trades or trims. Veteran players and low-impact players usually get targeted for this, but the Cowboys could make a projected $20 million with it.
• Rollover cap space: The Cowboys did not spend all of the cap space remaining in 2025. That unused cap can roll over into the 2026 season. Reportedly, they can get a boost of at least $22 million with this.

So while the Cowboys have plenty of roster decisions ahead, everything ultimately circles back to one thing: cap space. Meanwhile, changes on the coaching staff are still unfolding. The Cowboys have already filled the defensive coordinator vacancy left by Matt Eberflus, but the process isn’t finished.

The Cowboys look to build a new defensive coaching staff for their new DC

Many around the league expected Matt Eberflus’s exit after the Cowboys’ uneven defensive showing in 2025. Jerry Jones didn’t drag it out. Dallas moved quickly, and while the search for a replacement took some time, the Cowboys now enter the offseason with Christian Parker taking over as defensive coordinator. Judging by how things are unfolding, Parker is now reshaping the coaching staff in Dallas.

The reasons are fairly straightforward. Shortly after Parker’s hiring, defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton departed Dallas to take the defensive run game coordinator/defensive line coach role with the Tennessee Titans. Not long after, the Cowboys moved on from three more defensive assistants: game coordinator/safeties coach Andre Curtis, secondary/cornerbacks coach David Overstreet II, and linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi.

The decisions surrounding Curtis and Overstreet, in particular, weren’t difficult to justify. After all, the defensive backs under their watch allowed the second-most touchdown passes in the NFL (35 in total), a number that simply wasn’t sustainable for a team with postseason expectations. And while replacements for Curtis and Borgonzi have yet to be finalized, Dallas has already made one notable hire.

The Cowboys brought in Ryan Smith as their new cornerbacks coach, filling the vacancy left by Overstreet. That move checks one box, but more additions are expected in the coming days as Parker continues to shape his defensive staff while Jones figures out the salary cap situation as free agency approaches. It remains to be seen whether Jones can fulfill his wish to retire as the owner with the most Super Bowl rings.