Signing Dak Prescott is the first order of business for the Cowboys when free agency begins, but the team has plenty more to ponder with a reduced amount to spend because of the salary cap.

SALARY CAP OUTLOOK

This offseason was supposed to be the eighth straight year in which the NFL’s salary cap experienced a year-over-year increase of at least $10 million. A continued climb would have pushed the cap to north of $210 million in 2021.

For years, teams planned for that. Most club negotiators habitually structure backloaded contracts based on their anticipation of continued cap growth.

Then a pandemic slashed stadium attendance, costing billions of dollars in revenue and triggering a historic cap downturn.

The Cowboys are no different than the 31 other NFL clubs as they operate under an entirely different cap climate than originally envisioned. The exact league salary cap for 2021 is expected to be announced in the coming days, landing somewhere above $180 million but likely not dramatically so.

There’s only so much the Cowboys can do today to mitigate the situation.

They helped themselves last year when restructuring the contracts of left tackle Tyron Smith, right guard Zack Martin, right tackle La’el Collins and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. Those decisions, largely done in response to the pandemic and foreseen cap challenges, allowed the club to accumulate $25.4 million in unused cap space last year, according to the NFL Players Association.

Dallas carried over that unused total into 2021, so its adjusted cap will be at least $205.4 million.

Still, the extra space is not enough to breathe comfortably.

That is without factoring quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract, whose cap cost could be as high as $37.7 million. The Cowboys also hope to be somewhat active in free agency to upgrade their defense. And they need to budget about $9 million to sign a rookie draft class, plus another several million dollars for regular-season reserve funds.

Some avenues exist to clear cap room.

Releasing punter Chris Jones is an obvious option. Hampered by injury in recent seasons, he is entering the final year of his contract. No part of his 2021 salary is guaranteed. If cut, Jones would count $500,000 against the team’s 2021 cap instead of $2.5 million. This would leave Hunter Niswander as the only punter on the current team.

Based on the Cowboys’ roster composition, though, cutting players won’t get them far.

Restructuring contracts will.

At $17 million, Lawrence owns the second-highest 2021 salary on the Cowboys roster. If the team converts $16 million of that into a signing bonus, the bonus would prorate evenly over the four-year remainder of Lawrence’s contract to clear $12 million in 2021 cap space.

The Cowboys can push a salary-to-bonus conversion one step further by adding a voidable year (or two) as part of the restructure. They already did this last year for Lawrence on his initial restructure. Adding another dummy year would allow the $16 million to prorate across five years instead of four, freeing up $12.8 million rather than $12 million.

Now, $800,000 might not be worthwhile in this instance. But using voidable years is an integral part of how the Cowboys are doing business during the pandemic.

These restructures come with risk.

Pushing money into the future restricts a front office’s flexibility. If a team later seeks to move on from a player, be it via trade or release, it will absorb more dead money against the cap when the deferred bonus accelerates. So as much as possible, the Cowboys need to be selective in whose salaries they convert to bonuses, prioritizing players who they feel most confident won’t be cut or traded in the future.

Wide receiver Amari Cooper ($20 million), Martin ($11 million), Tyron Smith ($10.5 million), running back Ezekiel Elliott ($9.6 million), Collins ($8.55 million) and linebacker Jaylon Smith (7.2 million) are the other players slated to collect more than $5 million in salary in 2021.

Lastly, in free agency this month, it is possible that money will dry up more quickly for second- and third-tier players. Someone who may have commanded $4 million per year may only be offered half of that. Someone who may have earned $2 million could receive the veteran minimum.

Perhaps that can produce a bargain or two for Dallas.

Free agents unable to land a lucrative contract often sign a one-year “prove-it” deal, allowing them the opportunity to produce with a team and cash in the following year when reentering the market. For cap purposes, the Cowboys could reimagine that model, signing such players to backloaded multiyear deals to spread out a signing bonus across multiple seasons.

Creative cash flow can keep Dallas afloat until the NFL’s salary cap corrects itself.

Citing an influx from television contracts and increased attendance, many league officials anticipate that correction in 2022.

Michael Gehlken

ROSTER NEEDS

Not safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix or defensive tackle Gerald McCoy — they were released in training camp, McCoy for a medical reason. Not nose tackle Dontari Poe or cornerback Daryl Worley — they were cut after seven games. Not defensive end Everson Griffen — he was traded after seven games.

That leaves defensive end Aldon Smith, whose production tumbled down the stretch.

He is the answer by default.

By and large, the Cowboys are eager to put their 2020 free agency period behind them. Last year demonstrated the difficulty of finding success in free agency when a team has some cap space. The club now must do more with less.

On that fun note, here are some of the Cowboys’ roster needs. Defense drives the conversation.

CORNERBACK

Chidobe Awuzie, Byron Jones and Jourdan Lewis were the only Cowboys cornerbacks to play at least 40% of the defense’s snaps in 2019.

Two years later, all three could be gone.

Jones already departed last offseason via a blockbuster contract with the Miami Dolphins. While Awuzie and Lewis won’t garner nearly the same level of interest, it is entirely possible their external market could be strong enough for their most enticing offers to originate outside of Dallas.

The Cowboys flirted last year with the idea of moving Awuzie to safety, although they never worked him there in an abridged offseason. At nickel, the 5-10 Lewis may not be considered an ideal fit.

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. are new to the Cowboys’ coaching staff. Quinn is known to value length from his corners. So an overhaul is possible here, one that could involve an outside cornerback being drafted in the first round to complement 2020 second-round pick Trevon Diggs.

Quinn and Whitt coached the Atlanta Falcons last year. It wouldn’t surprise to see a reunion or two in the secondary.

Possible targets: Darqueze Dennard, Falcons; Cameron Sutton, Steelers; Gareon Conley, Texans

DEFENSIVE LINE

No simple fix exists for the Cowboys’ porous run defense.

They need better coaching. Jim Tomsula proved not a fit last season as defensive line coach. Up-and-comer Aden Durde replaced Tomsula in January, and given his background, Quinn figures to be fairly involved with the position group, too.

They need continued player development. Defensive tackles Trysten Hill, a 2019 second-round pick, and Neville Gallimore, a 2020 third-round choice, hope to build off flashes shown last season. All of Hill’s came before a Week 5 ACL tear.

Free agency is one variable in a larger equation.

The Cowboys would welcome an athletic veteran presence at defensive tackle. They also look to fortify their edge rusher rotation, where DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory return but Aldon Smith is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.

Possible targets: DT Roy Robertson-Harris, Bears; DE Tarell Basham, Jets; DT Larry Ogunjobi, Browns

LINEBACKER

Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch swapped positions last offseason, Smith moving from Mike (middle) linebacker to Will (weak side) and Vander Esch going from Will to Mike.

They’re likely to be on the move again.

The Cowboys have held discussions about where Smith best fits in Quinn’s defense. There was some consideration the Sam (strong side) linebacker spot would be most suitable. But the tentative plan now appears for Smith and Vander Esch to swap positions for a second straight year, a source said. Smith is expected to play the Mike. Vander Esch will revert to Will.

Naturally, that begs the question: In the base defense, who will be the Sam?

Sean Lee turns 35 in July and is an impending free agent. If he elects to play a 12th NFL season and re-signs with the Cowboys, he’d almost need to be one of their top three linebackers to justify his place on the roster since he does not contribute on special teams.

If Lee does not return, a physical, downhill tackler would make sense, someone who can specialize in the base defense. Smith and Vander Esch would handle subpackage work. Dallas also could use a coverage-type linebacker who can be a core special teamer for coordinator John Fassel, particularly if Joe Thomas is not re-signed.

Possible targets: Denzel Perryman, Chargers; Avery Williamson, Steelers; Nicholas Morrow, Raiders

SAFETY

Another year.

Another reminder the Cowboys haven’t invested aggressively at the safety position in years.

Dallas still lacks a standout player who can patrol its back end, roaming and reacting to cover ground in zone coverage. Donovan Wilson had a breakout 2020 campaign, but the 2019 sixth-round pick performs at his best when operating closer to the line of scrimmage, not in center field.

Xavier Woods is set to become an unrestricted free agent. If the Cowboys are interested, only a modest financial commitment should be required to re-sign him. His lack of proven playmaking likely tempers his market.

This positional need is an opportunity for the team to add fresh leadership.

At the right price, the Cowboys can sign a veteran who is especially vocal and embraces a mentorship role, someone who will help instill the culture Quinn desires. They could then target a safety as early as Day 2 in the draft, starting that prospect in subpackages and allowing him to push for playing time from there.

Or they could do what they usually do at safety.

Little at all.

Possible targets: John Johnson III, Rams; Malik Hooker, Colts; Ricardo Allen, Falcons

OFFENSIVE DEPTH

No need to devote too much attention on the offense.

The Cowboys already have.

Their most premium resources as a front office, be it top draft picks or simple dollars spent, largely have favored this side of the football. As a result, barring medical setbacks, the offense won’t need to sign or draft a Week 1 starter this offseason.

Depth, though, matters.

Andy Dalton was among the NFL’s top backup quarterbacks in 2020. If afforded better protection, the free agency signing may have led the Cowboys to a division title in a weak NFC East. Paying Dalton might not be a luxury the team can afford. He seeks a chance to compete for a starting job elsewhere anyway.

Unless Dalton’s market is far drier than he hopes, the Cowboys will have to decide whether to proceed with Garrett Gilbert as Dak Prescott’s primary backup, sign a different veteran or draft someone. This is presuming, of course, that Prescott’s contract situation doesn’t go totally haywire in the next month, forcing the Cowboys to seriously entertain a future without him.

Dallas did not see enough from Ben DiNucci, a 2020 seventh-round pick, to factor him prominently into their immediate plans.

Quarterback aside, the Cowboys can upgrade their reserves on the offensive line.

Center Tyler Biadasz, a fourth-round pick last year, is in line to start. Joe Looney could force a competition if he re-signs. If Looney departs, veteran protection on the interior line would be vital.

Possible targets: C/G Jon Feliciano, Bills; C/G Nick Easton, Saints; QB C.J. Beathard, 49ers

Michael Gehlken

KEY DATES

TUESDAY

The Cowboys must place the franchise tag on quarterback Dak Prescott if no contract extension is reached by 3 p.m. Otherwise, Prescott becomes eligible to reach free agency when the 2021 league year begins.

MARCH 15-17

Legal tampering period. The Cowboys can negotiate contracts with other clubs’ impending unrestricted free agents — and other teams can negotiate deals with the Cowboys’.

MARCH 17

Start of the 2021 league year. At 3 p.m., free agency begins. Offseason trades can be processed. The Cowboys must be under the salary cap. Before 3 p.m., they must place a tender on their restricted and exclusive-rights free agents. Any such free agent not tendered can sign elsewhere without Dallas retaining the right to match an accepted offer.

MARCH 21

If linebacker Jaylon Smith is still on the roster, his $9.2 million salary for the 2021 season will become fully guaranteed. If running back Ezekiel Elliott is still on the roster, his $12.4 million salary for 2022 will become fully guaranteed.

APRIL 19

The Cowboys can start their spring workout program. Participation is voluntary. Meetings are likely to be held virtually without on-field activities.

APRIL 29-MAY 1

2021 NFL draft. Dallas owns the No. 10 overall pick.

franchise quarterback without a contract. A salary cap taking a backward turn.

Following a 6-10 season, the Cowboys face a slew of critical decisions, many of which come to a head this month. What transpires in these coming weeks will not only determine the makeup of the 2021 roster but also carry significant implications on seasons to come.

It all starts with a deadline fast approaching.

Priority No. 1: Dak

Securing quarterback Dak Prescott to a long-term extension would help the franchise on the field, in the locker room, in the community and certainly in the financial books where a $37.7 million franchise tag looms in a tightened salary cap year.

Prescott has all the negotiation leverage. That doesn’t mean he has to exhaust it.

Today, Prescott and his agent Todd France stand in an enviable position. They can press the Cowboys toward the mega extension Prescott deserves. Or they can go a step further, declining all multiyear offers and playing under the franchise tag in 2021. This would set up Prescott to sign a huge long-term deal in 2022, although quite possibly not with the Cowboys.

The latter route may be more lucrative.

But at some point, if a player wants to remain with an organization, he needs to sign a deal that both pays him his worth and helps his franchise build for a competitive future. At some point, he needs to look at what quarterback Kirk Cousins collected on multiple franchise tags and say, “That worked for him but isn’t for me.”

That point is now.

This is the month when the two sides chart a long-term path. This is the month when the Cowboys present an offer — their very best offer — that reflects how Prescott, despite a season-ending Week 5 injury, won the bet he placed on himself in 2020 when he chose to play under a $31.4 million franchise tag.

Prescott consistently has said that he wants to be a Dallas Cowboy.

Barring a change in heart, this is the month he accepts a multiyear pact, sparing the Cowboys from needing to make various contract restructures that limit their future salary cap flexibility.

They can focus on building a future around No. 4 instead.

Michael Gehlken

COWBOYS FREE AGENTS

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