For the third straight season, the Cowboys went 8-8 and lost a win-or-go-home game in Week 17 against an NFC East opponent. The Cowboys have become the definition of mediocrity in the NFL. To make matters worse, Dallas is barely under the salary cap, with about $2 million to spare.
The Cowboys have a solid offense that refuses to run the football and relies on Tony Romo to win games. The Cowboys likely won’t address the offense much in free agency, although they could add a QB or offensive line depth in the draft.
The Cowboys are set at the key special teams spots, with Dan Bailey at kicker, Dwayne Harris as a returner, Chris Jones at punter and L.P. LaDouceur as a long snapper. Bailey just signed a seven-year contract, a classic Jerry Jones move. Only Jerry gives a kicker seven years and 22.5 million.
The Cowboys had one of the worst defenses in the NFL and have needs at essentially every position on the defense except for cornerback and middle linebacker (assuming Sean Lee can stay healthy). New defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli might be help to remedy some of the issues, but the Cowboys will be limited by a lack of cap space. So as great as it would be for Dallas to sign Jairus Byrd, LaMarr Houston or another big name free agent, it just isn’t in the cards. Any signing is going to a cheap one. However, a couple notable cuts could give the Cowboys enough wiggle room to sign a few players.
Potential Cuts:
Miles Austin, WR
Austin is as good as gone. I’ll be shocked if Dallas doesn’t designate Austin a post-June 1 cut. Doing so would save Dallas roughly $5.5 million, which would be used to sign Dallas’ draft class. Austin has drawn the ire of Cowboys fans, as he’s made a ton of money but has been unable to stay healthy. With players like Cole Beasley and Terrence Williams on the roster, Dallas doesn’t need Austin.
DeMarcus Ware, DE
Ware's time as a Cowboy may have run out. He is future Hall of Famer, but is coming off a career-low six sacks. He has battled injuries the past few years and has a tendency to disappear in the biggest moments, much like the Cowboys in general. Dallas is trying to get Ware to take a pay cut to free up some cap space, but he isn’t inclined to take it. Cutting Ware would save Dallas $7.43 million, allowing the team to sign Jason Hatcher and/or others. Ware would have a number of suitors on the open market and Dallas might not be willing to lose him.
Justin Durant, LB
Dallas just signed Durant, but he is replaceable. Cutting him would save Dallas $1.25 million. For a team desperate for cap space, every dollar counts.
Nick Hayden, DT
Hayden was signed off the streets to play defensive tackle after injuries hit the team hard. However, he struggled and was the worst defensive player for Dallas, according to Pro Football Focus. Cutting him would only save $730,000, but the team needs all the space it can get.
Potential Targets:
Jason Hatcher or Anthony Spencer:
[caption id="attachment_1137" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Hatcher (97), Tyrone Crawford (70) and Spencer (93)"]
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I’ve grouped Dallas’ two biggest free agents into one. I don’t expect Hatcher to resign, as he’ll likely fetch more than Dallas can afford. As for Spencer, Dallas might be able to bring him back cheap since he is coming off an injury. However, he’s likely to have his share of suitors and might get more than Dallas can pay him.
Corey Wootton, DL
Wootton is a former Chicago Bears fourth round pick out of Northwestern. He can play almost any position on the line, but had hip surgery in January. I don’t expect him to return to Chicago, but he might want to reunite with former Bears assistant coach Rod Marinelli. Dallas is more likely to be able to afford him than fellow Bears lineman Henry Melton.
Keith Rivers, LB
Rivers was a high first round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals just a few years ago. However, he’s failed to live up to expectations with both the Bengals and Giants. He’ll garner some interest on the market, but he should be in Dallas’ price range. While he won’t magically gain the play-making ability he’s lacked during his time, he can be a serviceable back-up or spot starter. That’s exactly what Dallas needs in its free agents.
Michael Huff, S
If it seems like Dallas gets linked to Michael Huff during every offseason, it’s because he is. Huff has struggled the past two seasons and will likely be cheaper than ever this year. He might not even make it out of training camp if he does sign, but he’s worth a look if Dallas signs him for cheap.
Nate Allen, S
If you look at all the players I’ve mentioned (save for Jason Hatcher), they fall into two categories: injured or former high draft pick. Allen’s had some injury problems, but he’s failed to live up to expectations with just six interceptions after being taken with the second round pick the Eagles got for Donovan McNabb. I expect the Eagles to overhaul the safety position in the draft and free agency, likely leaving Allen as the odd man out. If Dallas can afford him, he’d be a potentially solid addition to the Cowboys secondary.
Other Required Cowboys Reading:
Dallas Cowboys Draft Breakdown
2014 NFL Mock Draft
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