The Cowboys had to do a lot of maneuvering to get themselves under the cap last week and they’ll likely have to do more of it after re-signing linebacker Ernie Sims.
Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com reports that the team will bring Sims back after signing him off the street and thrusting him into their injury-riddled defense last season. Sims wound up starting six of the 10 games he played in Dallas, recording 44 tackles and a sack as one of the more successful emergency replacements they were able to turn up. Keeping Sims leaves the Cowboys in precarious cap position once again.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said that after inking Sims, the team now has “five figures” of cap room available to them. Even the most creative accounting in the world can’t stretch those five figures into a deal for a veteran player, which means that the Cowboys are going to need to find some more money if they want to remain active in the market.
There are options available to them. They could extend quarterback Tony Romo, sign defensive end Anthony Spencer to a long-term deal (something Watkins’ colleague Todd Archer reports they’ll talk about this week) that wipes out his franchise tag or make tackle Doug Free a June 1 cut in order to free up more space.