The Cowboys cut a number of big-name, big money players before last season. That pushed a lot of dead money into 2012, which was supposed to create salary cap issues this year.
It hasn’t worked out that way.
Dallas already has roughly $12.3 million in cap room, and that’s before the expected release of cornerback Terence Newman (due $6 million) and other potential cost-cutting measures.
Add it all up: The Cowboys are going to be aggressive this offseason.
“I give Stephen [Jones] a lot of credit for taking a year we thought would be Armageddon for us, and we were able to do some things last year with the cap that puts us and gives us some viability,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Stephen and a lot of the crew he works with regarding the caps, regarding the contracts, all of that has given us a chance to have some room to improve this team this year.
“And we will use it.”
There are always creative ways to get around cap problems. Dallas finds a way to spend even when they are tight to the cap.
With so much room this year, it’s safe to expect the Cowboys to (over)spend plenty in March.