Dallas Cowboys: 2 K Key Offensive Starters Expected To Be Released In Offseason To Free Salary Cap Space.
The Dallas Cowboys are probably still in shock after their surprising and abrupt home loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. The Packers entered AT&T Stadium as a two-score underdog and had the youngest roster in the NFL.
Although there is a lot of conjecture around Mike McCarthy’s future as head coach, Jerry Jones, the owner of the Cowboys, hasn’t taken any action as of yet.
Rumors have surfaced that defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is being interviewed by other teams to become their next coach, may be kept on and replace McCarthy. Dan Quinn won’t be measured by a single game and is almost certain to return as an NFL head coach, even though his No. 5 ranked NFL defense was unable to stop first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love and his plethora of offensive rookies and second-year pass catchers along with the dominance of veteran Aaron Jones on the ground.
Then of course there’s rumors about Bill Belichik, who ex Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett confirmed have been friends for a while. Many speculate that would end in a disaster due to egos and personalities, but one ESPN talent evaluator who played for the New England Patriots GOAT believes it’s a perfect fit.
“Bill wants to go somewhere where he has a veteran quarterback, who understands how to play the game on a high level, [and] who maybe needs his kind of tutelage in the postseason to go, ‘Hey, look, this is what we’re going to do. This is how I’m going to help you and protect you,’” Riddick said about linking Belichick with the Cowboys during Tuesday’s edition of the ESPN “Get Up!”
A talented team that has finished with three consecutive 12-5 seasons but faltered in the postseason when it mattered most would be Bekichick’s to inherit.
McCarthy, who is now (1-3) in the postseason and frequently loses games that the Dallas Cowboys should win, may be able to help them overcome the seeming mental barrier. McCarthy is a six-time Super Bowl champion.
But what about McCarthy’s impact on Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense right away after firing Kellen Moore, a quarterback who was ranked in the top five of almost every significant quarterback statistic and a front-runner for MVP?
While teams double-covered Lamb, Michael Gallup and Brandin Cooks were the dependable wide receivers. CeeDee Lamb, on the other hand, ultimately proved to be the team’s truly dominant No. 1 wide receiver.
However, Belichick’s offensive skill set is well-known. With whom would he replace the current Dallas OC and anticipate a similar outcome?
Dallas won’t put up with the longtime Patriots close, who is also accustomed to complete power over personnel decisions. Year after year, Jerry, his son Stephen, and Vice President of Player Personnel Will McClay have been in charge of putting together a team full with talent.
Ultimately Jerry signs off on the final choice, but the duo are his trusted confidants and their track record proves they haven’t been perfect — but drafted well, kept top players in Dallas with extensions and brought in new talent via free agency.
No matter what happens with the coaching situation, that trio has major decisions to make this coming offseason and some unexpected names might be released to free a team in need of cap space.
Dallas Cowboys Urged To Part Ways With Starting WR Michael Gallup
Here’s how B/R’s Kris Knox views the issue for the Cowboys, who, according to OverTheCap.com, are already $16 million above the salary cap going into the summer and will have to watch every dollar.
The starting quarterback is eligible for a contract extension until an unforeseen circumstance causes them to part ways with Dak Prescott as the starting quarterback. The rookie contracts of Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb, the team’s two other major stars, also need to be extended.
The Dallas Cowboys brass will therefore need to find ways to free up space and make tough choices this summer. 
Bleacher Report broke down the three players every NFL team needs to move on from this offseason and starting WR Michael Gallup was mentioned as one of the Dallas players who makes sense to release.
Wide receiver Michael Gallup has struggled to meet expectations since the Dallas Cowboys signed him to a five-year, $57.5 million extension in 2022. While he’s still capable of making the occasional big play, Gallup clearly ceded the No. 2 receiver role to Brandin Cooks this season.
Jerry Jones rarely admits to poor investments, but it’s time to either restructure Gallup’s deal or pull the plug entirely. Releasing him with a post-June 1 designation would save $9.5 million in cap space while triggering a dead-cap hit of only $4.4 million,” Knox wrote in the January 16 story.
Could Dallas Cowboys Move Two Starting WRs With Brandin Cooks Too?
While Gallup makes sense despite his past production, surprisingly, Cooks was also mentioned as a possible candidate for the Dallas Cowboys to cut ways with.
In another piece written by B/R writer Kristopher Knox believes it makes a lot of sense for the Cowboys to part ways with Cooks and target a similar wideout in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Cooks isn’t scheduled to be a free agent, but Jones needs to decide if the 30-year-old receiver should become one,” Knox wrote. “The potential problem with keeping Cooks is his $10 million cap hit.”
“Such a move could lead Dallas to target a receiver like Oregon’s Troy Franklin or Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka in the draft. Keeping Cooks would make receiver less of a need, but would also help lead to a difficult cap situation.”
While both NFL draft prospects are intriguing, Egbuka possesses all the traits of an NFL standout. At 6’1″ and 205 pounds, he has a physical frame to match reliable hands. But DraftScout credits him with a 4.32 40-yard dash, meaning he can provide a new sense of explosiveness that Brandon Cooks has not.
When Dallas traded for Cooks, it was a big move. Cooks would clearly improve the team, but the question was how much? All things considered, he has been a solid No. 2 option.
PFR reports that he hauled in 54 passes for 8 touchdowns and 657 receiving yards. For a No. 2 receiver, that’s not awful, but as Knox pointed out, the price is an issue. Dallas will have to pay Cooks $10 million in 2024, but his contract had a $6 million cap hit in 2023.
Given that the Dallas Cowboys have already exceeded their cap restriction for the upcoming season, saving $8 million is an allure. Cooks last had a season with 1,000 yards, and it doesn’t appear like he will be reaching those marks anytime soon. That was two seasons ago.
He is a dependable veteran with a ton of playoff experience, though. Dallas recently lost to the Green Bay Packers 48–32, and he was one of the few bright lights for the team. Dallas may need to maintain that kind of reliable presence.
It’s tough to see the Dallas Cowboys part ways with both of their quick deep threat wide receivers, Michael Gallup and Brandin Cooks, but if that’s the path they choose, one or both of them might be replaced by a strong draft plan or possible trade.
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