Watkins: Cowboys top salary-cap figures for 2014

[Cotton]

Cowboys top salary-cap figures for 2014

February, 3, 2014

By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com


With the NFL season officially over, we’ve decided to give you a quick financial look at the Cowboys and who has the highest salary- cap figures for 2014.

Of course, the Cowboys will restructure, release or ask some players to take a reduced salary to lower salary- cap figures to create room.

Here you go:

SHOW ME THE MONEY

Key Dallas Cowboys 2014 base salaries and salary-cap figures in millions of dollars.

Player	Base	Vs. Cap
Tony Romo	$13.5	$21.7
DeMarcus Ware	$12.25	$16
Brandon Carr	$7.5	$12.2
Jason Witten	$5	$8.412
Miles Austin	$5.5	$8.249
Sean Lee	$5.5	$7.5
Orlando Scandrick	$4.5	$6.601
Doug Free	$3.5	$6.520
Morris Claiborne	$1.86	$4.435
Kyle Orton	$3.25	$4.377

Outlook: The Cowboys will restructure the deals of Romo, Carr, Witten and Lee to create cap space. The Cowboys are nearly $25 million over the 2014 salary cap and getting under it shouldn't be a problem. Ware is another player the Cowboys could restructure. However, the team could ask Ware to take a pay cut, something he said he wouldn't do. So, if the team wants to move on from Ware, cutting him creates $7.4 million in cap space. Austin is another player in a similar situation as Ware. If Austin is a post-June 1 cut, the Cowboys save $5.5 million. Of course, the team creates space if Austin takes a pay cut. Free did this last year and is making $3.5 million in base salary this season. Orton's value to the Cowboys is important to note here. He's got the 10th highest cap figure on the team and he's the backup quarterback. Orton's cap figure is higher than starting guard Mackenzy Bernadeau ($4.074 million) and starting left tackle Tyron Smith ($3.976). Smith is still on his rookie contract and he along with wide receiver Dez Bryant ($3.898 cap figure) are expected to get new contracts.

 

[boozeman]

Where all teams stand:

http://overthecap.com/feb-3-nfl-salary-cap-space-update/

 

[Clay_Allison]

I'd cut Ware and Austin without hesitation.

 

[Smitty]

A lot of non elite players filling up spots in that top 10.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I'd cut Ware and Austin without hesitation.

I agree and while I think Orton is a solid backup, it is a bit sickening to see your backup QB in the top ten list. I mean he is getting paid that for 1 or 2 games a year tops.

 

[Clay_Allison]

I agree and while I think Orton is a solid backup, it is a bit sickening to see your backup QB in the top ten list. I mean he is getting paid that for 1 or 2 games a year tops.

He could start any number of games next year. Romo could be out by week 5 with a back problem.

 

[boozeman]

A lot of non elite players filling up spots in that top 10.

That's Jones biggest issue as owner/GM, not drafting.

Free agency is killed by the lack of cap room given to declining players and especially one year wonders like Austin who cashed in on decent production.

Show a little talent? YOU get a contract! And YOU get a contract!

We have, without a doubt, the most chickenshit front office in the NFL.

They are too scared that they will let a good player go that they overpay. It does not help when they are loose with their money too.

Hell, I would rather them be cheap. At least then you can react if you absolutely have to.

 

[BipolarFuk]

Kyle Orton getting paid like a mofo to sit on the bench most of the time and choke away a game just like the starter every now and then.

 

[Smitty]

That's Jones biggest issue as owner/GM, not drafting.

Free agency is killed by the lack of cap room given to declining players and especially one year wonders like Austin who cashed in on decent production.

I think the problem drafting is related to his desire to do that. He knows he can't find replacements for even marginal players so he clings to them like grim death.

 

[boozeman]

I think the problem drafting is related to his desire to do that. He knows he can't find replacements for even marginal players so he clings to them like grim death.

Sure it is.

Oh, paid this guy. SET.

Like a kid collecting bubble gum cards...GOT IT, GOT IT, NEED IT, GOT IT

 

[BipolarFuk]

Sure it is.

Oh, paid this guy. SET.

Like a kid collecting bubble gum cards...GOT IT, GOT IT, NEED IT, GOT IT

I would have loved to trade baseball cards with Jerry Jones.

 

[Cotton]

That's Jones biggest issue as owner/GM, not drafting.

Free agency is killed by the lack of cap room given to declining players and especially one year wonders like Austin who cashed in on decent production.

Show a little talent? YOU get a contract! And YOU get a contract!

We have, without a doubt, the most chickenshit front office in the NFL.

They are too scared that they will let a good player go that they overpay. It does not help when they are loose with their money too.

Hell, I would rather them be cheap. At least then you can react if you absolutely have to.

It goes back to talent evaluation. They don't know what they have, and just like they do in most cases, they stick with familiarity because they don't know how to find real talent no already on the team. Whether by draft or FA.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

It goes back to talent evaluation. They don't know what they have, and just like they do in most cases, they stick with familiarity because they don't know how to find real talent no already on the team. Whether by draft or FA.

It's not really the drafting that causes this problem. I don't think Jerry believes that he is bad in the draft at all. Jerry's problem is that he falls in love with the players he drafts and over evaluates the talent. Jerry is horribly loyal to his players and you can't have that with your GM. You need a cold hearted bastard of a GM who will cut a player and get rid him the second he is slipping.

Talent evaluation is a problem as well, I just don't think it has led to our cap situation.

 

[Cotton]

It's not really the drafting that causes this problem. I don't think Jerry believes that he is bad in the draft at all. Jerry's problem is that he falls in love with the players he drafts and over evaluates the talent. Jerry is horribly loyal to his players and you can't have that with your GM. You need a cold hearted bastard of a GM who will cut a player and get rid him the second he is slipping.

Talent evaluation is a problem as well, I just don't think it has led to our cap situation.

Sure it has. For reasons I stated above. He doesn't know how to go out and find talent, so when a player shows even the smallest amount of potential he latches on and won't let go because he prefers familiarity. Same reason Campo came back.

 

[boozeman]

Updated...

Eh...still bad.

http://www.spotrac.com/premium/research/nfl/projected-2014-nfl-team-cap-space-420/

 

[Rev]

I like how it says " the road to cap safety is a long way for Dallas in the next few months. " Try next few decades.

 

[boozeman]

I like how it says " the road to cap safety is a long way for Dallas in the next few months. " Try next few decades.

The new meme among apologists for our cap woes is we can't compete because we have a franchise QB eating up space.

Funny how on earth do Denver and New England find themselves in the black with the two most expensive QBs in the league?

Oh yeah, they don't have Miles Austin and this...

Dead Money
Player	Pos.	Base Salary	Signing Bonus	Other Bonus	Dead Money	Cap Figure
Jay Ratliff	DT	6,928,000	-	-	-	6,928,000
Nate Livings	G	2,100,000	-	-	-	2,100,000
Marcus Spears	DE	1,400,000	-	-	-	1,400,000
Sean Lissemore	DT	1,200,000	-	-	-	1,200,000

 

[Rev]

It won't ever change until our general manager changes the way he does things. Sad thing is that the few good players that we do get are coming up to new contracts. Dez says he wants to be a cowboy for life but how badly does he want to? Enough to get paid well under what he is worth? What about Tyron?

 

[boozeman]

It won't ever change until our general manager changes the way he does things. Sad thing is that the few good players that we do get are coming up to new contracts. Dez says he wants to be a cowboy for life but how badly does he want to? Enough to get paid well under what he is worth? What about Tyron?

It is not just Jerry. It is his idiot son too.

Both have said this is how is going to be now and will be every year because they are so "aggressive" with their cap dollars.

 

[data]

Gosh darn it. Jerruh's trying so hard. The deck is just stacked against him.