No, Dallas Cowboys fans, you are not dreaming. The team is actually getting important things done before the start of free agency. While it remains to be seen how "selectively aggressive" Dallas will be, they are setting the stage for a potentially energetic offseason.
Extending Osa Odighizuwa to the tune of $80 million over four years with $52 million guaranteed a week before free agency sends a message that the front office may actually mean business.
While locking up Odighizuwa is a huge win, the Cowboys wasted no time pivoting to their next order of business: creating more cap room. They quickly restructured the contract of CeeDee Lamb, which frees up $20 million on the cap that can be used to revamp a roster that needs a lot of work.
It often gets overlooked that players themselves have to agree to a restructure. For Lamb, though, it was a no-brainer decision.
CeeDee Lamb sends clear message to Cowboys after agreeing to contract restructure
A "fan" called Lamb out on social media for agreeing to rework his contract. While the particulars of the restructure have not been publicized, Lamb only had one thing in mind when Dallas approached him about the maneuver.
That is leadership at its finest from the All-Pro receiver and it follows an encouraging theme this offseason from the team's core of Micah Parsons and Dak Prescott. All three players have been very expressive about winning.
Parsons has stated numerous times that he wants his new contract done as soon as possible. Extending Parsons would create over $18 million in cap space this offseason. The four-time Pro Bowler has called on the Joneses to push the envelope in free agency. He is even willing to leave money on the table so the team can spend elsewhere.
It's no secret that Prescott is all about winning.
The Cowboys will likely approach Prescott about restructuring his deal before free agency, if they haven't already. He carries the highest cap hit in the NFL for next season at $89 million. Restructuring his deal could free up $37 million in cap room depending on how much of his base salary is converted to a signing bonus.
We'll see how free agency plays out and whether Dallas drags it feet with Parsons' negotiations, but the start to this offseason is night and day compared to last year. The front office is finally matching the players' desire to win at the highest level.
