If Tuesday's flurry of moves was any indication of how the Dallas Cowboys will approach the offseason, it might take some getting used to.
The Cowboys have put the pedal to the metal a week before free agency, re-signing standout defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to a four-year, $80 million contract.
It was widely expected that Odighizuwa could have gotten as much as $25 million per year on the open market if he reached free agency. That Dallas locked him up to the tune of an even $20 million can only be considered a huge win. But they didn't stop there.
The front office swiftly restructured CeeDee Lamb's contract to free up $20 million in cap space. In one fell swoop, they confirmed the return of special teams ace C.J. Goodwin, and young safety Juanyeh Thomas, who was an exclusive rights free agent.
With several days to spare before free agency, Dallas has ample time to get other deals done. But what move will come first?
It feels obvious the Cowboys will restructure Dak Prescott's contract next
Restructuring Dak Prescott feels like the next major roster shuffle.
Multiple Cowboys reporters circled Prescott as a restructure candidate in the wake of Tuesday's flurry of moves. If it doesn't happen this week, it will surely happen before the start of the new league year next Wednesday.
In any event, restructuring Prescott would saddle the Cowboys with another $36-37 million in cap space. The final sum hinges on how much of Prescott's base salary the front office converts into a signing bonus.Prescott's scheduled cap hit for next season is a preposterous $89.6 million. That takes up a huge chunk of the team's cap. It is also the highest number in the NFL by a wide margin. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has the next highest cap hit at $72.935 million.
The Cowboys are kicking the can down the road by restructuring Lamb and (eventually) Prescott. However, with the NFL salary cap skyrocketing every year it makes perfect sense.
Lamb, for example, will now have a $36 million cap hit next year. While steep, it won't look nearly as lofty assuming the cap jumps another $20 or so million.
Stephen Jones has said the team will be "selectively aggressive" in free agency. That is this offseason's version of "all-in", but it may actually have some merit. Between extending Odighizuwa and reworking Lamb's deal, Dallas has the resources to retain other key pieces.
If the team restructures Prescott and potentially extends Micah Parsons within the next few weeks, it would be players for just about every player on the open market.
