Breaking Down the Dallas Cowboys's 2013 Salary Cap: Where Is Money Best Spent?

The Dallas Cowboys are in serious trouble heading into 2013.

No, not because they missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season—it is because they are in salary cap hell.

The Cowboys will have to figure out a way to get under the salary cap before the free-agency period even begins on March 12, 2013. The Cowboys are already about $25 million over the estimated $121 million salary cap.

With the assistance of player contracts found at spotrac.com, the following is the Cowboys' dire salary cap situation.

Quarterbacks

When you take a look at the cap hit that the Cowboys will take on Tony Romo, it is clear that Dallas has a huge decision on their hands regarding their veteran signal-caller.

Romo will account for $17.228 million against the salary cap, or about 14 percent of the team's allowed total salary for 2013. That's a big number for a quarterback that has only won one playoff game as a starter for the Cowboys.

QUARTERBACK
Player	Position	2013/14 Base	2013/14 Bonus	2013/14 Cap Hit
Tony Romo	QB	$11,500,000	$ 5,728,000	$17,228,000
Kyle Orton	QB	$ 1,350,000	$ 1,666,667	$ 3,016,667
Nick Stephens	QB	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Total:				$20,649,667

Since there is no indication that the Cowboys will part ways with Romo, the team will need to restructure his contract or, more likely, offer him a contract extension which will allow the Cowboys to bring that number down significantly.

Running Backs

The Cowboys are not spending a ton of money at the running back position and it clearly showed last year.

Felix Jones has played out his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent. And based on the number of touches saw near the end of the season, it is hard to see Jones back with the Cowboys next year.

RUNNING BACK
Player	Position	2013/14 Base	2013/14 Bonus	2013/14 Cap Hit
DeMarco Murray	RB	$    620,313	$    190,500	$    810,813
Lance Dunbar	RB	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Lawrence Vickers	RB	$ 1,200,000	$    100,000	$ 1,300,000
Phillip Tanner	RB	$    555,000	-	$    555,000
Total:				$ 3,145,813

DeMarco Murray’s inability to stay healthy will make the Cowboys look to add a running back either via free agency or the draft. If Murray can stay healthy and get back to the numbers he produced during his rookie season, his price tag of under a million dollars can be considered a steal.

Wide Receivers

For the second straight season, Miles Austin failed to reach 1,000 yards receiving. He also had injury problems that saw him miss long stretches of some games.

That being said, Austin will count about $8.2 million against the salary cap for the Cowboys. That is a ton of money for a player that is no longer considered the team’s number one receiver.

WIDE RECEIVERS
Player	Position	2013/14 Base	2013/14 Bonus	2013/14 Cap Hit
Anthony Armstrong	WR	$    630,000	-	$    630,000
Carlton Mitchell	WR	$    555,000	-	$    555,000
Cole Beasley	WR	$    480,000	-	$    480,000
Danny Coale	WR	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Dez Bryant	WR	$ 1,557,500	$ 2,325,000	$ 3,882,500
Donavon Kemp	WR	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Dwayne Harris	WR	$    555,000	-	$    555,000
Jared Green	WR	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Miles Austin	WR	$ 6,732,000	$ 1,570,000	$ 8,302,000
Tim Benford	WR	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Total:				$16,024,500

If they Cowboys keep Austin, you should expect that the team will ask him to restructure his deal so that the cap number can be reduced.

With Kevin Ogletree becoming a free agent, the Cowboys need to find a way to bring in a solid third receiver; however, Dwayne Harris might have done enough near the end of the season to earn that role. If Harris continues his play into next season, the Cowboys are getting him for a bargain.

Tight Ends

Jason Witten earned every cent last season. His 110 receptions were the most catches by a tight end in a single season ever.

This year Witten will count for $8 million against the team’s salary cap. That’s almost five times more than the other three tight ends on the roster combined.

TIGHT ENDS
Player	Position	2013/14 Base	2013/14 Bonus	2013/14 Cap Hit
Jason Witten	TE	$ 5,500,000	$ 2,500,000	$ 8,000,000
Andre Smith	TE	$    480,000	-	$    480,000
Colin Cochart	TE	$    555,000	-	$    555,000
James Hanna	TE	$    480,000	$     26,213	$    506,213
Total:				$ 9,541,213

With Witten under contract through 2017, the Cowboys should be set at the tight end position for the next five years.

Offensive Line

Clearly the biggest issue regarding the salary cap on the offensive line is that huge number being paid to right tackle Doug Free. Otherwise known as the human turnstile, Free had a horrible season last year.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Player	Position	2013/14 Base	2013/14 Bonus	2013/14 Cap Hit
Kevin Kowalski	C	$    555,000	-	$    555,000
Ryan Cook	C	$ 1,100,000	$    150,000	$ 1,250,000
Aderious Simmons	OG	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Darrion Weems	OG	$    480,000	-	$    480,000
David Arkin	OG	$    555,000	$    125,000	$    680,000
Mackenzy Bernadeau	OG	$ 1,750,000	$    812,500	$ 2,562,500
Nate Livings	OG	$ 1,700,000	$    700,000	$ 2,400,000
Ray Dominguez	OG	$    480,000	-	$    480,000
Ron Leary	OG	$    480,000	-	$    480,000
Doug Free	OT	$ 7,000,000	$ 4,175,000	$11,175,000
Jeremy Parnell	OT	$ 1,023,088	$    333,333	$ 1,356,421
Tyron Smith	OT	$ 1,511,009	$ 1,897,018	$ 3,408,027
Total:				$25,231,948

There is nothing that anyone can say that would make me believe that Free is worth the $11.175 million dollars he will count towards the salary cap in 2013. Only two other Cowboys players have a higher base salary than Free in 2013: Tony Romo and Brandon Carr.

The Cowboys gambled on Free and based on last season’s results, they failed miserably. Since Free finished the final four games sharing time with Jermey Parnell, Free might become a salary cap casualty.

Wouldn't blame the Cowboys if he did.

Defensive Line

Even though the Cowboys had problems stopping the run late in the season, I’m not sure how Jay Ratliff stays in a Dallas Cowboys uniform. His $7 million cap hit is reduced to $1 million if Dallas were to cut him.

Unfortunately for Ratliff, an injury cut his season short and he only played in six games. Jerry Jones will have you believe that his “altercation” with Ratliff late in the season will have no impact on his decision to keep Ratliff, but that may just be talk.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Player	Position	2013/14 Base	2013/14 Bonus	2013/14 Cap Hit
Ikponmwosa Igbinosun	DE	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Jason Hatcher	DE	$ 2,000,000	$    833,333	$ 2,833,333
Marcus Spears	DE	$ 2,000,000	$    700,000	$ 2,700,000
Monte Taylor	DE	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Tyrone Crawford	DE	$    480,000	$    143,813	$    623,813
Ben Bass	DT	$    480,000	-	$    480,000
Brian Price	DT	$    555,000	-	$    555,000
Jay Ratliff	DT	$ 5,000,000	$ 2,000,000	$ 7,000,000
Josh Brent	DT	$    575,000	-	$    575,000
Rob Callaway	DT	$    480,000	-	$    480,000
Sean Lissemore	DT	$    630,000	$    412,150	$ 1,042,150
Total:				$17,099,296

With the Cowboys trying to make space under the new salary-cap, Ratliff may find himself out in Dallas. Josh Brent still has some legal issues to sort out, but if he does not wind up in jail he may be an inexpensive solution to the release of Ratliff.

Still, the Cowboys may need to spend some money on the defensive line, especially if new defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin changes the defense from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense.

Linebackers

You would expect DeMarcus Ware to be the highest paid linebacker on the team, and he is just that. However, the Cowboys may not want to keep Dan Connor’s $4.35 million cap-hit in the books.

LINEBACKERS
Player	Position	2013/14 Base	2013/14 Bonus	2013/14 Cap Hit
Alex Albright	LB	$    555,000	-	$    555,000
Brashton Satele	LB	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Bruce Carter	LB	$    766,327	$    507,000	$ 1,273,327
Cameron Sheffield	LB	$    480,000	-	$    480,000
Dan Connor	LB	$ 3,000,000	$ 1,350,000	$ 4,350,000
DeMarcus Ware	LB	$ 5,500,000	$ 6,718,750	$12,218,750
Kyle Wilber	LB	$    480,000	$    109,800	$    589,800
Sean Lee	LB	$    575,000	$    300,000	$    875,000
Total:				$20,746,877

When Connor was asked to step in last season after Sean Lee and Bruce Carter were lost with season-ending injuries, he did not live up to expectations.

When not injured and on the field, Sean Lee is massively outperforming his price tag of less than $1 million.

Cornerbacks

The Cowboys finally spent some money in the secondary last season by adding Brandon Carr via free agency. Then they moved up in the draft to add Morris Claiborne.

So although Mike Jenkins will become a free agent, the Cowboys appear to be set at cornerback.

CORNERBACKS
Player	Position	2013/14 Base	2013/14 Bonus	2013/14 Cap Hit
Brandon Carr	CB	$14,300,000	$ 2,000,000	$16,300,000
Brandon Underwood	CB	$    555,000	-	$    555,000
Matt Johnson	CB	$    480,000	$     75,146	$    555,146
Morris Claiborne	CB	$ 1,129,296	$ 2,567,182	$ 3,696,478
Orlando Scandrick	CB	$ 2,000,000	$ 1,780,000	$ 3,780,000
Sterling Moore	CB	$    555,000	-	$    555,000
Vince Agnew	CB	$    480,000	-	$    480,000
Total:				$25,921,624

Since Carr will cost about $16 million against the salary cap, Dallas will have to decide what to do with Orlando Scandrick. Scandrick’s $3.78 million cap hit makes him a luxury the Cowboys may not be able to afford.

Safeties

Barry Church’s injury early in the season changed the complexity of the Cowboys defense. They had to rely on Danny McCray the rest of the year and that attempt came with mixed results.

SAFETIES
Player	Position	2013/14 Base	2013/14 Bonus	2013/14 Cap Hit
Barry Church	S	$    823,000	$    500,000	$ 1,323,000
Gerald Sensabaugh	S	$ 3,000,000	$    750,000	$ 3,750,000
Micah Pellerin	S	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Total:				$ 5,478,000

Now McCray will most likely be gone via free agency, so Dallas currently only has three safeties on the payroll. If Church can stay healthy next year, the Cowboys would be paying around $5 million for their two starting safeties.

However the Cowboys would be wise to spend some money for bigger safety just in case either Church or Gerald Sensabaugh gets hurt next year.

Special Teams

Kicker Dan Bailey was easily the star of the Cowboys special teams units. Bailey was perfect on field goal attempts of 50 yards or less and only missed two attempts all season.

Bailey is certainly a steal at a base salary of $555,000.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Player	Position	2013/14 Base	2013/14 Bonus	2013/14 Cap Hit
Dan Bailey	K	$    555,000	$        833	$    555,833
Charley Hughlett	LS	$    405,000	-	$    405,000
Chris Jones	P	$    555,000	-	$    555,000
Total:				$ 5,478,000

Punter Chris Jones missed all but four games last year with an injury. His replacement, Brian Moorman, has become a free agent, but there is no indication that Jones would have lost his job to Moorman this season. Jones also has a base salary of $555,000.

The Cowboys will most likely bring in a kicker and a punter to make Bailey and Jones work to keep their jobs; however, Dallas will happily keep both players at their current price tags.

Rookies and Free Agents

That rundown shows that the Cowboys have a total of 65 players with contracts for a total of  $145.354 million. That is about $24 million more than the estimated $121 salary cap.

The Cowboys still have to make room for six more players that they will take in April during the NFL draft.

Player	Position
Felix Jones	RB
Kevin Ogletree	WR
John Phillips	TE
Phil Costa	C
Derrick Dockery	OG
Kenyon Coleman	DE
L.P. Ladouceur	DE
Victor Butler	DE
Brian Schaefering	DT
Anthony Spencer	LB
Brady Poppinga	LB
Ernie Sims	LB
Orie Lemon	LB
Danny McCray	CB
Michael Coe	CB
Mike Jenkins	CB
Charlie Peprah	S
Eric Frampton	S
Brian Moorman	P

The table above is a list of all the Cowboys players that will become free agents. Of that list, the Cowboys will only try to keep Anthony Spencer, and with their current salary-cap problems, the Cowboys may find that they cannot afford to keep Spencer, even if they place the franchise tag on him again this year.