Contracts Cowboys Must Consider Cutting in 2023 Offseason

The Dallas Cowboys' 2022 season ended in the divisional round, and the Cowboys now face several difficult decisions for 2023.

Dallas is projected to be $7.4 million over the salary cap, and it has several key contributors scheduled to hit the free-agent market. These include tight end Dalton Schultz, pass-rusher Dante Fowler Jr. and star running back Tony Pollard.

If the Cowboys hope to retain their own and/or be players on the open market, they'll need to clear some cap space before free agency begins on March 15. Extensions and contract restructures could be part of the equation, but Dallas may also have to consider cutting a few contracts entirely.

With this in mind, let's examine three players the Cowboys must at least consider terminating this offseason.

QB Will Grier

Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 16: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Will Grier (15) warms up during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles on October 16, 2022 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

One of Dallas' more underrated impending free agents is backup quarterback Cooper Rush. Dak Prescott's understudy went 4-1 as a starter in 2022, and there's no guarantee that he'll be back in 2023.

"I've never been a free agent before and we'll see what happens," Rush said, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. "It's uncharted territory we'll get there when we get there."

Bringing back Rush would be a logical move for the Cowboys, and it could (or perhaps should) come at the expense of third-string quarterback Will Grier.

Grier has limited experience and has gone 0-2 with a paltry 33.2 passer rating as a pro. He's scheduled to carry a cap hit of $1.1 million in 2023 with none of that guaranteed. While saving just over $1 million wouldn't take a huge chunk out of Dallas' cap deficit, it would be a solid start—especially considering that Grier is an entirely expendable player.

If Dallas insists on keeping three quarterbacks on its roster, it should target a young one with more upside in the 2023 draft.

DT Neville Gallimore

Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 13: Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Neville Gallimore (96) in action during the game against the Dallas Cowboys and the Cincinnati Bengals on December 13, 2020, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

It would be unfair to consider defensive tackle Neville Gallimore completely expendable. The 26-year-old was a solid contributor in 2022, making one start and finishing with 33 tackles and a sack.

However, Gallimore played just 37 percent of the defensive snaps and should not be considered a long-term priority.

Furthermore, Gallimore is slated to carry a $3 million cap hit in 2023. Of that, only $240,991 is in dead money. This means that the Cowboys could cut Gallimore outright and save just over $2.7 million in cap space.

Again here, $2.7 million doesn't represent an extreme saving. However, that's a sizeable chunk of cap space for a part-time player who has never played 50 percent of the snaps in a single season.

Gallimore is on the younger side, but he's entering the final year of his current deal and does not figure to be a significant piece of Dallas' defensive future.

RB Ezekiel Elliott

Michael Owens/Getty Images

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 22: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during the national anthem prior to an NFL divisional round playoff football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium on January 22, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

This is the big one and arguably the toughest decision the Cowboys will face all offseason. Running back Ezekiel Elliott has been an offensive mainstay since he was drafted fourth overall in 2014. He's also under contract through the 2026 season.

However, Elliott is not the same explosive runner he was early in his career. He averaged just 3.8 yards per carry in 2022, while Pollard—a Pro Bowler—averaged 5.2 yards per rush. Pollard figures to be a free-agent priority, even though he suffered an ankle injury and a fractured fibula in Dallas' playoff loss.

Pollard's injury required surgery, but he should be healthy by training camp, according to ESPN's Todd Archer.

Pollard has a projected market value of $9 million annually, while Elliott is set to carry a cap hit of $16.7 million. Elliott has $11.9 million in dead money remaining on his deal, but releasing him with a post-June 1 designation would save $10.9 million in 2023 cap space.

That's enough to re-sign Pollard and have a little extra cap space to spare. Cutting Elliott might be a sentimentally difficult move to make, but it's one that Dallas has to at least consider.

---

*Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference. Cap, contract and market information via Spotrac.