NFL News: Mike McCarthy's Cowboys Contract Reportedly Was Worth $8M Per Year

For all of the criticism he received during his first five years with the Dallas Cowboys, head coach Mike McCarthy might've been a bit of a bargain.

ESPN's Todd Archer reported McCarthy's contract averaged $8 million a year.

Whereas every fan knows what NFL players earn, there isn't as much transparency with coach salaries. Based on the available data, $8 million would put McCarthy in the middle of the pack.

Sportico's Kurt Badenhausen reported in October that at least 10 head coaches were getting $9 million or more annually. The Los Angeles Chargers are paying Jim Harbaugh twice as much ($16 million) as the Cowboys did with McCarthy, and even Seattle Seahawks first-year head coach Mike Macdonald managed to land a deal worth $9 million a year, per Badenhausen.

Archer questioned whether McCarthy would be able to get a raise on his next contract, be it with the Cowboys or another team, after Dallas' 7-10 finish. But this is a coach with a .608 career winning percentage and a Super Bowl title on his résumé.

When Sean Payton is collecting $18 million annually from the Denver Broncos, then McCarthy and his agent could reasonably demand a contract averaging somewhere in the eight figures.

And Macdonald's salary from the Seahawks points to how the Cowboys may not ultimately save much money if they choose to move on from McCarthy. Hiring a highly rated assistant coach or somebody with NFL head coaching experience is bound to be expensive.

Archer noted team owner Jerry Jones has spoken in favor of incentive-based contracts for his coaches. The Cowboys insider explained Jones might be "looking for a way to reset the coach's market with the structure of the deal" for his next coach.

That kind of negotiating approach risks turning off some candidates, though, since they might get more guaranteed money elsewhere. Failing to seal the deal with a top target would further anger a fanbase that's already frustrated by seeing some recent former assistants excel after leaving Dallas.

Jones already has to push back against the idea the organization doesn't spend enough money on the roster. The general perception about his frugality will only grow if it looks like he's lowballing McCarthy or prospective replacements.