The Dallas Cowboys are in a tough financial spot but it's not one that they are unfamiliar with. The Cowboys are seemingly always over the salary cap heading into the offseason and have to find their way out of the hole. This year is no different.
Dallas is effectively $13.6 million over the salary cap. They need to be bold and creative to get under it through extensions, restructuring, and cuts before they can be players in free agency. Fortunately for them, they have plenty of players that could give them some cap relief by being released.
Let's look at five Cowboys who are the likeliest cut candidates before free agency starts in two weeks.
Nahshon Wright, CB
Parting ways with their former third-round pick wouldn't save the Cowboys a ton of money, but considering that they are not getting any production from him, it would be a reasonable cut.
When Wright was drafted in 2021 by the Cowboys, the selection was heavily criticized as there were defensive backs with higher upside like Ambry Thomas and Brandon Stephens still on the board. Three years later, those criticisms proved to be justified. Now that Dan Quinn is no longer in Dallas, it's hard to see Wright sticking around either.
Wright only played in 50 defensive snaps last year and was purely used as a special teams player. Despite injuries on the defensive end, he was seldom used, making him a superfluous option to bring back next year. Cutting him would save the Cowboys $1.23 million, while Dallas can easily replace him with a rookie in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Michael Gallup, WR
Michael Gallup, on the other hand, would bring a ton of savings for the Cowboys, especially if he were designated as a post-June 1 cut. Cap savings in that scenario would be $9.5 million, which Dallas could use to replace him in their wide receiver rotation.
Ever since he was drafted by the Cowboys in 2018, Gallup always left Cowboys fans wanting more. His breakout sophomore season created sky-high expectations for the former Colorado State standout but he always failed to meet that bar he set. Now, it feels like his Dallas tenure is coming to an end.
In the last two seasons, Gallup had a total of 842 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 31 games, far less than the numbers he has reached in one season in 2019. He has consistently been outplayed by Jalen Tolbert in 2023 and giving Tolbert more snaps makes a ton of sense for Dallas.
When the Cowboys eventually move on from Gallup, his contract extension will go down as one of the worst extensions the Cowboys have given over the last decade. Not just the deal itself, but choosing him over Amari Cooper was obviously a massive mistake.
Even if the savings from Gallup aren't used on another receiver, it can be very helpful to open up space for CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons extensions. Gallup's production will not be difficult to replace, anyway.
Brandin Cooks, WR
Another wide receiver that could save the Cowboys a ton of money in the offseason is Brandin Cooks. Unlike Gallup, however, the former Oregon State standout was still productive in his 2023 campaign.
Cooks finished last season with 54 receptions, 657 yards, and eight touchdowns in 16 games. After a slow start to the season, Cooks got better as he got used to the offense, scoring a touchdown in eight of his last twelve regular-season games. He had a massive 173-yard game against the Giants in Week 9.
Despite being 30, Cooks still has the speed and playmaking ability. He was a solid red-zone threat as the season went on. Yet, it is undeniable that he is not the 1,000+ yard receiver he used to be earlier in his career.
If he was on a cheaper deal, Cooks would certainly be a worthy depth option. But, he has a cap hit of $10 million, and the Cowboys can save $4 million if they cut him before June 1 or $8 million if they make him a post-June 1 cut.
Those savings are likely too good to pass on. Move Jalen Tolbert up the totem pole, and add a wide receiver in free agency and/or the draft and you can get similar production for cheaper.
Leighton Vander Esch, LB
This is extremely disappointing for both Vander Esch and Cowboys fans. The Pro Bowl linebacker suffered yet another neck injury in 2023, jeopardizing his playing career and leaving a massive hole at linebacker for the Cowboys.
Dallas missed their former first-round pick immensely for the rest of the season and it's still unclear whether Vander Esch will be able to play next season, or ever again for that matter.
The Cowboys would certainly love to have the physical, dominant presence of the Boise State product in their defensive line, but that seems unlikely to happen. Even if he does return, it would presumably be on a lower, incentive-based salary.
Vander Esch is entering the second year of the two-year extension he signed last offseason after playing the healthiest two-season stretch of his career. Only five games into his extension, he suffered the season-ending injury. Unfortunately, this makes him a prime cut candidate, unless he chooses to retire.
If they were to cut him, the Cowboys would save $2.25 million, half of Vander Esch's salary. Every bit of this will be needed as Dallas desperately will look to add a high-level linebacker to their rotation.
Cooper Rush, QB
This is one that the Cowboys should think harder about. Is saving $2.25 million in salary cap worth giving up your dependable backup quarterback? Maybe.
Cooper Rush has been a reliable QB2 for the past six seasons. Every time he was counted upon, he stepped up admirably and has a 5-1 record in six starts. At age 30, he has the experience to step in as needed.
Despite the winning record, has Rush shown enough in his career that he is irreplaceable? In his only season where he had a regular stint as a starter, he had 1,051 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions in nine games and five starts. His career pass completion percentage is 60.6%.
There is a reason there has never been too much interest in the former undrafted signal-caller in free agency or on the trade market. Yet, there is a benefit to having a veteran backup around who knows the team, coach, and the organization.
But, the Cowboys added Trey Lance last season. They want to develop him as they traded a fourth-round pick to get him. They presumably wouldn't have done so if they hadn't thought that Lance could take over at QB2 at some point.
Considering that there wouldn't be any cap savings from cutting Lance, Rush seems like the logical choice. The $2.25 million in cap savings could be used to bring a cheaper third-string quarterback.
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