Dallas Cowboys have $20M in cap room. Will they use it on DeAndre Hopkins or extensions?
When the Dallas Cowboys decided to release running back Ezekiel Elliott in March with a post-June 1 designation, they knew a windfall was coming.
They just had to stay patient.
$10.9 million in dead money from Elliott’s contract stayed on their salary cap through April and May.
But once June 1 came and went, it fell off, giving the Cowboys more than $20 million in room under the 2023 salary cap.
The question now: Will they use money?
Certainly, it allows the Cowboys to continue to be players in free agency, if they so choose.
The Cowboys could make a play for free agent receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was recently released by Arizona Cardinals.
Hopkins worked out in Dallas in the offseason and expressed an interest in joining the Cowboys.
But he will have a host of suitors and it could come down to a bidding war.
With plans to give No. 1 receiver CeeDee Lamb a contract extension in the coming months, it is unlikely the Cowboys will break the bank for Hopkins.
Coach Mike McCarthy said he likes the makeup of the current receiver room, which includes the newly-acquired Brandin Cooks, Michael Gallup to go with Lamb as the top three options.
“I really like the look of [the] group,” McCarthy said. “Vertical speed is. . .we’ve made it we’ve made some improvement there. As far as talking about players that are not here, there’s nothing good that comes out of those answers. Hop’ is a hell of a talent. I’ve always had respect for him since his rookie year.
The Cowboys need to add a power back to roster to help replace what Elliott brought to the short yardage and goal line offense with 12 rushing touchdowns in 2022.
The Minnesota Vikings are expected to part ways with Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook.
He could be an option to pursue to play in tandem with Tony Pollard, but he won’t come cheap.
The most likely target for the new cap windfall would be to fund contract extensions for Lamb, cornerback Trevon Diggs, quarterback Dak Prescott and possibly right tackle Terence Steele.
Vice president Stephen Jones has said would like to get extensions for Prescott, Lamb and Diggs before or during the season.
Whatever the Cowboys choose to do, they now have the cap flexibility to make it happen with Elliott’s $10.9 million.
This story was originally published June 1, 2023 at 12:12 PM.
