February, 11, 2013
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
Last week, there were reports regarding the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots cap space and how nearly 10 players take a good percentage of it.
The 2013 salary cap figure for NFL teams will be nearly $121 million.
Tom Curran of CSNNE.com reported the Patriots will have $65.9 million of cap space assigned to nine players, including quarterback Tom Brady's team-high $21.8 million cap figure.
Albert Breer of NFL Network discovered the Ravens will hand out $69 million of cap space to 10 players. Terrell Suggs has the highest figure with $13.02 million.
It got us thinking about the Cowboys and after adding up the figures, the top 10 salary cap figures total $89.6 million. The highest cap figure is quarterback Tony Romo's $16.8 million.
When it comes time to get under the salary cap, and the Cowboys are roughly $20 million over, reducing cap figures for several players will be important. It makes sense for the Cowboys to reduce Romo's cap numbers by giving him a contract extension because it will give them flexibility to sign free agents in 2013.
If you don't want to reduce Romo's cap figure and let him play out the 2013 season then it could limit what you do in free agency.
Brandon Carr has the second-highest cap figure at $16.3, and it's in his contract that his contract will be restructure. Ware (11.3 million cap figure) has the third-highest cap number and he could also rework his deal.
The Cowboys have two interesting decisions to make regarding right tackle Doug Free ($10.02 million cap figure) and nose tackle Jay Ratliff ($7 million). Free and Ratliff could become cap casualties but it will also be interesting if both players return for reduced salaries.
If the Cowboys release Free and or Ratliff you better have a replacement ready.
With Free gone, it's moves Jermey Parnell into the starting job at right tackle. Ratliff's replacement might not be on the roster. You could move Jason Hatcher from defensive end to defensive tackle in the new 4-3 scheme. Jerry Jones talked about the possibility of Tyrone Crawford also moving inside from end. Of course, there's Chris Canty, who was released by the New York Giants last week, as a potential replacement in free agency. Henry Melton of the Chicago Bears is a free agent and he might replace Ratliff. Melton could be an expensive choice.
Any moves regarding the salary cap comes with a risk and when you're over the cap, like the Cowboys are, there will be hard decisions to make.
Here's the Top 10 Cowboys in terms of cap numbers along with their base salaries for 2013.
1. Tony Romo (cap number $16.8 million, base salary $11.5 million)
2. Brandon Carr (cap number $16.3 million, base salary $14.3 million)
3. DeMarcus Ware (cap number $11.3 million, base salary $5.5 million)
4. Doug Free (cap number $10.2 million, base salary $7 million)
5. Miles Austin (cap number $8.3 million, base salary $6.7 million)
6. Jason Witten (cap number $8 million, base salary $5.5 million)
7. Jay Ratliff (cap number $7 million, base salary $5 million)
8. Dan Connor (cap number $4.3 million, base salary $3 million)
9. Gerald Sensabaugh (cap number $3.8 million, base salary $3 million)
10. Orlando Scandrick (cap nunmber $3.78 million, base salary $2 million)
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
Last week, there were reports regarding the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots cap space and how nearly 10 players take a good percentage of it.
The 2013 salary cap figure for NFL teams will be nearly $121 million.
Tom Curran of CSNNE.com reported the Patriots will have $65.9 million of cap space assigned to nine players, including quarterback Tom Brady's team-high $21.8 million cap figure.
Albert Breer of NFL Network discovered the Ravens will hand out $69 million of cap space to 10 players. Terrell Suggs has the highest figure with $13.02 million.
It got us thinking about the Cowboys and after adding up the figures, the top 10 salary cap figures total $89.6 million. The highest cap figure is quarterback Tony Romo's $16.8 million.
When it comes time to get under the salary cap, and the Cowboys are roughly $20 million over, reducing cap figures for several players will be important. It makes sense for the Cowboys to reduce Romo's cap numbers by giving him a contract extension because it will give them flexibility to sign free agents in 2013.
If you don't want to reduce Romo's cap figure and let him play out the 2013 season then it could limit what you do in free agency.
Brandon Carr has the second-highest cap figure at $16.3, and it's in his contract that his contract will be restructure. Ware (11.3 million cap figure) has the third-highest cap number and he could also rework his deal.
The Cowboys have two interesting decisions to make regarding right tackle Doug Free ($10.02 million cap figure) and nose tackle Jay Ratliff ($7 million). Free and Ratliff could become cap casualties but it will also be interesting if both players return for reduced salaries.
If the Cowboys release Free and or Ratliff you better have a replacement ready.
With Free gone, it's moves Jermey Parnell into the starting job at right tackle. Ratliff's replacement might not be on the roster. You could move Jason Hatcher from defensive end to defensive tackle in the new 4-3 scheme. Jerry Jones talked about the possibility of Tyrone Crawford also moving inside from end. Of course, there's Chris Canty, who was released by the New York Giants last week, as a potential replacement in free agency. Henry Melton of the Chicago Bears is a free agent and he might replace Ratliff. Melton could be an expensive choice.
Any moves regarding the salary cap comes with a risk and when you're over the cap, like the Cowboys are, there will be hard decisions to make.
Here's the Top 10 Cowboys in terms of cap numbers along with their base salaries for 2013.
1. Tony Romo (cap number $16.8 million, base salary $11.5 million)
2. Brandon Carr (cap number $16.3 million, base salary $14.3 million)
3. DeMarcus Ware (cap number $11.3 million, base salary $5.5 million)
4. Doug Free (cap number $10.2 million, base salary $7 million)
5. Miles Austin (cap number $8.3 million, base salary $6.7 million)
6. Jason Witten (cap number $8 million, base salary $5.5 million)
7. Jay Ratliff (cap number $7 million, base salary $5 million)
8. Dan Connor (cap number $4.3 million, base salary $3 million)
9. Gerald Sensabaugh (cap number $3.8 million, base salary $3 million)
10. Orlando Scandrick (cap nunmber $3.78 million, base salary $2 million)
