The Dallas Cowboys were one of the more disappointing teams in the NFL during the 2024 season. Dallas only managed to win seven games during the regular season and missed the playoffs. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending injury, but the team was already in a deep hole by the time he left the lineup. In short, the season was a complete disaster.
Now Dallas must transition into offseason mode and attempt to fix what went wrong during the 2024 campaign.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, that could be much easier said than done. Dallas has several needs to address on both sides of the ball. They also have an elite player in Micah Parsons who is due for a contract extension in the near future, possibly even this offseason.
The Cowboys enter the offseason with just $2.4 million in cap space available. If they want to make any moves to upgrade the roster, they’ll need to clear out more cap space.
This can happen in a few different ways. Dallas might trade away players for draft picks, or restructure contracts to push money into future seasons.
However, the most likely outcome is that the Cowboys will cut a number of players to get rid of bad contracts.
But which players can the Cowboys actually afford to part with? And which ones will provide the most cap relief when released?
Below we will explore three Cowboys players who could become salary cap casualties during the 2025 NFL offseason.
Jalen Tolbert is one of the easiest players for Dallas to cut before free agency
The biggest reason to part ways with Jalen Tolbert is that he is incredibly expendable.
Tolbert only has one season as a consistent contributor in Dallas. He hauled in 49 receptions for 610 yards and nine touchdowns during the 2024 season. That is respectable production, but it is by far the best season of Tolbert’s career and it took him three years to accomplish it.
Dallas would be foolish to assume that Tolbert has finally broken out and will become a top receiver. That likely would have happened before his third NFL season if it were going to happen at all.
But for the sake of argument, let’s assume Tolbert has broken out. In that situation, the Cowboys now have an entirely different problem. A blossoming wide receiver on the last year of his rookie contract. In this scenario, the logic move is likely to trade Tolbert away at his peak in value. Otherwise, the Cowboys take a risk of not being able to extend him next offseason.
Meanwhile, if the Cowboys cut Jalen Tolbert before June 1st, they will save $3.3 million in cap space. Obviously this is not a huge payday, but every little bit helps in an important offseason for the Cowboys.
Finally, Tolbert is expendable in part because he is replaceable. The Cowboys already have CeeDee Lamb, Ryan Flournoy, and Jonathan Mingo on the roster at receiver. They may even bring back restricted free agent Kavontae Turpin. Dallas isn’t loaded at the position, but the addition of Tolbert does not take this unit to another level.
Ultimately, I recommend the Cowboys cut Tolbert and replace him with a rookie in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Can the Cowboys afford to part ways with Damone Clark?
The Cowboys face a much tougher decision with Damone Clark.
The fourth-year linebacker has exceeded expectations as a fifth-round pick out of LSU. His most productive season was in 2023, where he posted 79 total tackles and played a whopping 834 defensive snaps.
Unfortunately, he fell out of favor with the coaching staff in 2024 and was a backup for most of the season. He played a total of 163 snaps in 2024, a drastic reduction in his role.
The Cowboys do have a new defensive coordinator in Matt Eberflus, which could be Clark’s best chance to make the 2025 roster. Eberflus may want to do things differently next season, which could mean a starting role for Clark.
Clark is on the final year of his rookie contract. This puts him in a dangerous situation. If the Cowboys do not have a plan for him in Ebeflus’ new defense, then it might make sense to cut him and gain some cap space right away.
Just like with Tolbert, the Cowboys can save $3.3 million in cap space by cutting Clark.
The Cowboys can save money and get younger at safety by cutting Donovan Wilson
Donovan Wilson has played for the Cowboys for his entire career. Dallas drafted Wilson in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. It took him a few years to establish himself, but he has become a consistent starter over the last three seasons.
The Cowboys need to decide if now is the time to move on from Wilson and bring in a younger safety. Personally, I think the timing is perfect.
Oddly enough, Wilson turns 30 years old today (happy birthday!) and will play the 2025 season in his thirties.
The Cowboys can save $5.4 million in cap space by cutting Wilson before June 1st.
As with Clark, Wilson’s future with the Cowboys will depend on Eberflus’ vision for the defense in 2025.
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