FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 17: Anthony Brown #30 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on October 17, 2021, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Dallas Cowboys enter the offseason over the salary cap, but these three surprise cuts could create some much-needed room.
It has been a long time since the Dallas Cowboys have won a Super Bowl. Despite frequently being among the Super Bowl favorites in the past 15 years, Dallas hasn’t even advanced to an NFC Championship Game since 1996, a drought that feels historically long for one of the NFL’s most accomplished franchises.
There is a window of opportunity to make a move in the NFC now that Tom Brady has retired and there are questions about Aaron Rodgers’ future in Green Bay, but the Cowboys have to get under the salary cap to improve their roster. Dallas enters the offseason a projected $21 million over the cap, making these three surprise cuts a potential necessity to create the space they need to operate over the winter.
3. Dallas Cowboys’ surprise cuts – CB Anthony Brown
The Cowboys’ defensive turnaround in 2021, along with improved health from Dak Prescott, made a big difference in Dallas’ overall record. One of the holdovers from the disastrous 2020 unit was cornerback Anthony Brown, who had a solid year for the Cowboys.
Brown recorded three interceptions during the regular season and added another in Dallas’ Wild Card round loss to the San Francisco 49ers, showcasing his worth as a cover corner. Dallas already has a No. 1 corner in Trevon Diggs, making Brown’s No. 2 corner salary a bit expensive for a team with salary cap issues.
Cutting Brown would save the Cowboys $5 million with only $1.5 million in dead money, making it pretty much a no-brainer. Dallas could always look to re-sign Brown to a deal with a more effective cap number or restructure his contract but the Cowboys could survive without Brown in 2022.