The Dallas Cowboys find themselves in a tight spot concerning their salary cap management, with over $31 million tied up in players like Zack Martin, Michael Gallup, and DeMarcus Lawrence, who are no longer part of the team. Unlike 25 other NFL teams that have collectively cut around $600 million in salaries this offseason, the Cowboys have not released any significant contracts, indicating they continue to carry dead money from past contracts. With Ezekiel Elliott's costly contract still fresh in memory, the team has be wary as they move forward into 2026 with $17 million in dead money still connected to retired players.

This longstanding issue may limit their flexibility in roster management and acquisitions as they head into training camp looking to evaluate the performance of players with sizable base salaries. Players like Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker may face uncertain futures depending on their performance, which could further impact the Cowboys' salary cap situation.