The Dallas Cowboys officially restructured the contracts of quarterback Dak Prescott and offensive guard Tyler Smith on Wednesday, creating $47 million in cap room.
The Cowboys also restructured the contract of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb shortly after, pushing the total cap relief to approximately $66 million and officially making Dallas cap-compliant.
The moves come with Dallas sitting well over the NFL’s newly set $301.2 million salary cap for 2026, following a 7-9-1 season in which the team missed the playoffs for the first time under head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones had already signaled the franchise would take aggressive steps to clear spending room before free agency opens March 11.
Prescott’s restructure alone is expected to clear roughly $30 million off his 2026 cap charge, which had been sitting north of $70 million entering this offseason. His base salary gets converted into a signing bonus, spreading the cost across future years rather than eliminating it.
Smith, a three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman whose contract carried about 10% of the team’s entire cap, accounted for roughly $17 million in relief. Same structure, same math.
Cowboys now have officially restructured the contracts of Dak Prescott and Tyler Smith, creating $47 million in cap room, per @FieldYates and me.
They still are expected to restructure CeeDee Lamb’s contract to help get cap compliant. pic.twitter.com/rXf71e6gox
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 4, 2026
Why CeeDee Lamb’s pending restructure still matters for Dallas free agency spending
Dallas Cowboys, Dak Prescott, NFL
Feb 2, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) during NFC practice at the NFL Flag Fieldhouse at Moscone Center South Building. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Lamb, who earned a Pro Bowl selection in each of his last several seasons, has a base salary that becomes fully guaranteed in March. His restructure, when completed, is projected to save around $18 to $19 million in 2026 cap space. That would bring the combined total from all three restructures to approximately $66 million.
The full three-player restructuring package will create room, which the Cowboys need to even get cap compliant before spending on new players.
The Cowboys also placed the franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens, newly acquired from Pittsburgh, locking in a $27.298 million cap hit for 2026. That number was already factored into the Cowboys’ overage calculation.
Dallas plans more restructures beyond the offensive core to fix deeper cap issues
Dallas Cowboys, Tyler Smith
Aug 12, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA;Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyler Smith (73) walks off the field after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
The cap work is not limited to the offense. Per Yardbarker’s report citing Schefter, Jones confirmed the team will also rework the contracts of defensive tackles Kenny Clark, Quinnen Williams, and Osa Odighizuwa, who collectively count around $63 million against the cap.
Releasing linebacker Logan Wilson has already added roughly $6.5 million in relief.
The more pointed question now is whether freeing up this much space actually translates into real moves. Dallas ranked 30th in total defense last season, allowing 377 yards per game, and the team holds two first-round picks in the 2026 draft.
The secondary and linebacker corps were notable weak spots throughout the year. The front office now has room to address both through free agency, but the Cowboys have made similar promises before.