Kenny Clark #95 of the Dallas Cowboys
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Kenny Clark #95 of the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys made a move on Tuesday, the second day of the NFL’s ongoing free-agency period, though it was surely not what most fans were hoping for. In fact, it’s probably not what the subject of the move–defensive lineman Kenny Clark–was hoping for, either.
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the site’s Cowboys beat writer, the team restructured Clark’s contract on Tuesday, in an effort to lower his cap hit and create some room to operate in free agency. Clark was due a roster bonus that was converted into a signing bonus and spread over multiple years, an $11 million hit that has been reduced. The move saves the Cowboys $8.8 million off the salary cap.
The Cowboys subsequently signed another safety in free agency, signing the Broncos‘ PJ Locke on a $5 million deal.
Cowboys Not Looking Like They Will ‘Bust the Budget’
Still, the move on Clark was not a great signal for Cowboys fans who were hoping that Jerry Jones’ promise to “bust the budget” this offseason was actually going to be fulfilled. The Cowboys have made promises to be aggressive in free agency before, but have failed to follow through, and if they were serious about doing so this year, they would have taken a different tack with Clark and his contract.
The Cowboys could have saved as much as $15 million by extending Clark rather than restructuring his bonus. And, again, if the plan was to spend big to improve a defense that was the worst in the NFL last season, that’s what the Cowboys would have done.
Cowboys Rank No. 22 in Spending
As of now, the sum total of the Cowboys’ budget-busting moves have been a solid safety addition in Jalen Thompson from the Cardinals, a trade for Rashan Gary at pass-rusher (a player the Packers were planning to cut) and now, the Locke deal.
On the list of free agents, Thompson came in at No. 70 per Pro Football Focus, and Locke was No. 192. Thompson’s signing will come in at three years, $33 million, and Locke’s at one year and $5 million.
According to Spotrac’s tracker, the Cowboys have spent $40.5 million in free agency this year, which ranks 23rd in the NFL.
Jerry Jones Dallas Cowboys salary cap
GettyJerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys
Disappointing Offseason Thus Far
Most of the media covering the Cowboys have made excuses for the team’s unwillingness to spend what it takes to get players the team identified–Quay Walker or linebacker Nakobe Dean, for example–into the fold. But we’ll take you back to owner Jerry Jones’ own words from less than two weeks ago at the NFL combine.
“I can see me being aggressive, I can see us being aggressive in free agency,” Jones said. “I am excited about doing everything we can now to have a better record than we had last year, a better team than we had last year. That’s why we have been doing what we’ve been doing with the coaching staff.
“I would bet that we will spend more money in free agency than we have. The only way for me to push more is for me to go borrow some of my future. Expect me to go borrow some of my future. That’s one representation that you’re thinking of now as opposed to the future.”
The Cowboys, to this point, have not done that, not even close.