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Cowboys contracts explained

Every figure is from cited public reporting, checked 2026-11-13.

Flagship contract · QB

Dak Prescott: $43.7 million now, $76 million on paper next year

1.96xModerately backloaded
2026 cap hit$43.7MPeak (2028)$86M
What's a backload score?

The biggest cap hit left on the deal divided by this season's cap hit, from one reported schedule. 1.0x is flat; 3x means the bill triples later. Restructures and void years push it up.

Four-year, $240 million extension signed in 2024 (five years and $269 million counting his 2024 salary), with an $80 million signing bonus, $129 million guaranteed, four void years (2029-2032), and no-trade and no-franchise-tag clauses.

Cap hits as reported by USA Today (Jack McKessy, March 4, 2026), citing Over The Cap after the March restructure. The same list shows $24.4 million in void-year money landing in 2029, which is dead money, not a playing year, so it is left out of the bars. Peak remaining $86.0M (2028) / 2026 $43.7M = 1.97x, which is backloaded (1.3x to 2x).

1.96x: his peak cap hit (2028, $86M) is 1.96 times his 2026 cap hit ($43.7M).

The GM view: Nobody expects Dallas to carry a $76 million hit in 2027. Another restructure, which pushes even more money into the void years, is close to certain.

Sources: USA Today (Jack McKessy), March 4, 2026, citing ESPN and Over The Cap · Cowboys Wire (K.D. Drummond), March 5, 2026 · Cowboys Wire (K.D. Drummond), Nov 3, 2026, citing Over The Cap · Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits)

All 9 tracked deals

  1. CeeDee LambWR · A $20 million hit that more than doubles in 20272.3x$20M in 2026

    Four-year, $136 million extension (August 2024) with $100 million guaranteed and a $38 million signing bonus, a record for a receiver at the time (NFL.com, citing Rapoport and Pelissero).

    2026 and 2027 cap hits as reported by USA Today (March 4, 2026), citing Over The Cap after the March restructure. Later years aren't in that report, so the peak may be understated. Peak reported $46.2M (2027) / 2026 $20.0M = 2.31x, which is heavily backloaded (2x to 3x).

    2.3x: his peak cap hit (2027, $46.2M) is 2.3 times his 2026 cap hit ($20M).

    • Dallas restructured him in March along with Prescott and Tyler Smith. ESPN's Todd Archer reported that his base salary dropped to the $1.7 million range (via USA Today).
    • That's the trade-off of a restructure: 2026 gets cheaper and 2027 jumps to $46.2 million.
    • Last Word on Sports (Sept 3) lists his 2026 hit as $19.65 million, compared with $20 million in the March USA Today report.

    The GM view: He's an elite receiver at a mid-tier price this year. Expect him to be the next restructure candidate when the 2027 number arrives.

    Sources: NFL.com, citing Rapoport and Pelissero, Aug 2024 · USA Today (Jack McKessy), March 4, 2026, citing ESPN and Over The Cap · Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits)

  2. Dak PrescottQB · $43.7 million now, $76 million on paper next year1.96x$43.7M in 2026
  3. Tyler SmithG · Rolling guarantees on a record guard deal1.7x$11.2M in 2026

    Four-year, $96 million extension (2025), a record for a guard, with $81.2 million in total guarantees and a contract through 2030 (DallasCowboys.com). $41.66 million was guaranteed at signing (Pro Football Rumors, Sept 26, 2025, citing Spotrac).

    2026 and 2027 cap hits as reported by USA Today (March 4, 2026), citing Over The Cap after the March restructure. Later years aren't reported. Peak reported $19.5M (2027) / 2026 $11.2M = 1.74x, which is backloaded (1.3x to 2x).

    1.7x: his peak cap hit (2027, $19.5M) is 1.7 times his 2026 cap hit ($11.2M).

    • The guarantees vest a year ahead: $12 million of 2027 pay in March 2026, $19 million of 2028 pay in March 2027, and $6.6 million of 2029 pay in March 2028 (Pro Football Rumors).
    • He's owed a $21 million option bonus by Week 1 of 2029 and a $20 million option bonus by Week 1 of 2030, and the deal has four void years (Pro Football Rumors).
    • The extension replaced his $21.27 million fully guaranteed fifth-year option for 2026 (DallasCowboys.com).
    • Last Word on Sports (Sept 3) lists $10.3 million for 2026, compared with $11.2 million in the March USA Today report.

    The GM view: This is how Dallas structures most deals: the guarantees vest a year at a time, and the March deadlines are when the team decides.

    Sources: DallasCowboys.com, Tyler Smith extension, 2025 · Pro Football Rumors (Sam Robinson), Sept 26, 2025, citing Spotrac · USA Today (Jack McKessy), March 4, 2026, citing ESPN and Over The Cap · Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits)

  4. George PickensWR · Franchise tag: $27.3 million, all guaranteed, one yearNo score$27.3M in 2026

    Non-exclusive franchise tag, signed in late April 2026: a one-year, $27.3 million fully guaranteed deal. The July 15 deadline for a long-term extension passed without one (DallasCowboys.com, July 15, 2026).

    2026 cap hit of $27,298,000 from Last Word on Sports (Sept 3, 2026), which matches the $27.3 million tag reported by DallasCowboys.com.

    No backload score: A franchise tag is a one-year deal, so there is no second year to score.

    • Because the July 15 deadline passed, his contract can't be extended until after the Cowboys' final regular-season game in January 2027 (DallasCowboys.com).
    • Dallas could tag him again in 2027 for 120% of this year's number, about $32.8 million (DallasCowboys.com). The Cowboys tagged both DeMarcus Lawrence and Prescott twice.
    • Stephen Jones said before the tag was signed that the team had decided not to negotiate a long-term deal this offseason (DallasCowboys.com).
    • He was in the rehab group with a hamstring injury heading into the 49ers game (DallasCowboys.com, Nov 9).

    The GM view: The tag is the most player-friendly one-year deal in football: all guaranteed, with no void years. Dallas pays full price now and has only rented him.

    Sources: DallasCowboys.com (Tommy Yarrish), July 15, 2026 · Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits) · DallasCowboys.com, injury roundup, Nov 9, 2026

  5. Quinnen WilliamsDT · Paid $33 million this year, counts $8.55 millionNo score$8.55M in 2026

    Acquired from the Jets in November 2025 for Mazi Smith, a 2026 second-round pick and the better of Dallas' two 2027 first-round picks (Cowboys Wire, Nov 4, 2025). In August 2026 he added three years and $105.9 million, making it five years and $153.15 million, with $63.35 million fully guaranteed at signing (ProFootballTalk, Aug 12, 2026).

    2026 cap hit of $8.55 million from Cowboys Wire (Aug 14, 2026, citing ESPN's Todd Archer). That report gives a two-year 2026-27 total of $23.04 million, but not a separate 2027 figure.

    No backload score: Only the 2026 cap hit is reported on its own. Cowboys Wire gives a $23.04 million total for 2026-27, which implies about $14.49 million in 2027, but later years aren't reported, so no score is shown.

    • He'll make $33.15 million in cash this season and count only $8.55 million, which created more than $13 million of 2026 space (Cowboys Wire).
    • The trick is option bonuses plus four void years (2031-2034). Cowboys Wire says that leaves about $54 million of dead money due in 2035 unless the deal is extended again.
    • The first two years are fully guaranteed, and 2028 becomes fully guaranteed in March 2027, so in practice it's a three-year, $93.15 million deal (ProFootballTalk).
    • The $7.85 million of 2029 injury guarantees is subject to offset, according to ProFootballTalk. If Dallas cut him and another team signed him, his new salary would reduce what Dallas owes.
    • Each year from 2027 on carries a $500,000 de-escalator tied to the offseason program (ProFootballTalk). PFT notes Dallas uses these de-escalators in place of workout bonuses in many of its deals, Bland's included.

    The GM view: This is a textbook cap-now, pay-later deal: more cash for him and a smaller hit for Dallas, with the bill parked in 2035.

    Sources: ProFootballTalk (Mike Florio), Aug 12, 2026 · Cowboys Wire (K.D. Drummond), Aug 14, 2026, citing ESPN's Todd Archer · Cowboys Wire (K.D. Drummond), Nov 4, 2025 · ProFootballTalk (Mike Florio), Sept 1, 2025

  6. DaRon BlandCB · Guaranteed for two years, a team option after thatNo score2026 not reported

    Four-year, $90 million extension (August 2025) with a $22 million signing bonus and $36.346 million fully guaranteed at signing. Another $13 million becomes fully guaranteed in 2027 (ProFootballTalk, Sept 1, 2025).

    No backload score: His 2026 hit after the September restructure isn't stated directly by a source we can cite. Last Word on Sports' $17.02 million (Sept 3) predates that move.

    • ProFootballTalk says the headline $92 million counted $2 million of escalators. The base value is $90 million. DallasCowboys.com still describes it as $92 million.
    • In September Dallas converted $10.75 million of his 2026 salary into a bonus. That saved $8.6 million this year and added $2.15 million to each of the next four seasons (Pro Football Rumors, citing ESPN's Todd Archer).
    • 2028 and 2029 are paid mostly as option bonuses ($19 million and $21 million). ProFootballTalk calls it a two-year deal with a year-to-year team option after that.
    • Sources disagree on when the deal ends. DallasCowboys.com (Sept 4, 2026) says through 2030, while Pro Football Rumors (Sept 5) says Bland is signed through 2029.
    • Like most Dallas deals, it uses $500,000 workout de-escalators instead of workout bonuses. If he skips the offseason program, his pay goes down (ProFootballTalk).

    The GM view: Bland has security through 2027. After that, the Cowboys decide year by year.

    Sources: ProFootballTalk (Mike Florio), Sept 1, 2025 · Pro Football Rumors (Nikhil Mehta), Sept 5, 2026, citing ESPN's Todd Archer · DallasCowboys.com, Sept 2026 (three restructures) · Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits)

  7. Kenny ClarkDT · Restructured twice in one year, down to $6.7 millionNo score$6.70M in 2026

    Acquired in the Micah Parsons trade with Green Bay. Cowboys Wire (March 10, 2026) says 2027 was the true final year until Dallas added three void years. In March the $11 million roster bonus became a restructure bonus spread from 2026 to 2030. In September another $7.5 million of 2026 salary was converted (Pro Football Rumors, Sept 5, 2026, citing ESPN's Todd Archer).

    2026 cap hit of $6.7 million after the September restructure, per Pro Football Rumors (Sept 5, 2026, citing ESPN's Todd Archer).

    No backload score: Only the 2026 cap hit after both restructures is reported. His 2027 cap hit isn't reported in a source we can cite.

    • The March move cut $8.8 million from his 2026 hit. Cowboys Wire says that if 2027 is his last year, $6.6 million of dead money lands in 2028.
    • The September move added $1.5 million to 2027 and to each of the three void years (Pro Football Rumors).
    • His $18.3 million 2027 salary isn't guaranteed, so it may depend on how he plays this season (Pro Football Rumors).
    • Sources disagree on when the deal ends. DallasCowboys.com says it runs through 2028, while Cowboys Wire calls 2027 the true final year, with void years after it. Last Word on Sports' $12.7 million (Sept 3) falls between the two restructures.

    The GM view: He's cheap this year, and 2027 is a cut-or-keep call on an $18.3 million salary. Either way, the void-year money is already on the books.

    Sources: Cowboys Wire (K.D. Drummond), March 10, 2026 · Pro Football Rumors (Nikhil Mehta), Sept 5, 2026, citing ESPN's Todd Archer · DallasCowboys.com, Sept 2026 (three restructures) · Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits)

  8. Jake FergusonTE · Restructured in September, hurt in NovemberNo score2026 not reported

    Four-year, $52 million extension (2025) with $30 million guaranteed, at the time the richest tight end deal in team history (DallasCowboys.com).

    No backload score: His 2026 hit after the September restructure isn't stated by a source we can cite. Last Word on Sports' $10.4 million (Sept 3) predates it.

    • In September Dallas converted $6 million of his 2026 salary into a bonus. That cut his 2026 hit by $4.8 million and added $1.2 million to each remaining year plus a 2030 void year (Pro Football Rumors).
    • Sources disagree on when the deal ends. DallasCowboys.com says through 2030, and Pro Football Rumors says through 2029 plus a 2030 void year.
    • He hurt his knee at Indianapolis, and coach Brian Schottenheimer said he'll miss multiple weeks (DallasCowboys.com, Nov 9).

    The GM view: A September restructure adds money to every future year, so it carries more risk for a player who then gets hurt.

    Sources: DallasCowboys.com, Jake Ferguson extension, 2025 · Pro Football Rumors (Nikhil Mehta), Sept 5, 2026, citing ESPN's Todd Archer · DallasCowboys.com, injury roundup, Nov 9, 2026 · Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits)

  9. Caleb DownsS · Rookie deal with $29 million guaranteed, and an interception that sealed a winNo score$5.26M in 2026

    2026 first-round rookie contract. Last Word on Sports lists $28,951,992 guaranteed at signing and a 2026 cap hit of $5,263,998 (Sept 3, 2026).

    2026 cap hit from Last Word on Sports (Sept 3, 2026).

    No backload score: Year-by-year rookie cap hits beyond 2026 aren't reported in a source we can cite.

    • His interception sealed the 27-23 win at Indianapolis (DallasCowboys.com, Nov 8).
    • As a first-round pick, his deal includes a fifth-year team option. That lets Dallas keep him on rookie-scale money through 2030 if he keeps playing like this.

    The GM view: Dallas pays a lot of veterans by pushing money into void years. Downs is a starter on a fixed rookie-scale deal, the cheapest kind of contract a starter can have.

    Sources: Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits) · DallasCowboys.com, Nov 8, 2026 (Downs seals win at Indianapolis)

Bars show each reported cap hit by year on one shared scale; the dark bar is 2026. Tap a deal for the full breakdown.

More contracts

  1. Terence SteeleRT$8.73M—Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)
  2. Malik HookerS$6.56M—Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)
  3. T.J. BassG$5.77M—Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)
  4. Rashan GaryEDGE$5.70M—Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)
  5. Tyler BookerG$5.08M—Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)
  6. KaVontae TurpinWR$4.64M—Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)
  7. Jalen ThompsonS$4.62M—Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)
  8. Brandon AubreyK——Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)Cap hit not reported
  9. Malachi LawrenceEDGE——Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)Cap hit not reported
  10. Tyler GuytonLT——Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)Cap hit not reported
  11. Donovan EzeiruakuEDGE——Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)Cap hit not reported
  12. Markquese BellS——Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)Cap hit not reported
  13. Hunter LuepkeFB——Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)Cap hit not reported
  14. Bryan AngerP——Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)Cap hit not reported
  15. Luke SchoonmakerTE——Last Word on Sports, Sept 3, 2026 (Cowboys top cap hits and guarantees)Cap hit not reported
  16. Joey Porter Jr.CB——DallasCowboys.com (Patrik Walker), Oct 28, 2026Cap hit not reported

The next deals by 2026 cap hit that don't have a full card yet. A dash means that figure has not been reported in a source we can cite. Each row links the reporting we used.

Cap terms in plain English

What is a cap hit?

The part of a contract that counts against the salary cap in one season: salary, plus the signing bonus spread evenly over the deal (up to five years), plus other bonuses. It is not the same as the cash paid that year.

What does "guaranteed" mean?

Money the player gets even if he is cut. "Fully guaranteed at signing" is the strongest kind. Other guarantees lock in on set dates, which is why reported totals for the same deal often differ.

What are void years?

Placeholder years added to the end of a deal so a bonus can be spread over more seasons, which lowers today's cap hit. The deal voids before those years are played, and any bonus not yet counted hits the cap at once as dead money.

What is dead money?

Cap charges for a player who is no longer on the team, usually signing bonus that had not been counted yet when he was cut or traded.

What is a restructure?

Turning salary into a signing bonus so it can be spread over later years. It frees cap room now and makes future cap hits bigger.

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Data note: every contract figure is hand-entered from the public reporting linked on its card (checked 2026-11-13). Figures are as reported on the date shown and change with restructures. Nothing is copied from cap-database tables.