The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2025 NFL season hopeful of reversing the previous year’s fortunes but instead finished 7-9-1 and failed to reach the playoffs for a second straight season. The disappointing result left big questions around the franchise.
A central figure throughout that campaign was veteran quarterback Dak Prescott, who put together a strong statistical year despite the team’s struggles.
Prescott threw for 4,552 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 17 games. He posted a 99.5 passer rating and ranked among the league’s top passers even as Dallas couldn’t find enough consistency to contend during the regular season.
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Now in his 10th NFL season, Prescott and the Cowboys have turned their attention to the offseason.
With the new league year set to begin on March 11, Dallas has already taken steps to create salary cap flexibility.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates and Adam Schefter, the Cowboys officially restructured the contracts of Prescott and All-Pro guard Tyler Smith, generating around $47 million in available cap space. This restructuring — which typically converts salary into signing bonus money to spread cap charges over future seasons — helps Dallas align under the 2026 cap and prepares the team for free agency and draft planning.
Dallas is also expected to further adjust the contract of star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to help with cap compliance while preserving his role as a key offensive weapon.
With Prescott under contract long term and still producing at a high level, Dallas’ challenge now shifts to building a more complete roster around him. How the front office allocates its newly created cap space will define the next phase of the Prescott era as the Cowboys attempt to return to playoff contention in 2026.