Frisco, Texas – Okay, so that's still the case, right? – The official start of the 2024 NFL offseason begins on April 15th, coinciding with the 2023 tax return filing deadline.
Of course, we all know what “any meaning” means, but this start is much more generous than the IRS's deadlines for not only filing, but paying the taxes owed. So even if a particular player is not here at The Star, from Phase 1 of the Cowboys through the offseason, strength and conditioning training, the strength and conditioning coach and his staff are the only ones allowed to train. , let's not start overreacting.
That's why if you caught this from head coach Mike McCarthy's interview session at the NFL meeting two weeks ago, he pointed out that players are already starting to go back to work, and Jake Ferguson is already there. He said he saw him working out and is working on starting over this offseason, which he said he's seen his players doing already.
And before the next question could be asked, McCarthy made sure to interject, saying, “I didn't talk to Ferguson because that was against the rules. I just said hello to him.'' Thank you for giving me that.'' So let's be clear. ”
In a way, he smiles because he knows McCarthy won't have to sink any more offseason fines into his bank account. Alternatively, the Cowboys reportedly overextended themselves during unpadded workouts, were limited to two of their allotted three, and lost a week's worth of OTA sessions this spring.
With just two weeks until the NFL Draft, coaches, scouts, and front office staff are gathering to rank draft prospects by position, then rank players by round. Soccer players will also be on the football field. Monday.
thicker shot In the middle.
- Mika Smile: The Jacksonville Jaguars certainly did the Cowboys no favors this week, signing veteran linebacker, edge rusher and sack leader Josh Allen to a five-year, $150 million deal. ($88 million of which is guaranteed). Indeed, Micah Parsons rubbed his hands together in glee and probably exclaimed, “Thank you!” That's because he's on track to sign, or has already, a new contract, possibly an extension this year or next, and his market value could skyrocket. As Allen enters his sixth season, the Jaguars placed the franchise tag on the 2019 first-round draft pick, giving him a $24 million cap hit if an extension is not completed. Allen is a two-time Pro Bowler and has 45 sacks in five seasons, 17 of which came last season. You know Micah is sitting there going, yeah, I've already won three Pro Bowls in three seasons and totaled 40 and a half sacks, five guys with at least 40 sacks. , followed by Reggie White, Derrick Thomas, Aldon Smith and Dwight Freeney. These were the first three seasons since sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982. I'm sure Mika and his “people” are sitting there congratulating themselves on setting the annual standard for a player like Mika at $30 million, the third-highest salary among the Edge. The Rushers are led by Nick Bosa at $34 million, Chris Jones at $31.7 million, and now Allen at $30 million. And the $88 million in guarantees matches Bosa's highest salary at the position. Now it's understandable that the Cowboys' future salary cap will be complicated, but Micah already has a $21 million fifth-year option in 2024, and they're looking to negotiate an early extension. All of this has become a high bar. Good luck here.
- Happy cap: Jacksonville, a team that went 9-8 in 2023 and beat the Cowboys in OT in the 2022 season, enters free agency with nearly $30 million in cap space. This is largely due to starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is still in the fourth year of his rookie contract and was scheduled to count only $11.7 million against the cap. The Jags have just seven players hitting at least $10 million on the cap, but wide receiver Christian Kirk's maximum salary is only $24 million, so they certainly can afford to splurge like that. By comparison, the Cowboys have eight players worth at least $10 million (including Michael Gallup's $13.8 million, released June 1st, through June 2nd), with Dak's highest salary being $55 million. It's a dollar.
- More Mika: In a recent interview after the NFL passed new kickoff rules, someone asked Cowboys special teams coach John Fassel that he would consider using Micah, a former high school running back, to return kickoffs. I asked if I would. If he had returned for his third season at Penn State (2020 was suspended due to the coronavirus), head coach James Franklin would have planned to have the former standout high school running back take kickoffs again. I want you to remember that I told you that there is. seriously. “Of course I'd like to see him back there. He'd be great,” Fassel said, before quickly adding in the next breath, “But that's not going to happen.” It's cute, but try googling his high school highlights.
- Rael surface: I recently noticed that the Cowboys are coming to the end of the season with La'el Collins as playoff insurance at tackle, rather than re-signing him to an incentive-packed one-year contract as backup insurance so he can just be on practice squad salary. That's what I was thinking. Oh, and Buffalo reportedly piled up large bills like $6.5 million in front of their eyes for their own insurance. Cowboys, well, that's all the cap space the Cowboys have left right now, so why do they need to release Gallup and sign CeeDee Lamb to an extension to reduce the cap hit on his fifth-year option for $17.99 million? Is there one?
- Randy, Randy: Now, former Cowboys 2015 second-round gambler Randy Gregory reneged on a five-year, $70 million contract offered by the Cowboys and instead signed with Denver in 2022 under the same structure. He is currently on his fourth team. The Broncos traded Gregory to San Francisco midway through the 2023 season, and he became a free agent in 2024. Tampa Bay signed the edge rusher to a one-year deal worth at least $2.9 million and more than $5 million with incentives and bonuses. $1.36 million guaranteed. Money is not an issue for Gregory at this point, as he has $28 million guaranteed in his contract with Denver and the Broncos are responsible for $22.4 million in dead money, with nearly $7 million of that remaining this year. There shouldn't be.
- short shot: Offseason training will be allowed starting Monday, but attendance will only be required for the full team minicamp scheduled for June 4-6, and non-attendance could result in fines. Let me remind you of something…oh, withholding services is always a ploy for those involved in contract negotiations. An injury may heal on its own, but it could result in you being placed on the non-football injury list with no pay…Zach Martin, who was looking to get a well-deserved raise last year, had a ham injury during the offseason. He suffered string and groin issues and was subsequently sidelined from training camp until his pay raise in mid-August…The team's rookie minicamp is scheduled for May 10-12…last season's first round of the playoffs While many are disappointed in the loss, they muster up the courage to take the chance to go out. However, the Cowboys' plus-10 turnover differential in 2023 marks the third straight year they have finished the season at or above plus-10. mark, making it the first NFL team in franchise history and the first since Kansas City from 2015-17. …And while I'm sure, at least now, the Cowboys won't be traveling to Brazil to play the Eagles in their season opener in Week 1, that chore belongs to Green Bay.
With just two weeks until the NFL Draft, we return to McCarthy for the NFL meeting at the end of March and the process by which his staff, scouting department, and front office personnel are preparing for the April 25-27 draft. Let's talk about.
“It's an amazing process and it's intense,” McCarthy began. “As a coaching staff, of all the organizations I have worked with, this is the one where the coaching staff is the most involved in their personnel processes. He's doing an incredible job and is at the top of his game.'' The Road with Mitch [LaPoint, director of college scouting] It was so cool that I got to spend some time with him.Mitch already knows all the players in the draft, just like Will [McClay, vice president of player personnel]. Will and I are in constant communication. These guys are at the top.
“But it's always a huge benefit to go out there and see these college programs and see these (players) in person, and even more beneficial to be able to have conversations. Alabama, Notre Dame and Michigan all had great pro days. “It was really fun.” “The conversations, the people you meet and reconnect with, the information you get, it really gives you more insight. The truth is, I don't really follow college football too much during the season. For me, the most college football I watch is on Saturday nights, maybe at a hotel watching an away game…As a head coach, it's given to me as we go into this draft process. Fresh eyes are very helpful and it's great to see the University of Michigan marching in with 20 people at their pro day when they were really good just to use the University of Michigan and think, “Okay, this is what the national champions are doing.'' I think it's the appearance.
“If I come back after Easter, I'll be in the draft room for the entire month of April.”
And now we're counting down to 15 days until Cowboys games start.
