2024 NFL cap space by team: Why Cowboys could be in big trouble

The majority of NFL teams are greatly relieved that the salary cap for 2024 is set at $255.4 million, meaning a genuinely massive sum of money can be used for recruiting fresh faces in free agency.

The Dallas Cowboys have garnered more media attention for the players they have allowed to go than for the ones they have signed thus far, due in large part to their entry into the free agency market with a cap space of just $2,243,253, sixth lowest in the league.

It's still expected that the Cowboys will make some significant deal decisions. They will need to increase revenue via player cuts, extensions, restructurings, and maybe trades.

Teams can use a variety of strategies to create salary room, but the Cowboys have historically relied on deal restructures. One benefit of restructures is that they usually eliminate the need for bargaining because players end up with the same total compensation and even more now since future salary turns into bonuses that are distributed right away while the cap effect is distributed over the remaining term of the contract.

According to various sources, the Cowboys have already renegotiated right guard Zack Martin's deal to free up more salary room this season and maybe spread it over the next two seasons. Dak Prescott's deal is another significant one that the organization will probably focus on, but there are a few more that may be utilized to produce lesser but still significant amounts.

What happens if a team exceeds the salary cap?

NFL teams are penalized if their annual compensation exceeds the cap. Normally, the league sanctions the clubs up to $5 million for each transgression that is discovered. If the team in question is determined to have committed numerous infractions, harsher penalties may be imposed. These can include the team being prohibited from signing any more players, losing draft picks, and even having player contracts voided.

It should be mentioned that teams who run the risk of going over their cap space are usually allowed a little more leeway in the offseason, with longer windows to drop below the cap.

NFL cap space by team: Which teams are in trouble in 2024?

The Washington Commanders still have the most cap room available with an incredible $62.4 million in cap space left in 2024. In addition, the franchise holds the second overall pick in the NFL Draft of 2024.

The Miami Dolphins are the team that presently has the least amount of cap space. They are already $3.4 million over the cap but will still need to make a few crucial choices.

According to OverTheCap, the following clubs are presently in the red also: the Buffalo Bills ($10 million cap room), Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($9.4 million cap room), Cleveland Browns ($5.9 million cap room), Dallas Cowboys ($4.5 million cap room), and Atlanta Falcons ($3.4 million).

It should be noted that with every roster change, the cap status for each team as well as the totals will alter. Furthermore, not all reported roster moves are included in these numbers because it usually takes a few days to process all agreed-on deals.