The NFL allows a team to designate a maximum of two players a post-June 1st cut, allowing franchises flexibility with the salary cap without taking a huge dead cap hit. With the Dallas Cowboys needing money quickly to stay afloat in a competitive NFC East, they must make some financial decisions.

The Cowboys would be smart to restructure deals for CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, who both received massive record-setting deals last year, and this would save a ton of money. Some cap casualty candidates would save the Cowboys money by spreading the cap hit across multiple years.

4 — LB Damone Clark ($3 million)

Clark would only save about $3 million and he is lower on the depth chart for the Dallas Cowboys, so the team wouldn’t miss much on the field, at least at first glance. Clark plays at linebacker and there are major question marks regarding the linebacker room in 2025. Breakout star Demarvion Overshown is recovering from a serious knee injury and expects to miss a good chunk of next season. Starter Eric Kendricks provided stability with foreknowledge of Mike Zimmer’s system, but with Zimmer gone and Kendricks only on a one-year deal, he’s likely leaving the organization. If that’s not bad enough, the third starting linebacker Nick Vigil was a surprise out of camp and he is an unrestricted free agent. So it’s possible the Cowboys could start a brand new set of linebackers Week 1 in 2025.

The next three up are second-year pro Marist Liufau from Notre Dame, Buddy Johnson with fourteen career tackles since entering the league in 2021, and Clark. The former fifth-round pick could help compete for a starting job early or provide some familiarity in the linebacking room.

For just 3 million, I don’t see Clark’s release worth depleting the linebacker depth even further.

3 — S Malik Hooker ($5.7 million)

The Cowboys need to make decisions on their safety room, but let’s focus on the veteran going into this ninth NFL season. Hooker would save a little more money at $5.7 million if designated a post-June 1st cut. His name has been thrown out as a cap casualty but I’m adamantly against it. Hooker had a career year in tackles (81), pass deflections (5), and finished with 2 interceptions in 2024. Hooker’s also strongest ability is availability, playing a full season in 2024 and playing 15+ games ever since his arrival in Dallas in 2021.

In addition, the Cowboys just acquired Matt Eberflus as the defensive coordinator. Having three defensive coordinators in three consecutive seasons can be challenging for younger players learning new systems, so you need veterans to help lead the locker room. It helps Hooker and Eberflus are familiar with each other from their time in Indianapolis. Eberflus was the defensive backs coach when Hooker was with the Colts from 2018-2020.

While it would save money, I am against the Cowboys parting ways with Malik Hooker.

2 — S Donovan Wilson ($7 million)

Along with Hooker, the Cowboys need to decide what’s best to do with the opposite starting safety, Donovan Wilson. The former sixth-round pick broke through the depth chart in 2022 and had a career-high 101 tackles and 5 sacks. Wilson helped set the tone coming down to assist in the run game, but his pass-defense liability became a larger concern in 2024. A lot of blown coverages and missed tackles led to Wilson having a down year and the opposition to the endzone.

Wilson turned 30 in February and being the older option to Hooker, plus saving more money than Hooker would, and comparing performance, it’s no surprise Wilson would be the first safety out the door. Looking at the younger safety room, the Cowboys still have Juanyeh Thomas and Markquese Bell under contract for 2025 who could slide in and replace Wilson.

Expect Wilson to be one of the two cap casualties.

1 — RT Terence Steele ($14 million)

It’s all about the bottom dollar to the Dallas Cowboys. Steele would save the most money with 14 million, but his replacement may not be in the building without serious shakeups on the offensive line. The Cowboys could always shift Tyler Guyton to his natural right tackle position, but the Cowboys need to find the replacement of long-time All-Pro Zack Martin at right guard. Cutting your starting right tackle after your right guard just retired would be a bold move, but it’s necessary.

It’s not good enough to be the starter, and in games last year, Terence Steele struggled. Steele had 7 accepted penalties and allowed 9 sacks in 2024. Steele is among the better tackles in the run game according to Pro Football Focus, ranking 13th among all 141 eligible tackles in 2024, but it’s his pass protection raising eyebrows. Steele’s 57.5 pass blocking grade is ranked 90th and in key moments for the Cowboys in 2024, Steele was the reason for the chains moving back, the Cowboys punting, and the team inevitably losing. Allowing 41 pressures is absurd with less than ten tackles in the NFL allowing more in 2024.

It comes down to what new offensive coordinator Klayton Adams wants to do. He comes from the Cardinals as their offensive line coach and after an emphasis on the run game with James Conner, maybe Adams believes he can fix Terence Steele. Adams could also bring in his own players and revive a once dominant Dallas Cowboys offensive line.

If it was up to me, Steele would not be on the 53-man roster this season.

Could you see the Cowboys designating one of these players as a post-June 1st cut? Which of these players would you like back? Let us know in the comment section below.