3 salary cap casualties for the Dallas Cowboys after the 2020 season

Poe is one of the new veterans that Dallas brought in on the defensive side of the ball to help establish its presence in the trenches. After spending time in Kansas City, Atlanta, and Carolina, Poe has plenty of experience and wisdom that he can use to his advantage while in Dallas.

After a 2019 campaign that saw Poe miss time for the first time in his career since 2015, Carolina decided to decline Poe’s option on his contract for the 2020 season. With the combination of need and fit, Poe fit the bill for coming to America’s team.

This spot could have gone to either Poe or fellow free agent acquisition and perennial Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, but here’s what makes Poe the more enticing option. Let’s say Poe fails to live up to expectations in 2020. If so, Dallas as a potential out for the 2021 season where it can cut ties with Poe. As a result, the Cowboys would be saving $4 million in cap space while only eating $750K in dead money.

Dallas also has a potential out for the 2021 season with McCoy that frees up more cap space, but the tradeoff in getting rid of him would mean taking on more dead money. With Dallas drafting two defensive tackles, either Poe or McCoy could be cut at the end of 2020. With Poe having a more team-friendly deal, he becomes the more viable candidate for being moved.