Cowboys have shocking cut or trade candidate amid Dak, CeeDee Lamb talks

The Dallas Cowboys are in a bit of a sticky offseason situation -- to say the least.

Franchise quarterback Dak Prescott and All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb are entering the final year of their respective contracts, with the former carrying a $55.45 million cap hit for 2024 and the latter holding out of the team's voluntary workouts as he seeks a long-term contract that will likely make him one of (if not) the highest-paid players at his position. Moreover, star edge rusher Micah Parsons is also extension-eligible this offseason.

But with only $1.925 million in cap space remaining, Dallas has some difficult decisions to make in the coming weeks/months that could raise eyebrows, like potentially cutting veteran receiver Brandin Cooks for financial relief as they look to manage their messy payroll and expensive roster.

Cowboys have shocking cut or trade candidate amid Dak, CeeDee Lamb talks

Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department labeled releasing or trading Cooks as the third-most creative way the Cowboys can free up cap space following the 2024 draft, should Dallas need to do so to extend Prescott and Lamb, which could be the case after the Detroit Lions made them look foolish for signing quarterback Jared Goff to a massive contract that only raised the price on their three-time Pro Bowl signal-caller.

Rather than parting ways with Cooks, Bleacher Report suggests extending Prescott and Lamb would be the ideal method(s) to improve the team's finances. However, Todd Archer of ESPN previously reported that Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones has been reluctant to pull the trigger on any deals for Prescott, Lamb and Parsons, which has put Dallas in a position where they must contemplate moving on from their No. 2 receiver.

Dallas brought in Cooks last March in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 sixth-rounder in a swap with the Houston Texans. He caught 54 of his 81 targets for 657 yards and eight touchdowns in his debut season with the Cowboys, entering the final year of his current contract with a $10 million cap hit. But the Cowboys would create an additional $8 in cap space if they designated the 10-year pro as a post-June 1 cut.

Unfortunately for Cooks, he is no stranger to being in a position of switching teams. Despite being one of the more productive pass-catchers since entering the league, exceeding the 1,000-yard mark in six of his 10 seasons, he has played for five franchises and been traded four times.