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IRVING, Texas – Akwasi Owusu-Ansah is getting another chance with the Cowboys after the club claimed him off waivers from Jacksonville on Tuesday.

A fourth-round pick in 2010, Owusu-Ansah was cut by the Cowboys on Nov. 30, 2011, after playing in three games on special teams. He joined the Jaguars’ practice squad and was called up to the active roster for the final four games, starting twice. He finished with 14 tackles.

Owusu-Ansah was converted to safety after the Cowboys drafted him but his development was hurt by shoulder surgery coming out of Indiana (Pa.). He played in seven games as a rookie, working mostly as a returner, before an ankle injury ended his season. Last year, the Cowboys eventually moved him to wide receiver before his release last season.

He is expected to play either safety or cornerback in his return.

The team also claimed kicker Jake Rogers off waivers from Tampa Bay and released undrafted rookie safety Troy Woolfolk, leaving the roster at 88. With the release of David Buehler and Kai Forbath earlier in the offseason, the Cowboys had only one kicker, Dan Bailey, on the roster. Rogers, who left as the University of Cincinnati’s all-time leading scorer, can also punt. He also has spent time with New Orleans.

The Kai Forbath era at Valley Ranch ended without the former UCLA kicker ever appearing in a game for the Cowboys.

The Cowboys announced Forbath's release Monday, leaving Dan Bailey as the only kicker on the roster.

Forbath had a quadriceps injury when the Cowboys signed him on Aug. 2. He spent the season on the non-football injury list.

Forbath's release is an indication that the Cowboys, who released kickoff specialist David Buehler last month, are committed to letting Bailey handle kickoffs as well as placekicking duties. Bailey, who was 32 of 37 on field goals after winning a multi-kicker competition in the preseason, kicked off in 12 of 16 games last season. Bailey had touchbacks on 24 of his 67 kickoffs, a percentage of 35.8 percent that was below the league average (43.5).

IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys will have an additional draft choice next month with the NFL awarding the franchise a fourth-round compensatory pick, having lost defensive end Stephen Bowen to Washington last year as an unrestricted free agent.

The Cowboys will have eight picks in the three-day draft with picks in each round and two in the fourth. The second fourth rounder will be No. 135 overall. The compensatory selection cannot be traded.

The Cowboys did not make a trade during last year’s draft for the first time in the tenure of Jerry Jones as the team’s owner and general manager.

The last time the Cowboys had a compensatory came in 2009 when they took David Buehler in the fifth round (No. 172 overall) and John Phillips in the sixth round (No. 208 overall).

IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have deals with seven free agents, but their first six signings will account for $11.16 million in salary-cap space in 2012.

Brandon Carr has the highest number at $3.2 million as part of his six-year, $60 million contract that included a $10 million signing bonus. The final year of Carr’s contract can void, so the Cowboys will be able to turn Carr’s 2013 base salary of $14.3 million into signing bonus and prorate that through 2017.

Linebacker Dan Connor will count $2.15 against the cap, followed by quarterback Kyle Orton ($1.9 million), guard/center Mackenzy Bernadeau ($1.81 million), safety Brodney Pool ($1.2 million) and fullback Lawrence Vickers ($900,000).

The breakdown of Nate Livings' five-year contract is not yet known, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported it pays him $19 million over five years with $6.2 million guaranteed.

Before free agency started, the Cowboys cleared about $17 million in salary-cap space by restructuring the contracts of cornerback Orlando Scandrick, tackle Doug Free and wide receiver Dez Bryant. They also released cornerback Terence Newman and kicker David Buehler.

Those moves helped offset a $10 million hit against the Cowboys’ cap handed down by the NFL on Monday. The league took away $5 million from the Cowboys this year and will take away another $5 million in 2013 for the deal wide receiver Miles Austin signed in 2010, which was an uncapped year.

IRVING, Texas -- On Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys re-worked the contracts of cornerback Orlando Scandrick and tackle Doug Free to save about $8.5 million against the salary cap in 2012.

They also made a bookkeeping adjustment on the contract for wide receiver Dez Bryant that day, turning a $1.435 million roster bonus into signing bonus, which allowed them to save about $957,000 against the cap.

All told, the Cowboys created about $17 million in space by restructuring those contracts and releasing cornerback Terence Newman and kicker David Buehler.

It’s important to note that the Cowboys did not add or subtract any money from Bryant’s contract. He is getting the same $1.435 million. It is just being counted against the cap in a different way.

Bryant is signed through 2014.

We've known for months that, when the time came, the ax wouldn't hurdle Terence Newman, and it didn't. The Dallas Cowboys have released the beleaguered cornerback who became the symbol of their second-half defensive problems, according to Todd Archer and Calvin Watkins.

The move saves the Cowboys either $4 million or $6 million against the salary cap, depending on the official timing of it and whether the NFL's 31 other owners decide two years from now that they didn't agree with it. (Yeah, I made that last part up.) The Cowboys also cut kicker David Buehler (which they announced, unlike the Newman move, and remains a secret for some reason) and, according to Todd and Calvin, restructured the contracts of cornerback Orlando Scandrick and tackle Doug Free. The Scandrick restructure converts $5.9 million of his $7.1 million base salary into bonus money. Similar deal with Free, as they convert $4.8 million of his $6 million base salary into bonus money.

All of the moves are designed for the salary cap, which the Cowboys need after the league docked them $10 million worth of cap room over the next two years for violating a handshake agreement the teams made to not spend too much during a supposedly uncapped season in 2010. Todd and Calvin calculate that Tuesday's moves cleared $15.82 million in 2012 cap room. Dallas is expected to be aggressive in free agency in spite of the sanctions, and it needs help at cornerback, safety and on the offensive line. Expect it to be mentioned in pursuit of the top cornerbacks on the market, such as Brandon Carr and Cortland Finnegan, once free agency opens at 4 p.m. ET.

Newman played well at the start of this season upon his return from injury, but he slowed down severely as the season went along. He gained an unfortunate sort of national notoriety in the season finale that decided the division title, when two Giants fullbacks were able to hurdle him while he tried to tackle them. The Cowboys were looking to upgrade from Newman last summer and likely would have cut him had they succeeded in signing Nnamdi Asomugha. But they held onto Newman instead, and the defense suffered for it.

IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys continued to create salary-cap space as free agency approaches by reworking the contracts of cornerback Orlando Scandrick and tackle Doug Free to save the team $8.56 million, according to sources.

The Cowboys had it written into the deals of both players to make such a move to create room.

The Cowboys knocked Scandrick’s base salary down from $7.1 million to $1.2 million. The $5.9 million difference was turned into signing bonus to help lower the cap figure. Free’s base salary was lowered from $6 million to $1.2 million with the difference turned into signing bonuses.

Scandrick and Free were set to count $7.7 million and $8.06 million against the cap.

Reworking DeMarcus Ware’s contract would save the Cowboys $3.26 million.

The decisions to cut Terence Newman and David Buehler as well as reworking Scandrick’s contract have created $15.82 million in salary cap room against the 2012 cap.

IRVING, Texas -- The NFL’s decision to dock the Cowboys $10 million in salary-cap space, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported, wounds the team’s ability to improve in free agency but does not kill it.

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The Cowboys can spread that hit over the next two years if they choose but they were already planning on re-working a number of contracts to create enough salary-cap space anyway.

The Cowboys have triggers in the contracts of cornerback Orlando Scandrick and tackle Doug Free that would save them roughly $8.6 million in cap space. Re-working the contracts of DeMarcus Ware and Dez Bryant could net about another $4 million in space.

The Cowboys can create as much as $7.26 million in room on Tuesday by cutting cornerback Terence Newman (designated as a post-June 1 cut) and kicker David Buehler, who is scheduled to count more than $1.6 million against the 2012 cap and lost his job to Dan Bailey last year.

On Sunday the league announced the 2012 cap would be $120.6 million.

The Cowboys were carrying a credit of around $17.1 million over from 2011, which would have in effect made their cap $138.2 million in 2012. If the Cowboys chose to take a $5 million hit in each of the next two years because of the sanctions, then they would have a cap of roughly $133.2 million this year.

With the $8.856 million franchise tag on linebacker Anthony Spencer, the Cowboys would be just below that threshold and that would not including the tenders offers they would put on restricted free agent fullback Tony Fiammetta and exclusive rights free agents Jesse Holley, Clifton Geathers and Jermey Parnell.

Make the aforementioned contract and roster moves, and the Cowboys would have about $15 million to $17 million in cap room, which is plenty to sign a starting cornerback, guard, backup quarterback and Laurent Robinson depending on the structures of the deals.

INDIANAPOLIS -- As currently constructed, the Dallas Cowboys have 19 players scheduled to count more than $1 million against the 2012 salary cap.

Cornerback Terence Newman is slated to count $8.016 million against the cap, but the veteran could be released in order to create more room to sign players. If the Cowboys want to count Newman as a “June 1” cut and spread the salary-cap hit out over two years, they will have to wait until March 13 to release him.

The list does not include free agent linebacker Anthony Spencer. If the Cowboys decide to use the franchise tag on Spencer, then he would count $8.8 million against the cap in 2012. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones did not rule out the possibility of signing Spencer to a multi-year deal, but that does not appear likely.

DeMarcus Ware has the highest cap figure at $10.301 million, followed by Tony Romo and Doug Free at $8.060 million apiece. Orlando Scandrick is scheduled to count $7.7 million as part of the extension he signed last summer.

The Cowboys have structured the contracts of Free and Scandrick in such a way that they could dramatically reduce their cap figures to create around $8.6 million in cap room.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Officially, the league has not released the tender amounts for restricted free agents, but the right of first refusal offer is expected to be worth roughly $1.3 million, a slight raise from 2011.

The Cowboys have three restricted free agents: fullback Tony Fiammetta, wide receiver Kevin Ogletree and quarterback Chris Greisen.

With such a high price tag, the Cowboys could choose to tender an offer only to Fiammetta, who excelled as a lead blocker for DeMarco Murray but battled through a mysterious illness for a few weeks that caused him to miss three games.

“We’ll have guys that we’ll tender and guys that we won’t tender,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “It’s getting higher where you don’t just assume you [tender] anymore, especially if they’re a down-the-line, special teams-type player.”

Jones said the Cowboys could offer a player a lower contract than the tender offer if the player wanted to remain with the Cowboys. If the player would not accept the offer, then he would be free to sign elsewhere.

The $1.3 million tender also affects the contract of kicker David Buehler. Because he hit an escalator in his contract in 2010, the kicker’s base salary jumped from $565,000 to $1.26 million. Buehler is coming back from a groin injury that required surgery and limited him to four games in 2011. He lost the field goal job to Dan Bailey, who also did a decent job on kickoffs in Buehler’s absence.

None of the other remaining players from the Cowboys’ 2009 draft class -- Stephen McGee, Victor Butler and John Phillips -- made their escalator and will earn $565,000 in 2012.

This is the final installment of our 12-part series breaking down the Cowboys roster. Today we look a special teams.

Players: Mat McBriar (free agent), David Buehler (signed through 2012), Dan Bailey (signed through 2013), Chris Jones (signed through 2013), LP Ladouceur (signed through 2012)

Top free agents: Kickers: Nick Folk, New York Jets; Joe Nedney, San Francisco 49ers; Matt Prater, Denver Broncos; Punters: Donnie Jones, St. Louis Rams; Steve Weatherford, New York Giants

Top draft prospects: Kickers: Greg Zuerlein, Missouri Western; Phillip Welch, Wisconsin; Blair Walsh, Georgia; Punters: Drew Butler, Georgia; Bryan Anger, California

2011 review: This was not McBriar's (36.7 net average) best season, mainly due to a nerve problem that prevented him from planting his non-kicking foot. McBriar had his best game in holding down Arizona's Patrick Peterson. Bailey, a rookie, tied a franchise record with 26 consecutive made field goal tries. He emerged as probably the third best rookie on the team. Buehler lost the field goal job to Bailey, and had his conditioning questioned by Jerry Jones toward the end of the season. Buehler's season ended with surgery on his groin.

Offseason preview: McBriar underwent surgery to repair a cyst that caused his nerve damage. Doctors said that McBriar should make a full recovery, and as an unrestricted free agent, the Cowboys need to decide whether to sign him to a two-to-three year deal. They should. Buehler might not return and Bailey has emerged as someone the team can rely on. The return game was a mess as a host of players returned punts and kicks. Dwayne Harris should take over both spots going forward, but Dez Bryant is also a threat even though he was inconsistent on punt returns. When the Cowboys evaluate the skill position players in the draft, they need to find a player who can also return punts and kicks.

Need meter (0-5): 1

ESPN's Mel Kiper ranked the top 20 rookies from the 2011 season, and Cowboys right tackle Tyron Smith (12) and running back DeMarco Murray (21) made the list.

Kiper also ranks former Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller second behind Cam Newton. Former TCU quarterback Andy Dalton checks in at No. 5.

The Cowboys got significant playing time from young players in 2011. We rank the top rookies of 2011.

5. Bill Nagy. He earned a starting job coming out of training camp as the left guard before suffering a fractured right ankle at New England on Oct. 16. Nagy, however, might have to fight for a starting spot with the Cowboys trying to improve the interior of the offensive line next season.

4. Alex Albright. The outside linebacker was one of four undrafted rookies to make the squad. He played mainly special teams but saw some defensive snaps late in the season. He will get a chance to play more in 2012 with the possible departure of outside linebacker Anthony Spencer to free agency. He can also play a little inside, so that gives him flexibility.

3. Dan Bailey. The kicker made 26 consecutive field goals, tied for second-best mark in franchise history. Bailey also won some big games and most importantly beat out David Buehler for the field goal job. Bailey converted 86.5 percent of his field goals and tied for fifth in the league with 135 points made in 2011.

2. DeMarco Murray. He burst onto the scene with that franchise-record 252-yard rushing effort against St. Louis. Murray led rookie running backs with 897 yards and the closest anyone came to him was Washington's Roy Helu and his 640. Murray enters training camp as the starting running back.

1. Tyron Smith. The ninth pick of the draft was a solid performer at right tackle and most likely will move to the premier position of the line, left tackle, in 2011. Smith's ability to adjust during the course of the season was one of his biggest assets, and he can only get better.

This is the fourth installment in ESPN Dallas' five-part series on things that went right for the Dallas Cowboys in 2011.

2. Emergence of kicker Dan Bailey

The Cowboys had a kicking competition at training camp involving Dan Bailey, David Buehler, Shayne Graham, Kai Forbath and Dave Rayner.

Bailey and Buehler emerged as the two kickers to make the 53-man roster. As it was originally designed, Buehler would handle kickoffs and long field goals while Bailey took care of everything else.

But something happened along the way: Bailey couldn't miss. He eventually became Jason Garrett's primary field goal kicker. Buehler suffered leg injuries that sent him to injured reserve and had owner Jerry Jones questioning his conditioning.

Bailey, meanwhile, made game-winning kicks at San Francisco, at Washington and vs. Miami. He converted 26 consecutive field goals, tied for the second-longest stretch in club history and finished tied for third in the NFL with 32 made field goals. Overall, Bailey was ninth in the NFL with an 86.5 conversion percentage.

That is far better than Buehler, who made just 75 percent of his field goals.

One other item of note: Bailey made 10-12 field goals from 40-49 yards, and Buehler made just 8-11 from the same range in 2010.

Bailey did struggle down the stretch when he missed a game-winner at Arizona and had a potential game-winner against the New York Giants blocked.

Besides these late season issues, the Cowboys aren't concerned about their rookie kicker going forward. The team believes it has finally found the field goal kicker necessary to make clutch field goals down the stretch.

With more than 200,000 votes in our take 'em or trash 'em feature, our readers consider two young players the most valuable members of the franchise.

Rookie running back DeMarco Murray and second-year linebacker Sean Lee are the only players to have a 99 percent approval rating from you.

The top keepers:
1. Murray 99%
1. Lee 99%
2. Jason Witten 98%
2. Laurent Robinson 98%
2. Tyron Smith 98 %
2. DeMarcus Ware 98%
2. Dan Bailey 98%

Other notable keepers: Tony Romo 91%, Dez Bryant 97%.

Top of the trash heap:
1. Terence Newman 97%
1. Chauncey Washington 97%
2. Frank Walker 94%
3. David Buehler 93%
4. Keith Brooking 92%
5. Jon Kitna 91%

You can still vote who to keep and trash here.

IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys kicker David Buehler was walking to the equipment room on crutches on Wednesday afternoon. Buehler said he underwent a two and half hour surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his hip.

Buehler said the surgery is not related to a groin injury that has him on injured reserve.

Buehler said he'll be on crutches for two weeks and isn't sure when he'll start kicking.

"I think I'll be better," Buehler said.