ESPN

I get the sense that Dallas Cowboys fans would feel better about the team if it signed one of these free-agent offensive tackles. Tyson Clabo and Eric Winston are the names you're hearing, and it's pretty obvious either would be an upgrade over Doug Free. Neither has yet signed elsewhere, so there's no real reason to panic. But with all of the salary cap problems the Cowboys have had this offseason it's understandable to worry whether they can afford to sign one of these guys.

Calvin Watkins reports, however, that the Cowboys have more than $5 million in cap room at the present time, not counting the $2 million they'll get in June when the release of Marcus Spears takes effect and not counting the $7 million (post-June 1) they could save by cutting Free. This would seem to indicate that they can sign someone like Clabo and still sign their draft picks (especially since their first-rounder ended up being No. 31 and not No. 18, a distinction likely to save them somewhere around $300,000 against this year's cap). The picks don't need to be under contract prior to June 1, so the Cowboys can wait until then to take care of that even if they sign Clabo in the meantime.

PODCAST
ESPN Dallas' Jean-Jacques Taylor weighs in on Jerry Jones' remarks regarding Tony Romo's work ethic, Romo's commitment to being the Cowboys' QB and more. Listen

The issue appears to be Free, and how they handle his contract situation. It's easy for us to sit here and say they should cut him based on the way he's played since they signed him two offseasons ago. But the Cowboys don't like to give up on their guys, and it's likely they'd prefer to keep Free at a much lower salary and as a backup tackle. If Free would agree to the pay cut now, they'd add to their cap room and could make a move on a Clabo with more clarity about their overall 2013 cap situation. But if Free won't agree to the pay cut the Cowboys have in mind, then they're a month away from being able to cut him and things could get held up.

As you know, I like the move the Cowboys made to take center/guard Travis Frederick in the first round last week. Along with fellow first-rounder Tyron Smith, he'll give the Cowboys at least two offensive line starters about whom they can feel good. Adding a veteran such as Clabo, whom they appear to like, would up that number to three, and then they could throw a bunch of Phil Costa/Mackenzy Bernadeau/Nate Livings types into the mix for the other two spots and hope that competition pushes two of them to play better.

The Cowboys have enough talent on their roster to be a playoff team in 2013, but they have to get better offensive line play in order to cash in on that. Step 1 was the first round of the draft. Step 2 remains up in the air. But it appears they do have the resources to pull it off.

IRVING, Texas – The company line is that Cowboys first-round pick Travis Frederick will compete for a starting job this season.

PODCAST
Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema, who coached Travis Frederick at Wisconsin, joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss what kind of player the Cowboys got with their first-round pick in the NFL draft. Listen

The reality is that the coaching staff just needs to figure out whose job Frederick will take.

“I had hoped we could come out of this thing with a legitimate starter, a legitimate starter, and he will start,” owner/general manager Jerry Jones said. “He will start. First-rounder and not starting? I know coach wants there to be competition and should be, and we all know that’s the way it is.”

Jones cited the interior offensive line as the Cowboys’ most glaring weakness. Center Phil Costa struggled in his first season as a starter in 2011 and missed almost all of last season due to injuries. Guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau were disappointments in their first season in Dallas after signing eight-figure deals as free agents.

The Cowboys ranked Frederick as the No. 22 player on their board. They had 19 players with first-round grades but, according to Jones, they determined that there was more value in trading down to No. 31 and adding the No. 74 overall pick.

Jones acknowledged that the Cowboys considered trading up if guards Jonathan Cooper or Chance Warmack slid. That, however, was off the table after the two guards went in the top 10.

“I don’t know if I would have wanted to give up a 3 to have rather had a player we might have moved up for than to have Frederick and gained a 3,” Jones said. “We’re two 3s better off by having not moved up and picked another guard.”

So will the 6-foot-3 5/8, 320-ish-pound Frederick begin his NFL career at guard or center? That’s something the coaches need to determine as quickly as possible after full-team offseason workouts begin next month.

“We’re going to put a base in there where you don’t have a knock-back issue,” Jones said. “[Offensive coordinator] Bill Callahan is a big center guy. After your left tackle, he likes the center position as far as the best players on the offensive line. Well, we’ve got Costa. We’re pretty proud of Costa, frankly. Well, can this guy play guard? You bet he can.”

Added head coach Jason Garrett: “Because he has position flex and has played a full season at either spot, we feel good about maybe plugging him in at either spot and having him compete with the guys on our roster. We haven’t made that determination right now. We like competition, as you guys know, and he’ll certainly be very much in the mix.”

NEW YORK -- Three NFC East teams picked in the first round of the NFL draft Thursday night, and the combined weight of the three players they picked is 922 pounds. Finally, they're paying attention to what's important.

Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys each picked an offensive lineman in this year's first round. And while that had something to do with the oddity of a first round that included one quarterback, no running backs and nine offensive lineman, it also says a lot about how badly this division as a whole needs to address this long-neglected need.

Tackle Lane Johnson, tackle/guard Justin Pugh and center/guard Travis Frederick, the 2013 first-round picks of the Eagles, Giants and Cowboys, are no cosmic coincidence. They are medicine, ordered with a purpose by teams that have figured out where they're lacking and that they all need to muscle up in the short-term and long-term.

I am of the belief -- and have written at length on this blog -- that one of the main reasons the NFC East is in a down cycle is division-wide offensive line decay. And yes, the division is down. Over the past three seasons, the division's combined record is 97-101 (yes, counting postseason and the Super Bowl). No NFC East team has won 11 games since 2009, which was also the last year in which it fielded more than one playoff team. Two years ago, the Giants won the division with a 9-7 record. This past year, the Washington Redskins won it at 10-6. Bleh.

The NFC East has superstar talent at quarterback and running back and wide receiver and pass-rusher. But with the exception of a magical six-game run the Giants made at the end of the 2011 season, excellence has eluded its once-feared teams. And the consistent issue that seems to be holding them back is the offensive line. To wit:

The Giants have basically been getting by with an aging, patchwork group. Former second-round pick Will Beatty emerged as a star last year when finally healthy, but veterans Chris Snee and David Diehl are fading and Kevin Boothe and David Baas aren't special. Until Thursday night, the Giants hadn't taken a first-round lineman since Luke Petitgout in 1999. You can try and hit on free agents and second- and third-rounders for a while, but eventually you need to add some top-end talent to the mix. Enter Pugh, a college tackle who may project as a pro guard and offers versatility in the short-term and a possible long-term answer at any one of several positions.

The Eagles had a fine line in 2011, but four of their five starters missed significant time due to injury in 2012, and they finished 4-12 and changed head coaches. Enter Johnson, this year's No. 4 overall pick, who likely starts at right tackle right away, moving Todd Herremans inside to guard and serving as an eventual replacement for left tackle Jason Peters.

The Cowboys' neglect of the offensive line had reached epidemic proportions before they took tackle Tyron Smith in the first round in 2011, and if you watched them last year you came away thinking they needed to upgrade every one of the starting line positions but his. Enter Frederick, who was a surprise first-rounder, but not as much of a reach as he initially looked. With four tackles and the top two guards gone in the top 11 picks, the Cowboys decided to trade down from 18 and get the guy they wanted at the tail end of the first round. Quibble if you want with the return they got on their trade. And sure, maybe Frederick would have been there when they picked again Friday night at 47. But (a) maybe not, since offensive lineman are going faster than ever and (b) so what? The Cowboys' short-term and long-term needs at offensive line were significant enough that they needed to come away from this year's first round with an upgrade. Frederick is almost certain to be an upgrade over one or more of Phil Costa, Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau, and the Cowboys were absolutely right to make this need a priority on this night.

The Redskins' line played fine in 2012 and has a superstar in left tackle Trent Williams. But a lot of its success has to do with the help it gets from its mobile quarterback. The Redskins remain unsettled at right tackle. They didn't have a first-round pick this year as a result of last year's deal for Robert Griffin III, but don't be surprised if they too look to address the line once they start picking Friday and Saturday.

This seems obvious, of course. It's a long-held NFL adage that the best way to build teams is through the lines. Consistent, reliable offensive line play helps you control games and maximize your skill-position talent. Deficient line play helps you squander your skill-position talent, or worse, make it more susceptible to injury. But while it may seem obvious from the outside, the NFC East's teams have let the line play lapse. Thursday was a clear sign that they have realized this and plan to address it moving forward. I don't think these three will be the last offensive linemen taken by NFC East teams in this year's draft, but each is vital to the division's effort to regain its status as one of the toughest in the NFL. Because thanks to the decay of its offensive lines over the past few years, the fact is that it has not been.

IRVING, Texas – In an ideal world the Cowboys would love to see Jonathan Cooper or Chance Warmack be available with the No. 18 pick in the first round.

PODCAST
Randy Galloway, Matt Mosley and Glenn "Stretch" Smith discuss some of the players the Cowboys should be looking at in the upcoming NFL draft. Listen

Some might call that a fantasy world.

So do the Cowboys trade up, even a smidge, to get one of them in tonight’s first round?

With so many teams reportedly looking to move down, the cost might not be so prohibitive. I’ve been fairly strong in my belief that the Cowboys need as many early picks as possible, but if it costs a fourth-rounder to move up a couple of spots I could be talked into it.

But there is also this to remember from last year’s draft: high-level people with the team last year felt taking guard David DeCastro at No. 14 was too high. Pittsburgh took DeCastro with the No. 24 pick.

If they felt No. 14 was too rich for the best guard in last year’s draft, then does it make sense to trade up higher than that for this year’s top guards?

Some believe DeCastro was a better prospect than Cooper and Warmack. Others believe differently. It’s not clear how the Cowboys compare the players. An element to the decision has to be the position. Rightly or wrongly safeties and guards are not as valued as other positions.

Unlike last year’s draft, this year’s crop of players does not have the top-end skill players. Perhaps that has pushed Cooper and Warmack up the boards of many teams. Perhaps that’s why DeCastro was available at No. 24 last year.

Last year the Cowboys had just paid decent money to Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau in free agency before the draft. Why take a guard in the first round when you just gave Livings a $3.5 million signing bonus and Bernadeau a $3.25 million bonus?

This year the Cowboys know what they have in Livings and Bernadeau, which could make them more inclined to go the guard route this year even if it costs them a little bit more.

The Cowboys started voluntary offseason workouts Monday at Valley Ranch.

Most players worked out prior to Monday or were rehabbing injuries.

Here's a primer:

Who runs the program? Mike Woicik, the Cowboys' strength and conditioning coach, has a program in place for every player that includes lifting, running and even eating (if necessary). Woicik, who has won Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys, monitors every player's weight. There were numerous injuries last season -- including to safety Matt Johnson, who missed the entire season -- and you could blame training, bad luck or the players themselves. Miles Austin battled hamstring injuries, but you can't blame Woicik. Coach Jason Garrett said sometimes Austin needs to be protected from himself and must communicate with the strength and conditioning staff how his leg feels.

The media: We're not allowed at Valley Ranch today, so please don't ask how the workouts are going because reporters are banned from the facility. The next time reporters will be allowed at Valley Ranch is for the predraft news conference with owner/general manager Jerry Jones.

The injured: Among the players who were injured last season and will begin workouts: Chris Jones (knee), Orlando Scandrick (hand), Barry Church (Achilles), Sean Lee (toe), Bruce Carter (elbow), Caleb McSurdy (Achilles), Orie Lemon (hamstring), Dez Bryant (finger), Phil Costa (ankle), Ben Bass (ankle), Donavon Kemp (knee) and DeMarcus Ware (shoulder).

What does voluntary mean? Players technically aren't required to show up and participate in the offseason program. Mike Jenkins didn't arrive at Valley Ranch during the voluntary period last season as he recovered from shoulder surgery. Jenkins was irked by the Cowboys' offseason moves to sign cornerback Brandon Carr and draft Morris Claiborne. Jenkins eventually showed up for mandatory workouts so he wouldn't get fined. Austin also failed to show up at voluntary workouts a few years ago after he was franchised by the team. When several teammates -- including quarterback Tony Romo -- noted Austin's absence, the receiver showed up.

Who gets paid? Some NFL players have financial incentive to participate in voluntary offseason programs. Some of the Cowboys who get workout bonuses: Ware ($500,000), Bryant ($250,000), Jermey Parnell ($100,000), Carter ($50,000), DeMarco Murray ($25,000), Tyrone Crawford ($10,000), David Arkin ($20,000) and Dwayne Harris ($10,000). And then there are those who would be docked pay for failing to complete the program: Mackenzy Bernadeau ($250,000), Jason Hatcher ($250,000) and Lawrence Vickers ($100,000).

Mandatory workouts: The Cowboys' first mandatory minicamp is scheduled for June 11-13.

The Cowboys are in talks with defensive end Anthony Spencer regarding a new contract.

Salary-cap space isn't a problem now; currently the team has a little more than $5 million to play with. But previous contracts are the issue.

PODCAST
ESPN Insider Ed Werder joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss the Cowboys, the NFL draft and much more. Listen

The Cowboys don't want to get caught with another bad contract for a player that becomes average after he signs it.

Starting right tackle Doug Free signed a four-year, $32 million deal with $17 million guaranteed in 2011. After two seasons, Free moved from left tackle to right tackle and has struggled mightily. He had to share playing time with Jermey Parnell late last season, and his play eventually improved. But overall, Free has struggled. And while a source said recently his status with the Cowboys was "secure," there are strong indications the Cowboys will ask him to take a pay cut. If Free declines, he most likely will be released.

After his breakout season when he took over for Roy Williams, wide receiver Miles Austin cashed in and signed a seven-year, $57.1 million contract extension with $18 million guaranteed.

The year he signed the contract, 2010, Austin picked up 1,041 receiving yards. He's failed to reach that total since and has battled hamstring injuries each of the last two seasons and has been surpassed by Dez Bryant as the best receiver on the team. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said this is a critical season for Austin in terms of his health.

The Cowboys value Austin's skills, but are frustrated by his inability to remain healthy over the course of the season. He also failed to catch a pass in both games against NFC East rival the Washington Redskins last season.

Guard Mackenzy Bernadeau signed a modest four-year, $11 million free agent contract last season with the Cowboys. He's undergone three surgeries since signing the deal. The Cowboys almost benched Bernadeau due to his poor play, and he was an average player in 2012.

Looking at these contracts, you could make the argument that the Cowboys made mistakes in giving them. At the same time, Free and Austin were coming off good seasons the year they received them but have been inconsistent since.

Bernadeau filled a need and the Cowboys got younger at the position. And while his contract isn't as bad, the team might have been able to do more with that $11 million.

When the team moves forward with Spencer, the goal is figure out if that career-high 11 sack season was the sign of things to come or just a man playing well in a contract year.

To help preview who might be on the Dallas Cowboys’ board for the NFL draft, ESPNDallas.com has identified five players at five key positions that we’d like to learn more about. Along those lines, we’ve asked former Cowboys assistant coach Glenn “Stretch” Smith – the official scout of Galloway & Company – to study tape of each player and give his thoughts.

No. 2 Offensive lineman: Chance Warmack

Position: Guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 317 pounds

School: Alabama

Why he’s on the radar: The Cowboys signed Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau in free agency last year but still want to upgrade the interior of the offensive line. Warmack is considered one of the top guards in the draft and probably will be off the board when its time for the Cowboys to select at No. 18. Warmack doesn't have the position flexibility the Cowboys normally want, but he's a solid player who has the potential to be a starter for the next 10 seasons.

Projection: First round

Stretch Truths: Played all four years at Alabama. … Has strong punch and power to press a defender in pass protection. … Good lower body to anchor, and balance that matches. … Has excellent feet to get to second-level blocks and run his feet through contact. … Is comfortable with a tackle over his nose. … I only question his true foot speed after running 40 in 5.49 seconds. … He’s the top guard in the draft and has a real nasty side. … Overall opinion: Take him if he's there with the 18th pick.

The Dallas Cowboys signed guard Mackenzy Bernadau to a four-year $11 million deal last season with the goal of upgrading the interior of the offensive line.

One problem.

Bernadeau has undergone three surgeries since his arrival in Dallas, including one this offseason on his shoulder.

"It’s disappointing that Mackenzy has been hurt as much as he’s been," coach Jason Garrett said this week from the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix. "Since he got here, he was hurt all through the off-season last year, April, May, June, July, into August. He did a good job overcoming all of that and coming into a new system of football and becoming a contributing player for us."

A big issue for the Cowboys regarding Bernadeau is his play. He didn't get benched during the season, but shared first-team snaps in practice with Derrick Dockery because of his lackluster play.

Bernadeau started at center due to injuries to Ryan Cook, and improved his play as the season progressed. Moving forward, with young guards on the roster such as Ronald Leary and David Arkin, and the possibility of drafting a guard in the draft, can Bernadeau maintain his status as a starter.

"I think what we saw with him over the course of the season was he got better," Garrett said. "I think a lot of that had to do with just being in our system and understanding what we’re asking him to do. He dealt with some injuries during the year as well. He’s been dealing with some things over the last year or so, deal with an injury this off-season too. Certainly you’d rather have him on the field. But having a year under his belt certainly will help him. We think he’ll get better as a result of that."

The Cowboys liked the progress of Leary who got better in practices as a practice squad player and was moved to the active roster when another NFL team tried to sign him. Kevin Kowalski, who also battled injuries, is another player the Cowboys have some value in.

"We do have some young players we’d like to make sure we give them a chance to contribute and compete." Garrett said. "We drafted Arkin a couple years ago, he did a really good job of being a jack of all trades through training camp last year. (He) never played center before and did play a lot of that during camp and pre-season. We feel like this is a really important year for him to step up and be someone who contributes to our football team. Ron Leary made great strides during the season as well. We feel good about a couple of young guys who might possibly come in and compete for those spots along with the veteran players we do have."

If you want to talk about any offensive linemen who needs to play better, yes, you can talk about right tackle Doug Free, but Bernadeau is also high on that list.

PHOENIX -- Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team is continuing its discussions with quarterback Tony Romo on a contract extension and that he believes they will eventually reach an agreement. Jones acknowledged it would be nice to reduce Romo's very high 2013 salary-cap cost, but he did not indicate any particular deadline or hurry for reaching a deal.

"There's never really a start or stop time with Tony," Jones said in the lobby of the Arizona Biltmore. "I do think it will get done."

The Cowboys would like to lock up Romo long-term before his contract expires at the end of the 2013 season. Reducing this year's cap cost by spreading out signing-bonus money from a new deal over future years would be one benefit of that, but that's not the sole motivation. The Cowboys like and believe in Romo as their starting quarterback and want him around for a long time. Asked which was a higher priority, Romo's new deal or a new long-term deal for defensive end Anthony Spencer, Jones didn't hesitate.

"Tony's," he said. "Quarterbacks take precedence."

Jones didn't make much of the extent to which the team's salary-cap concerns have limited its ability to maneuver this offseason -- even as he revealed that the team had re-signed linebacker Ernie Sims to a veteran minimum deal and was down to "five figures'" worth of cap space.

PODCAST
Ed Werder joins Galloway & Company to discuss what moves the Cowboys might still make in free agency and much more. Listen

"We were never going to be big players in free agency this year," Jones said. "We played there last year, and we felt like we did some good things, and we've got to see what the end results are. A big focus for us is on this draft. We need to draft well."

They do, indeed. Jones said he thinks that offensive linemen such as Nate Livings, Mackenzy Bernadeau and Doug Free will play better in 2013 than they did in '12. And he said the team thinks it has its two starting safeties already on on the roster, citing Barry Church and Matt Johnson. He acknowledged that the Cowboys can't count on Johnson, who was a midround pick last year and missed the whole season due to injuries, and he said he wouldn't be surprised if they added a veteran safety. But the draft is the Cowboys' only significant means of filling the holes on their roster right now, and they need to find 2013 starters in the early rounds. Especially on the offensive line.

In terms of line specifics, Jones said no decision has been made on Free, who would save the team $7 million in salary-cap space as of June 1 if cut.

"I think he improved last year," Jones said of the Cowboys right tackle. "Obviously, toward the end of the year, when the competition got going there, he played some of his best games."

I still think they'll upgrade at tackle, but since they don't know for sure whether they'll be able to do that with their first-round pick -- and since they can't get the savings until June anyway -- it makes sense for the Cowboys to hold on to Free for now and delay their decision until they know who his replacement will be.

NFL teams are allowed 30 visits from prospective draft picks.

PODCAST
Former Alabama All-American guard and potential Cowboys draft pick Chance Warmack joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss what it would mean to play for the Cowboys and why Larry Allen was his childhood hero. Listen

The Dallas Cowboys are still finalizing their list, but according to a source, the team has scheduled a visit for Alabama guard Chance Warmack.

ESPN NFL Draft expert, Mel Kiper projects Warmack to go to the Cowboys at No. 18 overall.

At Alabama's Pro Day on Wednesday, Warmack didn't lift, but based on reports, did a good job during positions drills.

"I'm athletic and trying to show what I can bring to the table if anybody wants to draft me," Warmack said in quotes released by Alabama. "I'm really excited to just get on a team and get started with football, but just to show what I can do and show what my strengths are."

Adding Warmack upgrades the Cowboys interior which struggled in 2012. Currently, the starters at guard are Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau and the center is Phil Costa.

There are several guards along with Warmack who are seeing their stock rise in the draft as a result of Pro Day and combine workouts.

"I'm really not paying attention to the stock thing so much as just trying to improve myself as a player," Warmack said. "I didn't get a chance to do much at the combine, so I wanted to prove to myself that I could do the drills here, and that's what I did. I'm happy I did it."

ESPN's NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has the Cowboys taking Alabama guard Chance Warmack at No. 18 in his latest mock draft (Insider).

PODCAST
John Clayton joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss the offseason happenings around the NFL and what they mean for the Dallas Cowboys. Listen

It's a logical selection, given the Cowboys' inconsistency along the interior of the offensive line last season.

Cowboys director of pro and college scouting Tom Ciskowski is scheduled to attend Alabama's pro day Wednesday. No word on whether coach Jason Garrett will show up. He attended last year's pro day in Alabama and has a close relationship with Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban. Now, just because Garrett watches a pro day doesn't mean the Cowboys will draft a player from that particular school.

Garrett doesn't attend a lot of pro days. However, he did attend USC's in 2011 with former offensive line coach Hudson Houck. The Cowboys selected tackle Tyron Smith in the first round that year.

The Cowboys' offensive line is an area of concern this offseason. While the team believes it has a solid left tackle in Smith, the other four positions have issues.

Guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau were signed as free agents last year and had an uneven first season. Centers Phil Costa and Ryan Cook will return, but injuries limited Costa to just three games in 2012.

Right tackle Doug Free shared playing time in the last month of the season with Jermey Parnell.

According to ESPN's Stats and Information, quarterback Tony Romo threw an NFL-high eight interceptions when under duress last season. That can be attributed to the receivers, Romo holding the ball too long and the offensive line.

Whatever it is, improving the offensive line is something that must be done in 2013.

After all the moves made by the Cowboys the last two weeks, the organization is roughly $175,000 under the salary cap as free agency begins Tuesday afternoon.

PODCAST
Todd Archer joins Galloway & Company to discuss the Cowboys' latest moves, if the team should extend Tony Romo's contract and much more. Listen

So what does that mean?

The Cowboys basically can't do anything in free agency or sign their draft picks. So more financial moves are needed.

The team most likely will work out a new deal with quarterback Tony Romo and quite possibly with defensive end Anthony Spencer, who is franchised for $10.6 million.

The NFL has set the salary cap at $123 million, but the Cowboys -- after a $5 million penalty administrated by the league for Miles Austin's contract during the uncapped season and $2 million carried over from the 2012 season -- will have their cap set at $120 million for 2013.

One of the moves the Cowboys can make won't take effect until later this offseason, as the Cowboys can save $7 million if they decide to release tackle Doug Free as a post June 1 cut.

A recap of some moves:

The Cowboys saved $3 million by cutting inside linebacker Dan Connor.

The Cowboys saved $7.8 million by restructuring the deals of defensive tackle Jay Ratliff, cornerback Orlando Scandrick and guard Mackenzy Bernadeau.

Tight end Jason Witten's restructured deal saved nearly $3.65 million.

A clause in cornerback Brandon Carr's contract lowered his cap number for 2013 and saved $10.8 million.

The Cowboys saved $4 million in cap space by restructuring defensive end DeMarcus Ware's contract.

Wide receiver Miles Austin's restructured deal provided $3 million in savings.

Offensive linemen Mackenzy Bernadeau and Ryan Cook also cleared cap space by reworking their deals.

The Cowboys will enter free agency Tuesday afternoon as spectators in the early going.

PODCAST
Todd Archer joins Galloway & Company to discuss the Cowboys' latest moves, if the team should extend Tony Romo's contract and much more. Listen

That's ok because, after all, sometimes fans forget what happened the previous year.

Last year many fans wanted the Cowboys to jettison Terence Newman from the team. After that occurred, the Cowboys spent $50.1 million -- the most for a cornerback in franchise history -- on Brandon Carr.

Cowboys fans wanted upgrades to the offensive line, and Jerry Jones delivered by spending more than $30 million on guards Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau.

Lawrence Vickers was expected to be upgrade at fullback last season and the Cowboys signed him to a two-year deal worth $2.4 million.

Jon Kitna bothered the Cowboys' faithful because of his age and declining skill set; forget about the fact he was a respected member in the locker room. Enter Kyle Orton, who lost his starting job to Tim Tebow the previous season in Denver, to take over as Tony Romo's backup. Orton signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract.

The Cowboys made their free-agency play last spring, upgrading the cornerback, guard, fullback and backup quarterback positions.

All it got them was an 8-8 season and a seat at home watching the playoffs.

You can't expect the Cowboys to become big players every year in free agency. The team was nearly $20 million over the salary cap when the season ended and you can't expect the franchise to cut everybody because it comes with a price. Dead money hits you the next year or two depending on when a player is released from his contract.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Cowboys will get under the cap. They've agreed to restructure the contracts of Livings, Orlando Scandrick and Jay Ratliff. There's a chance Dan Connor and Marcus Spears will be sent packing.

In Connor's case, a pay cut was offered a week ago, but nothing has transpired along that front. Sending Spears home saves just $600,000. But finding the right fit for Spears (defensive end or defensive tackle) could be the main reason he's released.

At this stage of the offseason the two most important financial plays for the Cowboys are defensive end Anthony Spencer and Romo. Romo will likely get a long-term deal at some point, mainly to reduce his team-high $16.8 million salary cap.

Spencer, who received the franchise tag, wants to remain with the Cowboys long term. Whether he will get a big-money deal from the Cowboys is uncertain.

As of today, the Cowboys are nearly $6.8 million over the salary cap. Depending on how much gets done by Tuesday afternoon, the Cowboys might not have much room to play with in free agency. So while other teams are holding press conferences and flying players to their facilities, things will be quiet at Valley Ranch and Cowboys Stadium.

It's not the end of the world. Just the reality of the situation.

PODCAST
Ed Werder joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss Tony Romo's potential contract extension, the Cowboys' plans for Anthony Spencer and how Joe Flacco's final month of the season impacted the Cowboys' offseason. Listen

NFL teams have until Tuesday to get under the $123 million salary cap for the 2013 season.

According to a source, the Dallas Cowboys are close to $6.8 million over the cap.

Several things could happen within the next few days to get the team under the cap:

• Dan Connor will either take a pay cut or get released.
• Tony Romo could lower his $16.8 million cap number by getting a new deal.
• Mackenzy Bernadeau, Kyle Orton, Nate Livings, Orlando Scandrick and Jay Ratliff might restructure their contracts.

The Cowboys have the necessary paperwork to file with the league regarding several players' restructured contracts. The Cowboys could get under the cap without a new deal for Romo or reworking some deals such as Ratliff's or Scandrick's.

Team officials don't seem too concerned about it at this stage of the offseason because they have a plan in place to make sure they get under the salary cap.

IRVING, Texas -- Beginning at 11 p.m. tonight, the Cowboys can start contacting the agents for free agents.

If you believe what the Cowboys have said, then there’s no need to stay up late trying to figure out who they will be calling.

PODCAST
Ed Werder joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss Tony Romo's potential contract extension, the Cowboys' plans for Anthony Spencer and how Joe Flacco's final month of the season impacted the Cowboys' offseason. Listen

Executive vice president Stephen Jones said at the NFL scouting combine that the Cowboys can't be as active in the free-agent market as they were last year when they signed seven players, including cornerback Brandon Carr to a five-year, $50-million deal.

The NFL has instituted this three-day legal tampering period to get rid of the illegal tampering that normally occurred at the combine. Teams can entering into negotiations with the agents, but they cannot meet with the players or officially sign them until Tuesday at 3 p.m.

On the first day of free agency last year the Cowboys hosted Carr, Mackenzy Bernadeau and Kyle Orton at Cowboys Stadium, wining and dining them with current players such as Jason Witten, DeMarcus Ware and Miles Austin on hand.

They missed on only one free-agent target: tight end Kellen Davis, who chose to re-sign with Chicago.

The Cowboys still need to pare roughly $6 million before Tuesday just to get under the cap. They can rework the deals on players such as Jay Ratliff and Bernadeau and are waiting to hear if Dan Connor will take a pay cut.

They could also get under the cap by signing Tony Romo to a new deal to reduce his $16.8 million cap figure.