With the news that the Cowboys are expected to release Amari Cooper this offseason, many Cowboys fans are asking: why can’t they cut Ezekiel Elliott instead?
That’s because cutting Elliott would cripple the team even more than keeping him would.
Releasing Elliott would cost the Cowboys $30 million in dead money, and Dallas would actually lose over $11 million in cap space.
On the other hand, cutting Cooper only costs Dallas $6 million in dead money, while keeping Cooper would cost Dallas $22 million in cap space. Cutting Cooper allows the Cowboys to gain $16 million in cap space.