ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently proposed some bold offseason moves for NFL teams, and one of his most eye-catching suggestions involves the Dallas Cowboys. According to Barnwell, the Cowboys should offer Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson a massive five-year, $125 million contract to become their next head coach.
Uncapped Spending on Coaches
Barnwell argues that while the Cowboys cannot subvert the salary cap or buy first-round picks, they can spend unlimited amounts on coaches, an area often overlooked in the NFL. He writes, “Paying Johnson this much would represent a significant investment and probably make every other team in the league angry. But coaches as a whole are underpaid. This franchise is valued as being worth more than $10 billion by Forbes. If this move succeeds, Johnson would be a bargain. If it fails, the Cowboys won’t miss the money.”
This approach stands in stark contrast to the norm, where many NFL coaches are underpaid relative to their value. For the Cowboys, an organization with massive resources, this kind of investment could signal a shift in how teams value coaching talent.
Leave a Reply