Today, Norm takes a deep breath, stares directly into the abyss, and asks the question Cowboys fans probably should be asking: how exactly is Dallas going to pay for anyone next season? With the salary cap projected at $307 million and the Cowboys already basically using that to cover nine players and a pile of dead money, things are… well… tight.

Norm breaks down the massive cap hits coming for Dak, CeeDee, Diggs, Quinn Williams, and more, while explaining why the Cowboys’ options range from “painful” to “oh no.” He also reflects on the tragic death of Marshawn Nealon — a moment that reminds us the sport we obsess over is still played by human beings with struggles bigger than the scoreboard.

It’s a sobering episode, a little biting, a little grim, and very Norm.

Chapters

00:00 – Today’s Question: How Do the Cowboys Pay Anyone Next Year?

01:21 – The Tragic Story of Marshawn Nealon

02:55 – The Salary Cap Is a Monster and It Is Hungry

04:27 – The Contracts That Ate the Payroll

05:05 – $307 Million Cap vs. $273 Million Already Spoken For

06:58 – So… Who Gets Cut? (Spoiler: There Are No Good Answers)

07:15 – Restructuring = The Credit Card Bill Comes Later

08:12 – And Oh Yes — Key Free Agents Still Need Paying

08:58 – The Cowboys’ Plan: Pretend It’s a Problem for Future Cowboys

09:38 – Closing Thoughts: Tomorrow Always Comes, Eventually