FRISCO, Texas -- So what would you do with $14 million?

The Dallas Cowboys will gain $14 million in salary-cap space Friday because their release of Tony Romo is now official.

The Cowboys designated Romo a post-June 1 cut on April 4 to spread his $24.7 million cap hit over the 2017 and ’18 seasons. Romo will count $10 million against this year’s cap and $8.9 against the cap next season.

But they get $14 million in cap credit now, pushing them to close to $20 million under the cap. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Cowboys were $5.585 million under the cap Thursday. The NFL Players Association had the Cowboys at $5.689 million under the cap on Thursday.

Should you expect some huge move to address a need through free agency? Hardly. First, there aren’t players available worth that kind of money. Second, the Cowboys are out of that business whether they have cap-space money or not. They just don’t see the value in overpaying for players on the open market.

Should you expect some huge move via a trade? Never say never, as CEO Stephen Jones often reports, but the odds are slim. Sheldon Richardson has been linked to the Cowboys, but there isn’t interest in the New York Jets defensive end. Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman? It sure sounds good and the cap room would allow for it, but that also looks to be a pie-in-the-sky move.

Should you expect a deal for the Cowboys’ stated top priority of the offseason, guard Zack Martin? Not yet. Those talks will begin in earnest later this summer. And if the Cowboys follow a structure with Martin similar to the deals they signed with tackle Tyron Smith and center Travis Frederick, Martin’s extension will largely be cap-neutral. In other words, Martin’s cap number should be in the same $2.85 million cap-number neighborhood in 2017 with a long-term extension as it would be without an extension.

What will happen with the money?

The Cowboys usually keep an extra few million as a cushion.

They will need the money to sign players later this summer because of injuries. They will need money for settlements to the injured players they are replacing. They will need money for their practice-squad players. They will need money to pay off some incentives that players earn this year as well.

The Cowboys could look to extend the contracts of 2018 free-agents-to-be like punter Chris Jones or snapper L.P. Ladouceur. If defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence has a breakthrough season they could look to lock him up with a long-term deal midway through the season.

The bulk of it likely will be carried over to the 2018 salary cap and probably chew into a little bit of the $8.9 million Romo is set to count next year anyway. The Cowboys generally carry over anywhere from $2 million to $4 million each year. They carried over $2.4 million to the 2017 cap. That figure should be a lot higher in 2018.

The Cowboys also could consider players available at the trade deadline. Oftentimes trade talks stall because of cap space or the lack of it. The Cowboys could be in a position to add a player of consequence, provided they give up a consequential draft pick as well. It’s still a little fantasy land to think about, but at least the option would be there.

It has been a long time since the Cowboys have not had a huge cap commitment to their quarterback. Romo had played on big deals since the 2007 season. With Dak Prescott unable to sign an extension until after the 2018 season at the earliest, the Cowboys are in position to have a relatively clean cap for the next few years.

Look at the Romo money this way: It’s like fishing through a pair of pants in your closet and you find an extra $20. It puts a smile on your face, right?

Well, if the Cowboys find an extra few million in their pockets next March, that might put a smile on your face too.