Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has hinted that defensive end DeMarcus Ware could become a salary cap casualty this off-season.

The Cowboys are currently $20m (£12m) over the projected $130m (£78m) salary cap for 2014 and would free up more than $7m (£4.2m) should they choose to release Ware.

They could also restructure the 31-year-old's contract or offer him a pay-cut, although the seven-time Pro Bowler has previously said that he would not consider the latter.

However, with Ware having suffered from a number of injuries last season and produced a career-low six sacks, Jones admits that his future is far from secure.

"We will address it. We made a change in what he's doing. We put his hand down [play defensive end], rather than stand him up [play outside linebacker]," Jones is quoted as saying by ESPN.

"That was a change and at the same time, he's had a tough time getting on the practice field because of various injuries, all of that we have to weigh with how much of that has impacted that for the future as well as where he is with his career and his age. Those are the ingredients in the stew and we have to stir it up and see where we're going. It will be a very difficult call for us because of how much salary cap he uses.

"There's no question when you are where we are on the cap. Even though we've had some new cap space added, and you have a defensive player that's your highest paid defensive player, and he hasn't been on the field much the last two years, that has to be considered."

Ware, who recently underwent successful surgery on an elbow injury, has been with the Cowboys for nine seasons since being chosen as the 11th overall pick in the 2005 Draft.