Jerry Jones just dropped a quote that would get any other NFL general manager at risk of being fired and it's a problem for the Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys sure got fans for a second or two when they beat the franchise tag deadline by extending Osa Odighizuwa to an $80 million deal and freeing up $56.6 million in cap space by restructuring Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.Parlayed with reports of negotiations kicking off with Micah Parsons, things were shaping up […]
The Dallas Cowboys sure got fans for a second or two when they beat the franchise tag deadline by extending Osa Odighizuwa to an $80 million deal and freeing up $56.6 million in cap space by restructuring Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
Parlayed with reports of negotiations kicking off with Micah Parsons, things were shaping up for a more aggressive offseason from the Cowboys' front office.
That is, until owner and general manager Jerry Jones got in front of the mics and cameras on Wednesday following the emotional retirement press conference of Cowboys legend Zack Martin.
After it, Jones met with reporters and provided answers for the first time since Brian Schottenheimer was introduced as the new Cowboys head coach. Jones notably skipped media availability during the NFL Scouting Combine, a rarity.
Known for providing juicy soundbites every chance he gets, Jones offered a quote that was unsurprising yet very underwhelming. In the process, he killed the notion of the Cowboys being aggressive in free agency, which is set to start next week.
"I'm not looking at free agency as a place to fill voids," Jones told reporters.
I want you to think about that quote for a second. I genuinely believe there are 31 general managers who would be at risk of being fired if they uttered those words in front of the media. Free agency is for filling voids.
Jones suggested the Cowboys could fix the roster through the NFL Draft but that's just not efficient team building. The best teams in the league cover their needs in free agency and then select the best players available (factoring in positional value) in April.
Instead, Dallas insists on neglecting free agency and hoping it can nab as many steals as it can in the Draft.
The problem with that is you can't rely on hitting on every draft pick, and when you don't (think of the Cowboys' most recent draft classes), you're in trouble because the team is filled with holes.
Last year, the Cowboys started three rookies at crucial positions in Week 1, including a first-round tackle in Tyler Guyton, third-round center Cooper Beebe, and fifth-round cornerback Caelen Carson. As bullish as you may be on certain prospects, that's not serious roster management.
So yes, the Cowboys have salary cap space to work with and plenty of needs to address. But with Jones talking like he is, I just can't buy into the idea that this team will be aggressive next week.
