The Dallas Cowboys‘ front office has been under the microscope this NFL offseason. With a very lackluster free agency, fans have become restless as they sit and wonder what exactly Jerry Jones and Co. are doing.
Despite the outrage and confusion of his fans, Jones spent Tuesday’s pre-draft press conference defending Dallas’ offseason inactivity and reaffirming that they are looking forward to the NFL Draft as the main source of improvement for the team.
Jerry Jones Defends Cowboys’ Offseason
On Tuesday afternoon, Jerry, Stephen Jones, and head coach Mike McCarthy sat in front of a media contingent and fielded questions ahead of Thursday’s NFL Draft. Naturally, topics regarding their offseason inactivity were asked, and when given the chance to explain, Jerry made sure to double down on the Cowboys’ plan of attack this offseason despite the criticism.
“We’re very proud of this roster. We feel very, very good about the promise of this roster this season. … We feel great about what we’ve been in free agency. We’re all in.”
Jerry once again used the “all-in” term that has enraged the fan base since his original use of the phrase earlier this offseason. Many had thought that meant the team would be all in on signing free agents and acquiring more talent to help build the roster.
Instead, the Cowboys have continued to speak about the NFL Draft as the end-all, be-all for roster improvement. It’s easy to look at the lack of additions — with there only being two outside signings to speak of — but Jerry and Co. also faced questions about the lack of movement or progress when it comes to Dallas’ stars.
Jerry Jones gets into it with Jane Slater. He calls himself the "Option Quarterback" pic.twitter.com/jX9vbrQb6Z
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) April 23, 2024
When the topic of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons’ contracts came up, Jerry Jones pushed back on the notion that the team isn’t actively working to get them signed to long-term deals.
“We’d like to see more leaves fall. We’d like to see more action. It’s called option quarterback. I’ve spent my life (playing) option quarterback. I want to see some more cards played.”
That answer could only come from Jerry and his unique way of describing things. While it was not all that clear on its intended meaning, what Jones was clear about was his feelings regarding Prescott and his future in Dallas.
“We want Dak Prescott. That’s that. The improvement demonstrated (last season) that there’s more. We want Dak. We think there is room for growth.
“Dak, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, I wouldn’t even blink on that.”
That answers the question about how they feel about the QB, but just what the group around him in 2024 and possibly beyond looks like — that’s a bit murkier. The elder Jones discussed the possibility of the supporting cast in 2024 not having the same firepower as before.
“We’re going to have to diminish that. That’s a fact,” Jones suggests as he points to the Cowboys’ cap situation and their plan to get back in good standing after what they deemed years of big-time moves.
Despite his assertion that they are indeed “all-in,” Jones also alludes to the many challenges the fan base and those around the team have been frustrated about this offseason.
The fact is, the Cowboys feel hamstrung in one way or another by the cap situation. Whether that’s due to who they have to pay or who they plan to pay, almost doesn’t matter.
The fact remains that the Cowboys in 2024 are worse off right now than a disappointing team that failed in 2023. Even after all that, though, Jones still feels confident in Dallas’ plan of attack and expects the team to be competitive in 2024.
“We’re all-in with these young guys,” Jones says. Whether the fan base is buying what he’s selling is another thing entirely.
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