FRISCO, Texas — Jerry Jones is very aware of the criticism he’s been receiving for the Dallas Cowboys doing little in free agency. The team’s owner and general manager made a joke about it while turning to executive vice president Stephen Jones at the start of the Cowboys’ post-draft news conference Saturday.
“Since you’ve been having to cover up all of the holes of how we messed it up for not being active in free agency,” Jerry said to Stephen, “if you (could share) how you think we at least hit some edges of some holes.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones while talking about Dallas drafting three offensive linemen in what they believe is a strong offensive line draft class: “Why do you rob banks? Because that’s where the money is.” pic.twitter.com/cxYWUfJR06
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) April 27, 2024
The areas where Dallas addressed some free-agent departures this weekend were along the offensive and defensive lines and at linebacker. First-round pick Tyler Guyton will get every opportunity to replace Tyron Smith, who signed with the New York Jets, at left tackle. The same goes for third-round pick Cooper Beebe at center (Tyler Biadasz signed with the Washington Commanders), second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland at defensive end (Dorance Armstrong signed with the Commanders) and the combination of veteran Eric Kendricks and third-round pick Marist Liufau at linebacker (Leighton Vander Esch released).
But there are two notable remaining holes at running back and defensive tackle. Like last year’s draft, the Cowboys just didn’t feel strongly enough about the available backs at each pick when they went on the clock. There were players at other positions that they liked more.
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Former Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott is a real possibility as a free-agent addition. Jerry Jones thinks Elliott, 28, still has the ability to be a starting caliber player and an asset in the locker room. Running backs currently on the roster include Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, Snoop Conner and fullback Hunter Luepke. Work still needs to be done to replace the loss of former No. 1 RB Tony Pollard, who signed with the Tennessee Titans.
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“The obvious one we haven’t done yet is running back, but as I say, player acquisition is 365 days a year,” Stephen Jones said, “and we’ll continue to look to improve that running back room. … We just feel like we can address that situation as we go.”
The Cowboys used a seventh-round pick on Auburn defensive tackle Justin Rogers, but at least one more veteran is needed to replace the loss of Johnathan Hankins. They acquired Hankins during the 2022 season via trade. That very well could be the way they get help again this year.
Near the end of Saturday’s news conference, Jerry Jones had this back-and-forth with Stephen Jones.
Jerry: “Stephen, I’m not holding you to this, but we can probably trade with another club pretty much for the next six or seven months, can’t we?”
Stephen: “Oh, absolutely. All the way through the trade deadline.”
Jerry: “I’ve seen teams win the Super Bowl with running backs that they traded for midseason. The point is that this thing is a long way from being over as to how you’re going to line up (during the season).”
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Dallas made two key trades last year, acquiring starting cornerback Stephon Gilmore and starting wide receiver Brandin Cooks, however, both moves were completed in March.
“We’ll continue to work that part of it and improve our roster,” Stephen Jones added. “Actually, we were on the phone with a couple guys here (recently), trying to get our numbers right, looking at guys who can come in here and help us that might be veteran-type players versus the college players. This is a busy time for us right now. I just see our roster continuing to evolve and will continue to get better.”
The Cowboys had 10 players left on their draft board when the seven-round draft ended Saturday. They were working the phones to sign all of those players as undrafted free agents, an area that could also end up providing depth to go along with their eight-player draft class.
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Dallas is hopeful that young players like DT Mazi Smith, TE Luke Schoonmaker, LB DeMarvion Overshown, DE Sam Williams, WR Jalen Tolbert, WR Jalen Brooks and OL T.J. Bass can take on larger roles. But more moves are needed if the 2024 roster has any chance to be as good as last year.
“I think relatively, we have given ourselves a chance to be better at the end of next year than we were at the end of (last season),” Jerry Jones said. “Because I’m figuring in now some young guys that last year didn’t play as much as they’re going to be playing this year, so the positive is there. … We are not compromised because of (salary) cap as much as I implied that it weighed in terms of handicapping. We’re in a situation where these young players, whether they are first-, second-, third-year guys, they got to start carrying the mail for the Cowboys.”
(Photo: John Smolek / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
