Hill: Jones Unfraid Of NFC East Improvement, Says Cowboys Better Too

[Alexander]

Jerry Jones unafraid of NFC East improvement, says Cowboys better too

PHOENIX
While the Dallas Cowboys have largely sat out free agency, save a few bargain basement additions, for salary cap reasons, they haven't had their heads in the sand about what has taken place around them.

The Cowboys have watched teams across the league, but most notably in the own division of the NFC East, aggressively make moves to improve their teams.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he is keenly aware and not surprised that their division foes have gotten better.

But Jones is unafraid because he said the Cowboys aren't done with making moves to better themselves and vows that his team will be improved enough at the start of the season to not only compete for the division title again, but make a deep run in the playoffs.

"It’s not a surprise," Jones said. "It was expected we would be dealing with improving teams in our division. But I feel, and this isn’t just arm waving or blind optimism, but I feel at the end of the day when we get to training camp we will be an improved team from where we were last year. We want to get better. We have room to get better. It’s competitive. It was pretty evident that any improvement is stepping in the right direction relative to the kind of year we had last year."

Led by rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, the Cowboys won the NFC East with league-best tying 13-3 record.

However, they missed out on NFC title game and a possible trip to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1995 with a loss to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC divisional playoffs.

The Cowboys have then watched a number of players walk away in free agency for more money and better opportunities, including cornerbacks Brandon Carr (Baltimore Ravens) and Morris Claiborne (New York Jets), safeties Barry Church (Jacksonville Jaguars) and J.J. Wilcox (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), defensive end Jack Crawford (Atlanta Falcons), defensive tackle Terrell McClain (Washington Commanders) and guard Ron Leary (Denver Broncos).

That is not including the retirement of tackle Doug Free and the looming departure of former starting quarterback Tony Romo via trade, release or retirement.


Again, Jones is nonplussed.

"I think you have to make some assumptions," Jones said. "We sheded some obligations too, and that may be an asset and opportunity, whether it be (salary cap) room or room on the roster. I’m not trying to be cute, but I would say we certainly have created more options in my mind than we’ve lost."

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports...rner-blog/article141462244.html#storylink=cpy

 

[DeaconMoss]

 

[gimmesix]

Jones can spin it however he wants, but we've done nothing to get better. We simply haven't lost the type of players who should make us much worse. If we do a good job in the draft, we do have a chance to be better than we were last year, but so should the teams who have done more in free agency to improve.

 

[Alexander]

Jones can spin it however he wants, but we've done nothing to get better.

So the Carroll and Paea signings don't excite you? What is your problem?

 

[GhostOfPelluer]

Jones can spin it however he wants, but we've done nothing to get better. We simply haven't lost the type of players who should make us much worse. If we do a good job in the draft, we do have a chance to be better than we were last year, but so should the teams who have done more in free agency to improve.

You are right, we haven't done anything to get better. I'm not sure we've done anything to get worse, either. We've gone all in on a rely on the draft philosophy - which is smart. If they are going to get better it's gonna have to be April 27-29.

The only thing Jones has going for him is we have a bunch of young players so it's not unrealistic to expect improvement from second- and third-year players.

 

[LocimusPrime]

So the Carroll and Paea signings don't excite you? What is your problem?

​

 

[Scotman]

The only loss, other than all the cumulative loss, that worries me is Leary. Couple his leaving with Free retiring and I am very concerned about o-line depth.

 

[DandyDon52]

It was pretty evident that any improvement is stepping in the right direction relative to the kind of year we had last year."
"We sheded some obligations too, and that may be an asset and opportunity, whether it be (salary cap) room or room on the roster. I’m not trying to be cute, but I would say we certainly have created more options in my mind than we’ve lost."

LOL jerry speak , ramble on and say nothing, more options, last year we were good, sheded some players .
Deep run in playoffs? what does that mean? get past div round?
never fear jerry is here, and it is all good!!

 

[big dog cowboy]

"We’re going to have the opportunity through the draft to get better. I would expect to get better."

That is going to be a very interesting weekend for the Cowboys.

 

[Oh_Canada]

So the Carroll and Paea signings don't excite you? What is your problem?

Sorry to burst your cynical bubble, but they are an upgrade.

They do need to hit big in the draft, however A'S depth is a problem.

 

[gimmesix]

You are right, we haven't done anything to get better. I'm not sure we've done anything to get worse, either. We've gone all in on a rely on the draft philosophy - which is smart. If they are going to get better it's gonna have to be April 27-29.

The only thing Jones has going for him is we have a bunch of young players so it's not unrealistic to expect improvement from second- and third-year players.

I don't know how smart the philosophy is. If we were cream of the crop, then it would absolutely be smart to hold serve and try to improve only through the draft.

However, this philosophy relies on us succeeding in the draft and the teams that are our equals or better not doing as well. It relies on our young players improving and the other teams' not improving.

If those things are equal, then we've failed to gain ground. Our hope rests on the fact that our offense is good enough to compete and hitting some home runs on defense while the other teams strikes out so that they do not get better as well.

 

[gimmesix]

Sorry to burst your cynical bubble, but they are an upgrade.

They do need to hit big in the draft, however A'S depth is a problem.

Both Carr and McClain signed bigger deals, which only tells us that teams thought more highly of them than Carroll and Paea. That doesn't mean Carroll and Paea can't be upgrades, but I don't think we should exactly being expecting it.

 

[GhostOfPelluer]

I don't know how smart the philosophy is. If we were cream of the crop, then it would absolutely be smart to hold serve and try to improve only through the draft.

However, this philosophy relies on us succeeding in the draft and the teams that are our equals or better not doing as well. It relies on our young players improving and the other teams' not improving.

If those things are equal, then we've failed to gain ground. Our hope rests on the fact that our offense is good enough to compete and hitting some home runs on defense while the other teams strikes out so that they do not get better as well.

It definitely has some risks, but it's more efficient to take those risks w rookie contracts than in an auction format on the open market. Plus, the team seems to have found a harmonious balance between the scouts, coaches and decision-makers allowing them to identify and select players in the draft and lower-tier FA that fit the systems well. They aren't perfect, but they are having some tangible success doing it this way.

 

[gimmesix]

It definitely has some risks, but it's more efficient to take those risks w rookie contracts than in an auction format on the open market. Plus, the team seems to have found a harmonious balance between the scouts, coaches and decision-makers allowing them to identify and select players in the draft and lower-tier FA that fit the systems well. They aren't perfect, but they are having some tangible success doing it this way.

What tangible success? Our defense holds us back every year with those lower-tier FAs. We almost allowed that to close our window but were fortunate in the draft to get Prescott to take over the most important position on offense. If someone had either taken Prescott before we picked or we had succeeded in getting Lynch or Cook, we might not be talking about any success.

Unless we succeed in picking up a bona fide pass rusher and adding at least one starter to the secondary, it will probably hold us back again.

 

[cowboyblue22]

well jerry has got to get the jump on selling tickets to improve in the draft like he is talking they are going to have to really hit on almost all of their picks

 

[GhostOfPelluer]

What tangible success? Our defense holds us back every year with those lower-tier FAs. We almost allowed that to close our window but were fortunate in the draft to get Prescott to take over the most important position on offense. If someone had either taken Prescott before we picked or we had succeeded in getting Lynch or Cook, we might not be talking about any success.

Unless we succeed in picking up a bona fide pass rusher and adding at least one starter to the secondary, it will probably hold us back again.

Selvie was a nice find. Carroll is going to surprise people. McClain was our best DL the first half of last year. Durant was solid. Mayowa showed out down the stretch.

And (big if) if Jaylon and Tapper are starting caliber players then Dallas would have drafted four defensive starters in 2016 alone.

 

[cowboy_ron]

Of course he's unafraid, he's had 20 years of futility practice.

 

[Floatyworm]

Lip service.

 

[DC Cowboy]

It definitely has some risks, but it's more efficient to take those risks w rookie contracts than in an auction format on the open market. Plus, the team seems to have found a harmonious balance between the scouts, coaches and decision-makers allowing them to identify and select players in the draft and lower-tier FA that fit the systems well. They aren't perfect, but they are having some tangible success doing it this way.

I prefer building through the draft. From last year we got Zeke, Dak, M. Collins, and Brown that saw major playing time. Frazier got a few reps and should be better this year. IF Tapper and Smith can contribute that will help as well. David Irving is young and hopefully improving. We still have Lee. Hopefully B. Jones continue to grow in year 3. Crawford, Thornton, and Paea are good rotational guys. Now IF we draft well we could be ok.

Mo was solid but stayed hurt, Carr was solid but is Carroll a drop off? McClain stayed hurt most of the time he was here.

 

[phildadon86]

Both Carr and McClain signed bigger deals, which only tells us that teams thought more highly of them than Carroll and Paea. That doesn't mean Carroll and Paea can't be upgrades, but I don't think we should exactly being expecting it.

McClain got paid by a team that historically overpays our free agents specifically. With no results. So they may have thought higher than him over paea but marinelli knows paea. Not to mention. McClain rarely stays healthy.