Dallas Cowboys: Jerry Jones is winning the 2020 offseason
At the age of 77, Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys is on an ultralight beam. Jerry had a little Lamb. And a yacht. Is the empire ready to strike back?
Sometimes, you just have to sit back and dish out credit. The Dallas Cowboys have pivoted, thanks to owner and general manager Jerry Jones. If there’s anyone who is winning the year 2020 so far, in any category of sports, it’s Jerry Jones.
Look, you know I’ve dished some harsh words towards Jones in the past. And to be honest with you, I’m happy to dish out some more should the Dallas Cowboys steer south again in the upcoming seasons.
However, the year 2020 has started out with a new software upgrade. The system has rebooted. America’s Team feels and looks different, and that’s refreshing.
Here are three notes that changed my mood about the direction of this Dallas squad. Behind the change out, was, of course, Jerry Jones. It’s time to dish out some credit. Here are three ways Jerry Jones won the offseason thus far.
1. Jerry had a little Lamb
In the 2017 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected Taco Charlton with the 28th overall pick. Two picks later, the Pittsburgh Steelers landed T.J.Watt. Of course, you know this story. Nobody will let you forget it, including me.
Fast forward to 2020. Taco Charlton is with his third team, signing a deal with Super Bowl Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. Well, the Dallas Cowboys weren’t going to pass up on talent again. Jerry Jones made sure of that.
For a moment, the Dallas Cowboys pulled the world down to its knees. Dallas isn’t going wide receiver, right? I’m sure this thought crossed your mind. It crossed mine as well. Especially with Xavier McKinney (safety) and K’Lavon Chaisson (LB) on the board, who were favorites to land in Big D.
In the end, CeeDee Lamb is donning the no. 88 and the rest of the league is a little jelly (probably mostly the Eagles). In my mind is a burned-in image of Jones smirking on his $250 million mega-ship. He earned that smirk.
Not only did Jerry Jones best the rest of the NFL in the 2020 Draft, he somehow outdid himself with the collection of rookies he obtained. In the end, I feel we could look back at the 2020 draft class as the second coming of “The Great Train Robbery.”
Only this time, you’d subtract former head coach Jimmy Johnson. And of course, the Cowboys did little to activate this outcome. They waited. They exercised patience.
2. Goodbye Jason Garrett. Hello Mike McCarthy.
Admit it, you were sweating when you learned former head coach Jason Garrett was still conducting exit interviews. Surely, Garrett was out after 10 seasons as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Right?
Jerry Jones made Cowboys Nation sweat it out a little. In the end, however uncomfortable it was for the press and the bodies outside of the top Dallas brass, Jones went through the process on his terms. He did it his way.
Garrett was eventually fired. Since then, he caught a wave with the New York Giants, which wasn’t a surprise to anyone.
The Dallas Cowboys found their Super Bowl type of coach in Mike McCarthy. McCarthy is already grabbing respect around Big D, particularly with Will McClay, the vice president of player personnel.
Also, Jones worked in tandem with his new head coach to land CeeDee Lamb. In the end, McCarthy voted yes on Lamb and this rest is history.
3. Slow and steady with Dak Prescott
Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys have a number in mind. To this day, they are sticking to it. This number might not sit well with starting quarterback, Dak Prescott, or his fans, but you have to give the organization some credit on their prudent approach.
Ask yourself this: If the Dallas Cowboys had no problem signing new checks for Ezekiel Elliott (RB), DeMarcus Lawrence (DE), Jaylon Smith (LB), and now backup quarterback Andy Dalton, why is Jones being so stringent on the quarterback spot?
You know, the most important position in the NFL. And, it’s arguably the most difficult job in all of the sports. Jones had no problem securing a number with former quarterback Tony Romo.
The owner is firm with his wallet on this position. If Jerry Jones felt Dak Prescott echoed the likes of Troy Aikman or Roger Staubach, this deal would have been settled a long time ago. But the Dallas Cowboys see a specific number and they are sticking to it.