Jerry Jones is hurting the Dallas Cowboys Draft plans
Jerry Jones has hurt the Cowboys ahead of the Draft
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has never been afraid to meddle in his team’s personnel decisions. Unfortunately for fans of “America’s Team” he’s gone too far this time. Jones, speaking at the team’s pre-draft party this week, seems to have given away valuable intel about his team’s intentions.
The problems all started when Jones was pressed about the possibility of a reunion with Dez Bryant. The team’s brain trust flatly shut down any notion that their former number one wideout would be returning on a reduced deal.
If things had stopped there, no damage would have been done. Dez was cut, the break was clean, and no one really thought much of it other than to wonder which rival he’d sign with. Unfortunately, Jones simply couldn’t stop himself. He prattled on to reporters that the team was now in desperate need of acquiring a replacement for Bryant, specifically how the team would be looking to the draft.
Jerry Jones all but said the Cowboys expect to draft a receiver in the first or second round. Not a surprise.
— Charean Williams (@NFLCharean) April 24, 2018
It’s crucial heading into the Draft to keep your plans hidden. Unless you’re blessed (or cursed) with the No. 1 overall selection, there’s significant upside to keeping everyone guessing. Even then, always keep people on their toes. You never know when another team might feel like bowling you over with a gigantic offer to move up and take your selection.
By tipping the team’s hand to the rest of the league, Jones has robbed the Cowboys front office of significant leverage. If you’re a team who’s looking at another position, you won’t feel any need to move ahead of Dallas in the Draft.
Could you imagine New England and Bill Belichick giving away this type of information in a pre-Draft press conference? Certainly not.
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Dallas may come out of this Draft with the players they covet, but their owner has reduced their chances of maximizing their returns. If the Cowboys don’t come out of this Draft with a solid haul, Jerry Jones won’t have anyone to blame but himself.