Wow! Dallas Cowboys owner believes in his latest additions
By CLARENCE E. HILL JR.
Star-Telegram staff writer
IRVING -- The 2008 NFL Draft ended Sunday, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is still at the team's Valley Ranch training complex trading down to pick up extra picks.
Or so it seems.
After a largely drama-free first day Saturday, Jones truly began working the draft Sunday.
He made four trades before making his first selection and five trades overall -- moving down four times and up once, turning three picks into four picks and back down to three picks Sunday while acquiring two picks in next year's draft.
The dizzying moves were the theme of the day for an owner/general manager who prides himself on trying to win the draft by stockpiling picks and trying to increase value.
The Cowboys finally picked Georgia Tech running back Tashard Choice with the 23rd choice of the fourth round, 123rd overall, to continue with the business of talent acquisition. They also picked Boise State cornerback Orlando Scandrick in the fifth round and Middle Tennessee linebacker Erik Walden in the sixth round. They also added Cleveland's third and Detroit's fourth-round picks in 2009 -- giving them six picks in the first four rounds next year.
The 2008 draft likely will be remembered more for what the Cowboys got in the first two rounds than the second-day trade frenzy.
After going 13-3 and winning the NFC East last year only to watch the division rival New York Giants bask in Super Bowl glory, the Cowboys went into the off-season looking for players to put them over the top this season.
According to Jones, the Cowboys accomplished that.
That's why they re-signed left tackle Flozell Adams to a $42 million contract in February and signed aging free-agent linebacker Zach Thomas to replace Akin Ayodele alongside Bradie James.
And don't think for a minute that the Cowboys' gamble in acquiring suspended cornerback Pacman Jones from the Tennessee Titans was not rooted in their belief that he can contribute to a Super Bowl title run in 2008.
The draft was no different. The focus was to get players who could make immediate impacts.
"I think we did that," Jerry Jones said. "I think we got it done. We have improved our team. We have gotten some wow power."
And while there will be a down-the-road debate on the decision to take running back Felix Jones over Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall -- who was rated the best back in the draft on a few boards and as high as No. 2 on most boards -- there is no disputing the Cowboys' argument that Jones is the best immediate fit.
The speedy Jones is an ideal complement to starting running back Marion Barber. Jones' speed and quickness is a nice change of pace to go with Barber's bruising style.
Barber will get the bulk of the carries, but when Jones is on the field, he gives the Cowboys a bona fide home-run threat to go along with Terrell Owens in the offense.
And any questions about Felix Jones not being able to carry the full load if something happened to Barber were answered with the selection of Choice, who has size, durability and talent to be an every down back.
However, the biggest moves the Cowboys made in the draft might have come on defense with the acquisitions Pacman Jones and South Florida cornerback Mike Jenkins in the first round.
Pacman Jones -- if he is reinstated by the NFL and the Cowboys truly believe he will be on the field -- has proven to be one of the league's top cover cornerbacks. Jenkins was the highest-rated cornerback on the Cowboys draft board.
The Cowboys didn't accomplish all of their goals. They would have liked to add a big-time receiver to play opposite Owens.
Short of that, the Cowboys are very comfortable with their roster and what they have accomplished. Jerry Jones said it was the main reason he could work the draft as he did Sunday. They didn't feel the need to reach for any players, and the additional picks in 2009 will allow them to be major players in next year's draft.
ONLINE: dallascowboys.com
Trading places
The Cowboys were busy during the two-day draft. A look at some of their moves:
1. Seattle Seahawks
Cowboys get: 1st round (No. 25)
Cowboys give up: 1st round (No. 28), 5th round (No. 163), 7th round (No. 235)
2. Detroit Lions
Cowboys get: 4th round
(No. 111 overall); 4th round (2009)
Cowboys give up: 3rd round (No. 92)
3. Oakland Raiders
Cowboys get: 4th round (No. 104), 7th round (No. 213)
Cowboys give up: 4th round (No. 100, originally from Miami)
4. Cleveland Browns
Cowboys get: 4th (No. 122), 5th (No. 155)
Cowboys give up: 4th (No. 104, originally from Oakland)
5. Cleveland Browns
Cowboys get: 3rd round (2009)
Cowboys give up: 4th (No. 111, originally from Detroit)
6. Jacksonville Jaguars
Cowboys get: 5th (No. 143)
Cowboys give up: 5th (No. 155), 7th (213)
Star-Telegram staff writer
IRVING -- The 2008 NFL Draft ended Sunday, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is still at the team's Valley Ranch training complex trading down to pick up extra picks.
Or so it seems.
After a largely drama-free first day Saturday, Jones truly began working the draft Sunday.
He made four trades before making his first selection and five trades overall -- moving down four times and up once, turning three picks into four picks and back down to three picks Sunday while acquiring two picks in next year's draft.
The dizzying moves were the theme of the day for an owner/general manager who prides himself on trying to win the draft by stockpiling picks and trying to increase value.
The Cowboys finally picked Georgia Tech running back Tashard Choice with the 23rd choice of the fourth round, 123rd overall, to continue with the business of talent acquisition. They also picked Boise State cornerback Orlando Scandrick in the fifth round and Middle Tennessee linebacker Erik Walden in the sixth round. They also added Cleveland's third and Detroit's fourth-round picks in 2009 -- giving them six picks in the first four rounds next year.
The 2008 draft likely will be remembered more for what the Cowboys got in the first two rounds than the second-day trade frenzy.
After going 13-3 and winning the NFC East last year only to watch the division rival New York Giants bask in Super Bowl glory, the Cowboys went into the off-season looking for players to put them over the top this season.
According to Jones, the Cowboys accomplished that.
That's why they re-signed left tackle Flozell Adams to a $42 million contract in February and signed aging free-agent linebacker Zach Thomas to replace Akin Ayodele alongside Bradie James.
And don't think for a minute that the Cowboys' gamble in acquiring suspended cornerback Pacman Jones from the Tennessee Titans was not rooted in their belief that he can contribute to a Super Bowl title run in 2008.
The draft was no different. The focus was to get players who could make immediate impacts.
"I think we did that," Jerry Jones said. "I think we got it done. We have improved our team. We have gotten some wow power."
And while there will be a down-the-road debate on the decision to take running back Felix Jones over Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall -- who was rated the best back in the draft on a few boards and as high as No. 2 on most boards -- there is no disputing the Cowboys' argument that Jones is the best immediate fit.
The speedy Jones is an ideal complement to starting running back Marion Barber. Jones' speed and quickness is a nice change of pace to go with Barber's bruising style.
Barber will get the bulk of the carries, but when Jones is on the field, he gives the Cowboys a bona fide home-run threat to go along with Terrell Owens in the offense.
And any questions about Felix Jones not being able to carry the full load if something happened to Barber were answered with the selection of Choice, who has size, durability and talent to be an every down back.
However, the biggest moves the Cowboys made in the draft might have come on defense with the acquisitions Pacman Jones and South Florida cornerback Mike Jenkins in the first round.
Pacman Jones -- if he is reinstated by the NFL and the Cowboys truly believe he will be on the field -- has proven to be one of the league's top cover cornerbacks. Jenkins was the highest-rated cornerback on the Cowboys draft board.
The Cowboys didn't accomplish all of their goals. They would have liked to add a big-time receiver to play opposite Owens.
Short of that, the Cowboys are very comfortable with their roster and what they have accomplished. Jerry Jones said it was the main reason he could work the draft as he did Sunday. They didn't feel the need to reach for any players, and the additional picks in 2009 will allow them to be major players in next year's draft.
ONLINE: dallascowboys.com
Trading places
The Cowboys were busy during the two-day draft. A look at some of their moves:
1. Seattle Seahawks
Cowboys get: 1st round (No. 25)
Cowboys give up: 1st round (No. 28), 5th round (No. 163), 7th round (No. 235)
2. Detroit Lions
Cowboys get: 4th round
(No. 111 overall); 4th round (2009)
Cowboys give up: 3rd round (No. 92)
3. Oakland Raiders
Cowboys get: 4th round (No. 104), 7th round (No. 213)
Cowboys give up: 4th round (No. 100, originally from Miami)
4. Cleveland Browns
Cowboys get: 4th (No. 122), 5th (No. 155)
Cowboys give up: 4th (No. 104, originally from Oakland)
5. Cleveland Browns
Cowboys get: 3rd round (2009)
Cowboys give up: 4th (No. 111, originally from Detroit)
6. Jacksonville Jaguars
Cowboys get: 5th (No. 143)
Cowboys give up: 5th (No. 155), 7th (213)
posted by The Gryphon at 10:06 PM
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