To understand Jerry Jones’ true intentions normally requires a translation guide. The former oil magnate (crude, not snake) is well known to ramble, but for those who have developed some ability to cut through the double-talk and the promotional sound bites, there is a lot of truth to what he says. More importantly, there’s a lot more truth in what he does. This couldn’t pertain more to Jones’ actions when it comes to this years crop of quarterbacks in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Jones went on record early in the process to tell people that despite knowing it’s time to consider a succession plan for Tony Romo, he would not be looking to select one with the fourth overall pick. Whether this was subterfuge, cunning misdirection or the honest truth will have to wait until April 28 to be answered. The actions of the Cowboys owner/GM though, say Dallas is and has always been very interested in the draft’s top quarterbacks.
First, the Cowboys were coincidentally assigned to coach the North squad in this year’s Senior Bowl. It’s no coincidence Dallas’ coaching staff was chosen; that’s systematic. But Dallas got a chance to get an entire week of study on Carson Wentz, the North Dakota State product who’s competing with Jared Goff to be the first quarterback selected in the draft.
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Jones was in attendance at the Senior Bowl as the Cowboys staff got the most unprecedented access allowable to study a potential draft pick. They still brought Wentz in for one of their vital 30 national visits.
All of that intel and they still wanted to meet with him again, as opposed to bringing someone in they had less first-hand knowledge of.
Coincidentally, the best quarterback on the South side was Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott. The Cowboys have only met with him on three different occasions since then.
Back to the top tier candidates.
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After March’s owner’s meetings , the Cowboys’ entourage stayed in Florida to attend a private workout with Memphis’ Paxton Lynch. Rumors have it Lynch may be the top quarterback on the Cowboys board. We’ll get to the why in a second, but for owner Jerry Jones to make this trip is telling of the team’s interest.
Over the weekend, Jones led a Cowboys contingent to California to once again work out Jared Goff.
This on the heels of the Titans trading the first overall pick to the Los Angeles Rams, who paid a bounty for the spot. There’s no way the Rams made that move without having a quarterback in mind.
The trip shows that the Cowboys are indeed serious about using their top choice on a quarterback. No team is going to waste their time and resources to this extent just to throw a smokescreen up. The other 31 NFL teams knows the Cowboys are a legit threat to select a QB early based on all of the actions to this point; no further convincing is needed.
Jones’ involvement though, shows the extent of the interest.
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No owner believes more than Jones does in the integration of the quarterback and public image of the team. Having been in charge through the glory (hole) days of Troy Aikman, the abyss after him and the ascension of Tony Romo, Jones has seen how important the QB is to the team’s bottom line.
For the Cowboys to invest in their quarterback of the future, not only does he need to be able to perform on the field, he also has to have the cachet necessary to deal with being the quarterback of America’s Team. Many have tried and failed.
The Jones’ understand that the quarterback is essentially a member of the front office as well as a player on the field. He is just as responsible for the molding of the roster as he is the viability of the franchise. Jones needs to know if the player they draft to replace Tony Romo is capable of doing everything Romo does; and we aren’t talking only spinning out of J.J. Watt would-be sacks to heave long touchdown throws to Terrance Williams.
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Before the Rams traded up, the Cowboys had a realistic shot of staying put with the fourth pick and still having their choice of two of the top three candidates, if not all three. Now that its cemented one will be off the board, the Cowboys have reacted.
It’s still unknown whether or not the Browns will take one. There are arguments for and against them making the plunge the same as there are with the Cowboys, though for different reasons. Dallas might choose to be all-in and get as much help at other positions to gear up for a final Romo run. Cleveland might be so bad that getting transcendent talent elsewhere to build the team before getting a quarterback who will be pummeled makes sense as well.
Cleveland’s apparent switch to an analytics-driven way of talent evaluation makes their intentions publicly murky, at best.
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If the Browns aren’t interested, it only makes sense for them to trade the second overall pick to a team that does. Whether it be to move up themselves or possibly reap the rewards of Goff falling (should Wentz be the Rams selection), Dallas is preparing themselves.
The most interesting thing in this entire ordeal might be that Dallas could have Paxton Lynch as the best quarterback prospect for them. The media and fans might think Lynch at four would be a reach, but knowing that one QB will be gone and a second could go off the board at two likely signifies there’s little chance of a third quarterback escaping the top half of round one. Dallas might have to stay put at four in order to secure their guy.
If they have Lynch ranked as the top guy and believe in him, it matters none what the public thinks; Dallas should go get their guy.
There are a myriad of moving parts in the NFL Draft and 2016 will be no exception. If Dallas doesn’t draft a quarterback, there will be many to proclaim, “See! He said he wasn’t and he didn’t!” Those people have missed the point completely. When it comes to the quarterbacks in this class, Dallas is showing every indication that all options are under consideration.
