Rumors have been flying wildly ever since the off season began that Jerry Jones has his heart set on drafting Darren McFadden and is willing to make the trade so it can happen. Jerry has gone out of his way to say these rumors are unfounded and Mac Engel at the Star-Telegram says the Cowboys are content to keep their starting running back.

According to a league source, the {Dolphins} would love to unload the pick, but the Cowboys don't appear to be a willing trade partner, not even for Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.

{snip}

Jones is willing to trade one of his two first-round picks, but he is not apt to gamble that pick plus the $30million in guaranteed money on a player with nothing more than sparkling college stats and "measurables."

Many believe that McFadden might be the next Adrian Peterson, able to come in as a rookie and take the league by storm but the price Dallas would have to pay would be too high and history says that brokering your future and your draft on one player is never the smart move. Ask the New Orleans Saints how selling their entire draft for Ricky Williams worked out. Jerry the business man understands the financial burden that comes with a top 5 pick:

As much as Jones might like McFadden, he wants no part of the guaranteed millions and millions for a rookie when there is, statistically, just a 50 percent chance of the investment yielding the desired results.

Dallas has a solid roster in place that is missing only a few small pieces to climb to that next level. Giving up multiple draft picks and a Pro Bowl running back would only be taking a step in the wrong direction. The draft this year is extremely deep in running back talent and Dallas is in perfect position to draft a complimentary back to play with Marion Barber. Depending on who is available when their pick comes up, the Cowboys could presumably grab a cornerback and wide receiver with their two first round picks and still be in prime position to get a solid running back in the second round. Steve Slaton, Ray Rice, and Jamaal Charles are all explosive change of pace running backs that could be available to the Cowboys in the second round and all would fit well in Dallas.

With the number 22 pick Dallas is in prime position to snag one of the top three cornerbacks (Aqib Talib, Brandon Flowers or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) and if all three are gone chances are one of the top runningbacks or wide receivers will be available instead (For everyone's information I am dead set on Mendenhall; the man is an outright beast). Predicting how a draft will go is fickle at best and no one can know what will happen when draft day comes. The Cowboys do know what they already have in Barber and are in great position to fill their needs if they stay where they are in the draft.

Mac Engel also throws this interesting blurb into his Combine report:

A source said that Thomas is leaning to the Cowboys and would prefer to sign with them.

Thomas visited and was offered contracts by New Orleans and New England. It is believed the Saints will be able to guarantee Thomas more money and a starting job.

Dallas would be out of its mind to offer more than a million a year to Thomas but it seems he has his heart set on substance of team and not size of contract. I think that if he were interested in getting a large payday there are plenty of other teams willing to give him a contract yet Thomas wants to go a contender. The fact that New Orleans can guarantee a starting job might sway him in their favor but you never know...

And for the wealthy few who read this here blog, good news:

The suites at the new $1.1 billion Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington have sold so quickly that the team is building more.

The Cowboys plan to sell 300 suites instead of the announced 200. The team has already sold about 200 suites ranging in price from $100,000 to $500,000 annually.

There has been some interesting bantering back and forth in the press regarding ticket prices and sales for the new stadium. A news reporter ran a story about the lack of sales and the next day had to run a retraction since the information was false. One thing is clear though; the new stadium is well on its way to pricing out the regular joe season ticket holder. I will be attending a game this year for the first time ever at Texas Stadium because who knows if I can afford tickets once the Cowboys make the move to Jerry World.