The Cowboys brass were downright chatty this weekend. Sure Jerry Jones talks all the time, but this latest interview is a little more pointed than usual. Coming on the heels of Bill Parcells speaking Saturday, the Dallas offseason strategy is becoming clearer. Once again I'm cribbing liberally from this Todd Archer article in the DMN.
"The alternative to that wasn't even close as far as us having a chance to win and win big in the immediate future. Not even close. And I have placed a big priority on winning in the immediate, like this year, next year and maybe beyond."
Just like we've been talking about for weeks, the Cowboys are going for it all this year and the next. Expect the bank to be open for free agents this year, as soon as we know how much we can actually spend.
"We've got three big contracts, relatively big, with three players [Flozell Adams, Larry Allen, Marco Rivera]. How many contracts can you afford? You might be able to fit another top pick, the economics of a top pick. You probably wouldn't see me go after the top paid linemen in free agency. Those are older players and that's kind of piling it on in a direction I don't want to go."
That puts the damper on any LeCharles Bentley speculation if we aren't going after "top paid linemen". And the "older players" comment sounds like trouble for Fabini, but I'm sure if Bill wants him then Jerry will get him.
"There's a couple players where if they were there we'd have to look at them if you're keeping in mind we think Flozell will be there long term at left tackle. If you're sitting there looking at a player that is a left tackle and would be a waste to play at right tackle, then we probably wouldn't spend that kind of money."
We're not picking a tackle in the first round.
"I'm not going to put that onus on the draft that we've got to get younger at receiver and better, too. It might not fall that way for us."
Echoing Bill yesterday, sounds like they are content with the receivers they have.
"I want to say this so we don't get something going here: There's so many issues that I can't today put that into the equation. ... We've not gone down those issues. We haven't sat down and said, 'How do we do something like that?'"
Maybe that's a politician's way of saying: "I haven't brought it up with Bill yet."
"We'll get a veteran kicker. I think our situation is that I don't know that we're the best place right now for a rookie kicker with Bill staring at him every time he walks off the field."
Hallelujah! That's what I like to hear Jerry, a veteran kicker. No rookies, get us a real kicker.
"Not to that degree. I don't think we'd look to do that. We'll have a kicker with experience."
Longwell? Or more like Matt Bryant. Sounds like neither Vinateri or Vanderjagt are coming here.
"The timing hasn't been where we had to address it. With the quality of player La'Roi is and the job he's done for us, the job of sitting down with him or him sitting down with us and seeing how fits, it was going to be so difficult that we put it off till a better day, to be realistic about it."
That's two very non-committal, non-enthusiastic responses from Jones and Parcells about Glover. I'm just saying.