Dallas Cowboys News & Notes: Cowboys Management Structure Changing?

Wondering about Jerry Jones' role - Todd Archer, ESPN Dallas
This article is worth reading in its entirety. Archer ruminates on the changes that might be going on behind closed doors at Valley Ranch, specifically about the role Stephen Jones has in the decision making process there. An excerpt:

But you do have to wonder if Stephen Jones is gaining more traction as the football voice with the Cowboys with how the team has operated this offseason. The Cowboys released DeMarcus Ware, which was a hugely difficult decision for Jerry Jones because of all that Ware has done for the team and for Jones. But it was the right call, considering the salary-cap implications had Ware stayed or if his contract had been restructured.

So far the Cowboys have spent efficiently in free agency, which is what Stephen Jones declared in February at the NFL scouting combine. The Melton deal is essentially a one-year deal for $3.5 million. Melton needs to do things he has never done in his career to get the total $1.5 million in incentives to max out his first-year money.

I like the direction this franchise seems to be headed in, but I've got to wonder about the tendency in Cowboys Nation to credit Stephen with all the good things and make Jerry responsible for all the bad things.

Dez Bryant’s phone call to Terrance Williams another example of him stepping up as a leader | Brandon George, DMN
Terrance Williams had some nice things to say about Dez Bryant after the veteran wide receiver called Williams in the wake of Miles Austin's release and reminded him of the raised expectations for a second-year player.

"He was just like it’s a whole different side, like a learning tool you can take from your experiences from your rookie year and just come back the second year and try not to make the same mistakes," Williams said, "but also it’s kind of fun because you know what to expect when you play because you’re not coming into a brand new environment. You can mix in your game into different ways instead of coming in there new and doing stuff all the same."

Terrell McClain looking to start for Dallas Cowboys - Calvin Watkins, ESPN Dallas
Always good to hear that a free agent signing is looking to start, though that may prove difficult if, as Calvin Watkins suggests, Marinelli's role for him is the three-technique.

Brandon Weeden: 'This is the best thing for me' - Todd Archer, ESPN Dallas
Archer offers up a few quotes from Weeden who reflects on his time in Cleveland, the perception that he's already an old quarterback, and how he's looking forward to a fresh start in Dallas.

"This is the best thing for me," Weeden said. "I’ve talked to several coaches I’ve had and players I’ve been fortunate to play with and they all agree this is what I needed -- a fresh start, change of scenery. I think this is exactly what I needed now. When you’re a rookie first-round pick, the expectation is that you play right away, be the guy. I think in Cleveland it was a tough situation. I wasn’t able to go in and play as I needed to. I know that. Now I can learn from two great quarterbacks and a good offensive staff and try to become better."

Henry Melton Arrives at Valley Ranch - DallasCowboys.com
DC.com has a slideshow with pictures of Henry Melton's first day as a Cowboy. Check out the pictures to see which coach is sporting a Missouri Tigers hoodie at Valley Ranch - what could that mean?!

NFL evolution: How safety became the most significant position on D | The MMQB
Andy Benoit argues that in recent years no position on defense has become more significant than safety, both free and strong. Not sure I agree with that premise, but it's an interesting take anyway.

The Kaepernick Factor: His looming new deal affects everything the 49ers do or don’t do this off-season – Mercury News
This is not directly connected to the Cowboys, but Kaepernick's looming contract extension is already affecting the 49ers, even though not a penny has been spent yet. Kaernick is expected to get at least $18 million annually, and this article looks at how the Kaepernick Factor has touched the 49ers’ off-season so far.

It's an interesting counterpoint to all the articles extolling the depth of teams with young quarterbacks, because it shows that once you have to start paying your QB at market rates, that depth can become very hard to maintain.

2014 NFL Average Positional Spending - Spotrac.com
Spotrac offers a complete breakdown of cap dollars for each team by position as well as the average cap dollars each position is garnering across the NFL.

NFL Draft 2014: Hump moves & extra gears, a scouting lexicon - SBNation.com
Hump moves, burst, stacking and shedding ... funny words and phrases that have very specific meanings when it comes to evaluating prospects. Danny Kelly gets us ready for the NFL Draft with an illustrated guide to the terminology.