INDIANAPOLIS — Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has not had concrete talks with quarterback Tony Romo and has no timetable on when the sides will agree on a contract extension.
But Jones is confident of a deal getting done and sees no scenario that Romo doesn’t sign an extension and retire as a member of the Dallas Cowboys.“Yes, that would be the most positive result, to extend him, re-sign him, extend him and then have him retire,” Jones said. “That means we’ve had some success. And I would like that to happen.”While Jones hasn't had substantial contract talks, he said he does have a sense of what it would take to get Romo signed to a contract extension.“We aren’t sitting down working details,” Jones said. “I have a sense of what is doable. I think it’s fair to say the sense doesn't just involve me in the mirror. I’m pretty sure we are going to get something worked out here. Tony has a long history of working to make this thing fit for the team.”Jones doesn’t believe a deal with Romo will be completed before March 12 and help the Cowboys get under the salary cap. They are roughly $20 million in the red. He said they will have to make adjustments with other players to get under the cap, but acknowledged that it was important to get a deal done with Romo so they can clear more room, add other players in free agency and accomplish all of their off-season goals.Austin still in plansJerry Jones said receiver Miles Austin is not in danger of being a salary-cap casualty, and is in the team’s plans for next season.But Jones didn’t deny that they might ask Austin to take a salary reduction after underperforming the past couple years because of injuries.Austin is scheduled to count $8.32 million against the cap this season, including a $6.73 million base salary.“I think Miles is certainly very much in our plans. Right now, for the Cowboys, he’s in our plans,” Jones said. “Now he’s had two disappointing years relative to fighting some limitations. But I think he’s a safe bet.“When you look at the risk of him coming back and having a season less impaired by injury, that’s much higher odds than us getting a free agent or drafting a rookie out here than can do what he can do. Now to the end that we can get any of our players to help us get under the salary cap, which is another way of saying to help us get room right now, towin now, we’ll be trying to do that.”Spencer too expensive?Jerry Jones said the team would like to re-sign free-agent linebacker Anthony Spencer.But he understands he may ultimately be too expensive to keep and it may be wiser to spend the money in other areas, especially considering the key players in Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 scheme are the rush end that DeMarcus Ware plays and the defensive tackle spot that Jay Ratliff will play.“We have to pick our spots,” Jones said. “We are challenged against the cap. The number I have in mind is much less than he is going to take. And with what he is likely going to make we can take that and really help our team with him or a couple of other players. It’s either or. And you can’t have it all.”Jones praises BryantJerry Jones wouldn’t say that receiver Dez Bryant has left his troubled past behind and is no longer an off-field concern.Jones, however, said he does feel “very good” about the progress Bryant has made on and off the field and believes he is in a better place than he was seven months ago.“Dez is in a better place relative to anything that the Cowboys are interested in, which is most everything about him,” Jones said. “He’s in a better place and that’s a positive. … He’s not around the kind of atmosphere or doesn’t have the kind of risks that are involved in his life on or off the field that he had seven, eight months ago.”Okafor waits for Pro DayScouts will have to wait until March 26 to see what Alex Okafor can do.They measured the defensive end (6-1 1/2 ) and weighed him (264), but because of a bruised hip flexor, he won’t work out until Texas’ Pro Day.“I’m very close [to being 100 percent], very close right now,” Okafor said. “…I just don’t want to go out there if I’m not 100 percent.”Okafor had 4.5 sacks in the Alamo Bowl against Oregon State, finishing his senior season with 12.5 sacks.“That bowl game, that was just kind of like a cap to my career at Texas,” Okafor said. “It just kind of left my mark at Texas. I’ve had a great career. I don’t want to just use that game to define my career, but it definitely put my mark in that tree at Texas.”Joeckel’s numbersOffensive tackle Luke Joeckel ran a 5.30 in the 40-yard dash and had 27 reps in the 225-pound bench press.The former Arlington High and Texas A&M star is under consideration by the Kansas City Chiefs for the No. 1 overall pick.Arkansas tight end Chris Gragg, a receiver in college, had the fastest 40-yard dash Saturday at 4.50. Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Terron Armstead was the fastest among offensive linemen with a 4.71.Wake Forest fullback Tommy Bohanon was tops in the bench press with 36 reps.Clarence E. Hill Jr., 817-390-7760 Twitter: @clarencehilljr
