Jerry Jones says this is the biggest move the Cowboys made in 2018
What was the biggest move the Dallas Cowboys made in 2018?
There are several obvious choices to choose from. For Cowboys’ owner and general manager Jerry Jones, however, one sticks out above the rest. Jones told KRLD/105.3 The Fan Friday morning that he thinks the most important change in the organization was on the coaching staff. Others moves proved big and Jones offered his thoughts on each of them as the Cowboys (9-6) prepared to play their regular-season finale against the New York Giants (5-10) at noon Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Here’s what Jones had to say:
On changes to the coaching staff, including secondary coach Kris Richard, receivers coach Sanjay Lal and replacing offensive line Paul Alexander with Marc Colombo halfway through the season: “That would go on the top of my list. Basically it was pretty subtle but we had a revamping of that coaching staff. It didn’t surprise me when I look back on it that we started off a little slower than anybody would have liked with our won-loss record. I think that coaching staff is better by a lot today than when we were in training camp. I think that’s a big item.
Drafting Leighton Vander Esch and having faith in Jaylon Smith: “I don’t think there’s any question that Vander Esch has made a difference now as opposed to in the future. Just by the fact that Sean [Lee] has missed some of the games he has missed. Just that aspect, the numbers. I think Jaylon Smith’s continued progressing. You’re now starting to see the things if he hadn’t been injured you would have seen him come into the league at one level and then see him be at a different level two and three years out. That’s his makeup. He was going to get better and better. You could see him getting better at Notre Dame.”
Trading for receiver Amari Cooper: “Obviously, Amari Cooper is exceptional. He’s got an exceptional coach that’s working with him. One of the real outstanding receiving coaches I’m aware of or seen in the past.”
On running back Ezekiel Elliott: “I would say Zeke Elliott. He has been absolutely phenomenal, hand an impactful year and I’m not being trite. He went out there like a machine in training camp. [He has played] beyond expectations.”