Stephen Jones talks NFL Draft, Sean Lee, Amari Cooper, Allen Hurns, Garrett hot seat
For the first time since 2009, the Dallas Cowboys will not have a first-round pick in the NFL Draft.
So they are at the NFL Scouting Combine this week in unfamiliar territory after a string of first round hits, including six Pro Bowlers in the last seven years.
But the Cowboys are not fretting their lot in life these days. They have no regrets about trading their No. 1 pick to the Oakland Raiders for receiver Amari Cooper.
Cooper, who made the Pro Bowl, had 53 receptions for 725 yards and six touchdowns in nine regular-season games with the Cowboys and another 13 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown in two postseason games.
The only question is what will they do to pass the time on the first night of the 2019 NFL Draft?
“When the Raiders [use] our pick, we’ll be watching Amari Cooper highlight tapes,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said with a laugh Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Cooper, who the Cowboys plan to sign to a long-time contract extension this off-season, was among a number of topics covered by Jones during a 20-minute interview with the media.
1. The Cowboys have six total selections in the draft, including two in the top 100. How will they approach the draft without a first-round pick?
“Overall our philosophy is not going to change,” Jones said. “Internally you try to fight it in terms of what are your needs. But that is not how you have good drafts. You pick the best player available. We’ve got a lot of young players coming up for contracts this year and the next year. We’ve just got to pick good football players.”
As far as specific needs go, Jones said the defensive line, safety, tight end and possibly running back are areas of concentration, though they will not rule out any position.
“In our minds, you can never have enough defensive line depth, especially the way [defensive coordinator] Rod [Marinelli] likes to play them,” Jones said. “He likes them to play ‘with their hair on fire.’ So you can’t ever have enough defensive linemen. That’s always going to be a situation.
“And then I think the safety situation is certainly something in terms of numbers. We need to look at that position.”
“Tight end, Geoff Swaim is going to be a free agent. And we are young after that. We have to keep an eye on that as well. A back up running back is something if we see a young guy in the draft that makes sense. I don’t think it will be early. You don’t have good drafts if you pigeon-hole yourself at two or three positions. You’ve got to look at cornerback too.”
2. Stephen Jones said Jason Garrett’s back is against the wall.
Jones openly talked about wanting to sign quarterback Dak Prescott to a contract extension because he is heading into the final year of his deal.
But the Cowboys have no problem letting Garrett coach with his job on the line in 2019 by not giving him an extension before his final year. Jones said Garrett’s back is against the wall after the Cowboys failed to move past the divisional round in the playoffs for the 23rd straight season. Garrett has three division titles but just two playoff wins since taking over as coach full-time in 2011.
“No one is more motivated, more fired up about this team than he is,” Jones said. “No one understands how bad we want to take that next step. It’s been too long since we have got past that divisional round. We all know it. As [owner] Jerry [Jones] says, he is on a timeline too. He wants to take that next step.
“No one wants Jason to be around here for the long term more than the Jones family. No one thinks more of him than we do. But at the same time, everybody’s back is against the wall right now.
“We’ve got a really good young team. We’ve got high expectations for this young team. And everybody, from Jason to his staff, to our players, to ownership, to the organization, feels the pressure to take the next step. Our fans deserve that.”
3. Linebacker Sean Lee has said he wants to return in 2019 after contemplating retirement.
And Stephen Jones said the Cowboys want him back.
Jones said the Cowboys have a good rapport with Lee and are hopeful of working something out.
Jones refused to talk about a pay cut for Lee.
But it goes without saying that he will not be back for his current salary of $7 million for 2019.
Lee missed six games in 2017 and nine games in 2018 due to injuries and would return as quality depth behind Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch.
He played just 7, 22, 4 and 21 snaps in the final four games for the Cowboys after returning from injury last season, including the two playoff games.
4. Receiver Allen Hurns is in the Cowboys plans for 2019, per Stephen Jones.
Hurns is rehabbing from surgery to repair a fractured ankle. But Jones expects him to be on the team and ready to go at the start of training camp. Jones considers Hurns a potential replacement in the slot for Cole Beasley if he leaves in free agency.
The key issue with Hurns is his contract. He has a $6.25 million salary cap hit for next season, including a $4 million base salary, which is a lot for a receiver who caught just 20 passes in 2018.
Jones said the Cowboys plan to pick up the option on Hurns’ contract for next season. But the key distinction is no money is guaranteed with the option. The Cowboys will likely try to ask him to take a pay cut.
5. Getting back to Cooper, Jones said the Cowboys budgeted for a contract extension from the day they traded for him.
The decision was never just about getting him to help them win in 2018, though he did make a key impact as the Cowboys were 3-4 without him and 7-2 with him.
They felt he was a key player for the future and the release of Dez Bryant last year and his $16.5 million cap hit left a hole for a No. 1 receiver on their salary cap.
“Any time you take a Dez off you’ve got a hole for that,” Stephen Jones said. “You’ve got a hole for a No. 1 receiver, No. 1 receiver money. And, certainly, when you trade for Amari and you give a one for him, you are not thinking you are giving a one for a year and a half. You are thinking you are giving a one for a long-time deal.”
