Dallas Cowboys COVID-19 pre-draft process with Mike McCarthy more thorough than before
Setting aside the technical issues the bumped the Dallas Cowboys’ pre-draft press conference back by some 30 minutes, the front office has been operating at a high level as they’ve abided by stay-at-home orders adopted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Owner Jerry Jones, who just got rid of his flip phone and is not known to be technologically proficient, said the process has been “seamless” and as thorough as he can remember, even as Mike McCarthy, his new coaching staff work and the scouting department prepare for the NFL draft that starts on Thursday.
“I’ll be very candid with you,” Jones said. “This is, frankly, the most thorough I can remember having all of this information. It seems that it’s presented in a real orderly way. It’s brought out the best order in us. ... I think it’s been a good process and I’m very comfortable that we know everything we would be expected to know about every player.”
McCarthy credits the Cowboys IT department for getting everyone new updated instruments. He says the process has been very productive. “We’re all in our homes, we spend a lot of times going through each and every prospect, so it’s given us a chance to take a couple of laps through the draft board.”
He also spoke about going through it for the first time with the Jones family. “It’s been very organized. I’ve been very impressed.”
And Jerry Jones was quick to return the favor, saying that the run-up to this draft has created something of an affirmation for him following his decision to let former coach Jason Garrett go and bring in McCarthy after last season.
“We’ve got us some great coaches in here and I was very impressed over the last several weeks with their involvement, not involvement, just their approach,” Jones said. “They’re on the incentive plan. It’s called wanting to have players they can coach who can win ballgames. Mike has done an unbelievable job of leading the charge with those coaches and just basically, for me, such a fresh look at how to approach not only the draft but how to approach the perspective of the team. All of that has taken place and I’m really proud we’re getting the work done. So, I’ve been very impressed.”
With concerns seemingly alleviated about the process in what will be the league’s virtual draft with everyone working from home and no war room, the remaining issue for the Cowboys is what to do with the 17th pick in the first round on Thursday.
They have needs at cornerback, safety, defensive end and receiver with Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson and LSU edge rusher K’lavon Chaisson being the players mostly linked to the Cowboys at 17.
Jerry Jones said he likes the spot the Cowboys are in but acknowledges that everything is on the table, including a move up or a move down to acquire extra picks.
“I like our 17th hole,” Jones said. “I like the spot we’re in at 17. There’s quality players there and should be there in each round. On the other hand, there’s quality enough players that if you decided to trade, there could be someone coming to you to give you more value.”
The main thing is that Cowboys won’t know what they are going to do until they get on the clock as their fate will be determined by the teams in front of them.
There is a good chance that neither Henderson or Chaisson will fall to 17, which could create a need for them to move up to get one of them or a decision to trade back to acquire more picks if those players are off the board.
What is certain, according to Jones, is that the team will not trade the first pick for an established veteran like New York Jet safety Jamal Adams, whom the Cowboys tried to acquire before the trade deadline last season.
Jones said the draft pick is too valuable under the salary cap. “The idea of trading a valued one for an existing player that is likely going to cost you a lot more is unlikely,” Jones said. “I would say theoretically it is. I would say specifically it is. Highly unlikely we wouldn’t have the pick there to use to move to the top in the draft or to trade for potential other draft picks. Probably unlikely to have a draft-pick traded for an established star.”
This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 5:46 PM.
