With Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper now five weeks from free agency, the Cowboys have made their priorities clear. That stands to price out their other high-end free agent, but the Cowboys may not view Byron Jones as a player worth a top-market cornerback contract.
The Cowboys are leery of a big Jones payment, with Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reporting they are not warm to the prospect of giving their top cornerback a deal that pays more than $12MM per year.
Even as the cornerback market has stagnated for several years now, its ceiling hovers well north of that benchmark. Nearly 15 corners make at least $12MM annually, and with the converted safety set for free agency in a year that will see the salary cap spike toward $200MM, it appears even likelier now that Jones will leave Dallas in March.
Jones has become one of the NFL’s top cover men, with the move to corner in 2018 reinvigorating the former first-round pick. But the Cowboys may be underwhelmed by his impact in the takeaway department, per Watkins. Jones has not intercepted a pass in his past 40 games, dating back to October 2017, and has just two picks in his career. That did not stop him from making the Pro Bowl in 2018, and Watkins notes those close to the corner expect a strong market for his services when the legal tampering period opens March 16. Jones graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 14 corner last season.
The Cowboys re-upped several key players over the past 10 months — extending DeMarcus Lawrence, La’el Collins, Jaylon Smith and Ezekiel Elliott — and will retain Prescott and make a strong effort to keep Cooper. That will probably mean a bidding war for Jones. The 27-year-old defender should be expected to sign a lucrative pact — perhaps one that eclipses Xavien Howard‘s cornerback-record $15.05MM-per-year deal — in free agency.
Too bad the 49ers don’t have any cap space, they could use him
alot of people think that the eagles are going to go hard after him
I hope they do sign him, as a Cowboys fan.
Likewise, let the Eagles sign him for top dollar. As athletic as Jones is, you’d think that he’d run into a few interceptions a year. With only two over a five year career, the Cowboys $ are better spent elsewhere.
Interceptions are a tricky metric to rely on. Sometimes it just means your targeted a lot because opponents consider you the weakest link.
Trade him early..
Byron Jones Micheal Gallup and a 5th rounder for Jabrill Peppers and Dalvin Tomlinson
Peppers is a more productive player and a slight upgrade. Tomlinson helps solidify that defensive line that looked shaky throughout the season.
That defence with Peppers Tomlinson Lawrence Smith Vander Esch and
Quinn* should be a lot better. That offence would still have its strong o line, Zeke, Amari and I’d use Cobb and Bryant as other WRs and hopefully bring back Dak as QB
They can’t trade him.There’s no trades until the new league year.,
Dallas might as well let him walk, they can’t generate any pass rush, even with the highest paid DE in the NFL and even the best DB’s can’t cover all day long. They need to save their $ to pay Mr. Chunky Soup.
This is why paying Dak (or Fak as my autocorrect says) 40M is absurd. Tag and Trade Dak, draft another QB and sign someone in the interim like Mariota, who seems to have at least a higher football IQ than Winston. Bridgewater’s also available. There aren’t a ton of vacancies for starting QBs. Trade a 3rd or 4th for David Carr is another option.
I would get rid of Dak
I’m not a cowboys fan actually kinda don’t like them after i bet then vs Eagles ( man that was hard game to watch )
Have 3-4 all pro oline men
Top RB
A top WR
Few complimentary WR
Good QB
Lol i just don’t get this team
Apparently the Titanic had several luxury features too but that doesn’t help much if the man at the helm is an idiot.