Dallas Cowboys Owner and General Manager Jerry Jones has warned fans not to expect the team to be active in free agency.
The Cowboys made multiple moves to open the week that freed up cap space, including the restructuring of wide receiver Ceedee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott’s contracts, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Many believed these moves indicated that Dallas was preparing to finally invest in free agency; however, Jones clarified that the team would prioritize building through the draft instead of spending money.
Jones said that he is “not looking at free agency as a place to fill voids” on the team, noting that everything the team needs is available in the NFL Draft.
“I don’t think aggressive is the right word… I wouldn’t call us really void in any area,” he further explained, according to The Cowboys.
These comments are in direct contrast to those made by Cowboys co-owner and COO Stephen Jones earlier in the offseason, when he said the team would be “selectively aggressive” in adding pieces, per NFL.com.
Now, Jerry has pulled back these comments from his son and wants to ensure fans understand that the team will be adding through the draft.
“We’ve got a lot of options. The combine actually I think emphasized that. There’s key players deep at key areas of the team running back, defensive line, outside the pressure players,” he added, per The Cowboys.
“So frankly, this is a good time to have where we are, we’re about right. I’m not so sure that I’d want to be any higher, and I think that you’re going to get a premium player at this position.”
Jones said Dallas is also prepared to add pieces to the roster through trades, but he added a caveat by claiming that he would wait for other teams to reach out and would not go out of his way to complete a deal.
“Now you’ve got to have your bait out everywhere, and we do, but those come to you, and they don’t necessarily come to you because you’ve got a perfect fit back over here in a position, or you’ve got somebody in mind,” he said, according to The Cowboys.
“Usually don’t count on that somebody in that perfect fit knocking on your door saying we want to give him away, that doesn’t come. If you’ve got to go get it, get ready, you’re going to pay a premium for it.”