FRISCO, Texas — So, the NFL Draft is nearly upon us. Like, two days away, and the Dallas Cowboys, well, what do you know, they’re not just sitting around twiddling their thumbs. Nope, they’ve snagged themselves 10 picks spanning seven rounds from Thursday to Saturday, but Jerry Jones, in all his charismatic glory, isn’t stopping there.
In comes Jerry, Cowboys’ owner and GM—this guy’s been in the game since before I knew what a first down was. I couldn’t help but chuckle when he mentioned they’re in the thick of some “pretty substantive trades” concerning players. Classic Jerry, dropping hints like crumbs for the media birds to feast on. But specifics? To quote an old Southern saying, he’s tighter than a tick on a hound dog about details. Just that they’re on the phone with other teams. Probably a lot of talk, maybe some dramatic pauses thrown in for seasoning.
Now, let’s rewind a bit to understand this fascination with trades. Sure, they brought in Trey Lance, that young quarterback with a strong arm, and other talents like Jonathan Mingo, Brandin Cooks, and Stephon Gilmore—each a gem in their positions. But honestly, nothing beats the 2018 trade season when Amari Cooper popped onto the scene right at the trade deadline. Those were the days! Earlier this year, there were trades too—grabbed linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. and cornerback Kaiir Elam. It’s like the offseason is their playground.
Anyway — oh, yeah, the Cowboys — they’ve got some cash to burn, like $37 million in salary cap space. Zoom in on that, and you’ll see it’s not just a Monopoly bank note ready to blow. Part of that has to be smartly tucked away for rookie contracts, injury band-aids, and those sneaky little incentive clauses.
Trading talks aside, Jerry’s been a wheeler-dealer draft-day enthusiast since ’89. Seventy-two trades under his belt, folks. That’s a long history of swaps, deals, and — dare I say — chaos at times. The last big splash in the first round? 2021, shuffled down thanks to a trade with the Eagles and snagged Micah Parsons. Not too shabby, eh?
Speaking of Parsons, and this bit gets a lot of heads nodding, there’s this lengthy extension thing going on. Parsons and Jerry, sitting in a room for what, like five, maybe six hours? Hammering out the length, the cash, and everything between. Yet, seems like Stephen Jones and Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, have the “finer details” still dangling.
Stephen, always the pragmatist, said with a resigned, almost paternal sigh, they’d ink Parson’s deal in a heartbeat if they both saw eye to eye on the numbers. But, the universe loves irony, and they don’t—yet.
Meanwhile, Parsons isn’t chilling with a popcorn bucket; he’s diving head first into the offseason grind. Jerry kind of exuded this hopeful vibe, not too shocked Parsons was around. Honestly, some guy once said, “Leadership isn’t just a position you hold, it’s about partaking.” Or something like that. Jerry emphasized how Parsons’ presence is a big deal, maybe silently hoping his leadership would step up to his imminent contract.
Here’s where Parsons chimes in. At a charity event, looking all dapper and earnest, he remarked that the contract isn’t just about those dizzying dollar zeros but about the recognition it represents. “Hitting the ground running,” he said, evoking images of a fighter charging into the arena, ready to establish dominance. It’s a sentiment I wish more athletes shared—it’s refreshing.
Yet, Parsons hinted he might play ghost during some field sessions, focusing instead on relationship-building with Coach Schottenheimer and sinking his teeth into the playbook. He’s not the digital-learning type. He’s a hands-on grasp-the-play-guy. Makes sense, really.
So, what happens next? Well, I’ll just perch here waiting, as anxious as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs, to see how this unfolds. Football is like life—unexpected, messy, yet beautifully, undeniably fascinating.
