ARLINGTON, Texas - Here are some absolutes for the Cowboys heading into this weekend's draft.

No matter Roy Williams caught just 19 passes in nine games last year after arriving in a trade, the Cowboys are not experiencing any buyer's remorse.

The Cowboys aren't getting fidgety knowing they already spent their first-round pick on Williams, a purchase they truly feel was a wise one, although Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said about an hour or two into the first round of Saturday's start to the NFL draft they might have to put father Jerry, the well-known Trade Joe, "in a straitjacket" to get him to sit still.

The Cowboys don't think whoever they select with their first pick, the 51st overall and 19th in the second round, has to be a guy who must start Sept. 13 at Tampa Bay.

The Cowboys have an inordinate amount of draft choices, 11, and it would seem a tad far-fetched all 11 draft choices would make this team, suggesting the Cowboys might be highly active trading picks to move up and around or for 2010 picks. But Stephen Jones said the club is prepared to use all 11 picks, and hopes all 11 make the team, meaning the Cowboys would be getting younger at the bottom of the 53-man roster and . . . swapping out pricier veterans for first-year contracts. He points out how they had fifth- and sixth-round grades on the likes of Miles Austin and Sam Hurd in 2006, but didn't have enough draft choices to qualify using them on two wide receivers, forcing them into a recruiting and bidding war in free agency. This year, they could simply draft those kinds of guys.

But on the other hand, the Cowboys realize they do have the firepower with 11 draft choices to trade up in a round to get a guy they absolutely want who is dangling there. Owner Jerry Jones referred to their first of two fourth-round picks, the first in the round thanks to one of last year's draft-day trades with Detroit, as a "war daddy," meaning a highly-coveted bartering chip. For example, coupling that fourth-rounder with their second-rounder could get the Cowboys to the eighth pick in the second; and coupling with their fifth pick in the third to as high as a bottom 10 pick in the second. Or, keeping that pick could land the Cowboys the best player in the fourth, where they lately have located the likes of Tashard Choice, Marion Barber, Chris Canty and Bradie James.

And if you are fantasizing about the Cowboys packing some veterans in draft-day trades, better think again, since Jerry Jones said, "That's a reach, a bad time to trade a player."

Also, don't get preoccupied with the notion the Cowboys will have "wildcat" on their minds if and when they select a quarterback in the later rounds, realizing that would be more luxury than necessity.

Soak all that in.

But after listening to Jerry and Stephen Jones talk draft for 30 minutes or so out here Thursday afternoon at the new stadium, having to momentarily stop some construction in the south end zone plaza area when there are few moments of work to spare these days, the Cowboys seemed at peace heading into the weekend's proceedings.

Because no matter what you think, I think or any of those ever-multiplying draftniks in the cottage industry think, the Cowboys will not be sitting there at 51 on pins and needles, hoping beyond hope - or unconsciously trading up - to grab the guy or a guy at the position they just have to have.

They feel they have aptly covered themselves in free agency to prevent any wild reaches, such as grabbing Shante Carver in 1994 just because they needed a defensive end, or the failed triumvirate of Dwayne Goodrich, Kareem Larrimore and Mario Edwards just because they needed a cornerback or heading into the draft sold on Quincy Carter without even knowing who you might be passing up to select him because you just have to address your quarterback position after releasing Troy Aikman.

Those kinds of draft choices can get you in trouble, pushing the envelope out of sheer need. And in those instances, they ended up in trouble with all five of those guys.

So this year, after losing defensive end Chris Canty in free agency they immediately signed San Diego starter Igor Olshansky. Knowing Zach Thomas wouldn't be coming back, they covered themselves at his weak inside linebacker spot by signing free-agent linebacker Keith Brooking. After releasing safety Roy Williams and knowing they would not address free agent Keith Davis until after the draft, they signed Jacksonville free-agent starter Gerald Sensabaugh. And after cutting ties with backup quarterback Brad Johnson, they traded for Detroit veteran Jon Kitna, basically giving up a guy they were going to release, Anthony Henry, for a guy the Lions were going to cut.

And the beauty of those free-agent signings is this: The Cowboys didn't pay any of those guys the type of money that prohibits a draft choice from taking over the starting job if capable. Meaning, the money trail doesn't preclude one of a potential 11 draft choices from winning a starting job.

Now as Stephen Jones said, when asked if any of their upcoming draft choices could win a starting job, "Possibly, absolutely. But is it probable? It's going to be difficult."

So in other words, the Cowboys can follow their board, something they spend millions of dollars to put together when you consider all the time and money spent sending scouts on the road; attending the NFL combine; and going to all these hotshots' individual workouts, not to mention the individual man hours spent poring over tape of prospective draft choices.

Talking to those guys in the scouting department, this is music to their ears, a pure draft, heading in without preconceived notions, something the Cowboys have been doing over the past couple of years and especially last year. Here is the work we've done, now pick the best guy still available no matter position - within reasonable need - and then let, as Jerry called it, "motor," health and character become the viable tiebreakers.

To me, the bottom line to the Cowboys' second-round pick becomes, and paying keen attention to what Stephen Jones had to say on Thursday, is finding a player with a dimension that gets him on the field, somehow, someway since the percentages are against that guy starting from Day One his rookie year. Just something. Contribute on the nickel. Contribute on special teams. Have a role in a changeup defense. Maybe challenge to become one of those seven or eight active offensive linemen on game day.

Kind of get the picture?

Say they draft a safety. Well, it won't be shameful if the guy is not starting. He's going to have to be mighty impressive to initially beat out Ken Hamlin and Gerald Sensabaugh. But maybe the guy plays on special teams and the nickel. Good enough for now.

Say you draft an outside linebacker, one of those pressure guys, a defensive end making the conversion to outside linebacker in a 3-4. So maybe every now and then he can put his hand down at end on the nickel. Or you move the guy around on the dime. Or what if he's a versatile Kevin Burnett guy capable of playing in the middle on the nickel? And you have another special teams player.

Say you draft an offensive lineman. The Cowboys could use an offensive tackle they're willing to sink their teeth into as a backup to Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo on game day. Or it's an inside guy, one who can battle Cory Procter for the backup center/guard spot who some day might take over for Kyle Kosier and prevent the Cowboys from spending more big bucks in free agency for another starter at guard or even center when it becomes time for Andre Gurode, entering his eighth season by the way, to move on.

Say you draft a defensive end or nose tackle. That guy at least can battle for rotation time with a few guys who really need to step up this year, guys such as Jason Hatcher, Stephen Bowen and for now nose tackle Junior Siavii. The Cowboys regularly play six defensive linemen.

Or as so many seem sold on, say you draft a wide receiver, meaning you would have spent your first three draft choices this year on the same position since the first and third went for Roy Williams. Ah, but will that guy jump ahead of the three guys in which you have invested time, Miles Austin, Sam Hurd, Isaiah Stanback? What if that guy can't get on the field? So any receiver drafted better have some return ability, preferably punt return. That way he at least gets on the field - at least gets a uniform for sure on game day.

See what I mean? Just someone who helps make this team better. Not necessarily a home run in his first at-bat, but nothing wrong with a few line singles.

"We've got to have some football players out of this draft, and players who can contribute immediately," Jerry Jones said.

Yep, that's what you need to be thinking come, oh, I'd say sometime after 6:30 or 7 Saturday night when the Cowboys can start swinging into action.

And when it becomes time to take that straitjacket off Jerry.