OXNARD, Calif. –Thursday's afternoon the rumor sprung up like a wildfire that the Cowboys had engaged in "preliminary discussions" with Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for Plaxico Burress. Just as quickly, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doused the flames.
"We haven't even discussed that internally at all," Jones said. "That's not been discussed at any level of our organization, one way or the other."
Apart from Jones, two additional front office sources confirmed that Burress is not on the team's radar. One high-level source said the Cowboys "haven't even thought about it."
The speculation began when team Vice-President Stephen Jones told KTBB-FM in Tyler, Texas that he wouldn't completely rule out looking at Burress "at some point." But he later told reporters that the Cowboys will let the preseason play out before considering any veteran receivers.
It's possible the source telling multiple outlets that the Cowboys have spoken to Rosenhaus about Burress is the agent himself.
If the young candidates for the No. 3 position do not pan out over the next four weeks, the Cowboys may look at adding a more proven receiver, not necessarily Burress in particular.
"We would look at any option," Jerry Jones said. "A lot of Laurent (Robinson) was his availability that caused us to look at him. If someone should become available that we were interested in, but we're not trying to trade and we're really looking forward to this round of preseason games to look at these young guys.
"We don't have anything on the horizon other than just the normal look of all talent."
Burress is the most high profile free agent receiver still available, now that Terrell Owens and Braylon Edwards have signed with the Seattle Seahawks. He had 45 catches, 612 yards and eight touchdowns for the New York Jets last year in his return from a prison term and two-year layoff after accidentally shooting himself in a New York City nightclub in 2008.
Formerly with the Jets, Giants and Steelers, Burress turns 35 on Sunday. He has 550 career catches, or 525 more than all of the current No. 3 receiver candidates on the Cowboys roster combined. In a group that includes 2011 sixth-round pick Dwayne Harris, highly-touted second-year player Andre Holmes, fifth-round pick Danny Coale and a host of undrafted rookies, fourth-year pro Kevin Ogletree is the only option with even one NFL reception.
"We're going to go to war, so to speak, go into the season, with question marks at the third receiver," Jerry Jones said. "There's no doubt. No matter who it is."
