FRISCO, Texas – With all the interviews going down this week at the NFL meetings, what with owner Jerry Jones, co-owner Stephen Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer holding down interview sessions, we've been provided with more Shots than, what's the old sayin', we can shake a stick at.
So if you don't mind, and stealing this term from the late Blackie Sherrod, one of the best newspapermen to pass through DFW back when newspapers were really newspapers, and the home delivery editions included all scores except for the games played on the West Coast, will spend today "scattershooting," a word spellcheck is rejecting.
Here we go, no time to waste.
• What If: After listening to Jerry Jones answer questions from Phoenix on the status of any negotiations on a long-term deal for the franchise-tagged George Pickens, this occurred to me. What if the Cowboys want Pickens to play on the guaranteed $27.3 million tag instead of signing him to a long-term deal with millions of guaranteed money? Jerry even said nothing new on negotiations, nor even starting. Maybe look at it this way. When it comes to Pickens' track record, his 2025 numbers – 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns – far exceed his previous career highs in all three categories. Might the Cowboys want more consistent evidence before loading him up with a four-year deal averaging at least $30 million that includes like a $40 million signing bonus. And I'll say this one more time: The $27.3 million guaranteed tag number far exceeds the $6.75 million he's earned during a four-year NFL career. Can't be butt hurt about that.
• Trader Jerry's: Not sure this needed to be asked but is one of those perfunctory questions in the "Book of Questions" Bill Belichick, during a Super Bowl media session, accused one media person of having to ask an innocuous one from. I mean,Jerry basically was asked if he would be partial to packaging draft choices to move around during the draft. Up or down. Duh, of course he will consider that. Up or down. And Jerry's answer was: "I've looked at that mirror a lot about how to go up and down and trade and do those kinds of things, and absolutely will entertain improving … on what gives us a better chance to get another player and still have our pick in the red meat of top players. … And yes, you should when you've got the kind of assets or the kind of ammunition we got in this draft." To move up with that 12thpick in the first round, better be for a generational player. But when analyzing these many "mock" drafts, see where for the most part after the Cowboys' 20th pick in the first, there is a range of five to eight players the team would not be interested in with that high of a first round pick, like wide receivers, offensive linemen, tight ends and defensive tackles, so why not trade back a few spots to pick up a Day 2 draft choice? That is, unless by some coincidence a CeeDee Lamb, Dez Bryant or Zack Martin is sitting there to trump your priorities.
• More Evidence: Even Schottenheimer was asked about the possibility of taking a "shot" at an offensive player in the first round while there is a consensus out there the Cowboys will go defense, defense with those first two picks, and for sure out of sheer necessity. "Yeah, (offensive coordinator) Clayton (Adams) knocks on my door every night before he leaves. He's like, 'Hey, Shotty, remember me? Over here? Yeah, I'm the guy in that office right over there.' What I love about the draft and this whole process is the unpredictability of it. I really do feel like we've set ourselves up to take the best player available. We've got ourselves in a position we can make some moves and move back, move up, do what we have to do. But if the best player on the board is clearly an offensive player, then we'll certainly discuss that and more than likely,knowing Jerry, pull the trigger." That speaks to what the Cowboys already have accomplished in free agency.
• Compense This: Didn't think of this until Stephen Jones mentioned from Phoenix that for the first time since 2013, the Cowboys are unlikely to receive any compensatory draft choices tied to lost free agents for the 2027 NFL Draft. The Cowboys have signed 11 free agents so far, and of the three unrestricted players they have lost – Jalen Tolbert, Juanyeh Thomas and Jack Sanborn, along with restricted free agent Brock Hoffman – none were fulltime starters in 2025, and none received more than a one-year deal for no more than close to minimum to offset the ones signed. Of their other unrestricted free agents, there are still 10 unsigned. "Strategizing that can affect what we do in free agency next year, knowing you don't have (compensatory picks).… Depending on where you ultimately end up with trades and things of that nature, it can always affect what your position is, what your situation is in free agency," Jones said. This year the Cowboys have two compensatory picks, both in the fifth round.
• Entrepreneur Jason: Was fortunate to attend the opening cocktail party for Jason Garrett's newest endeavor, Caffe Lucca in Dallas, near the Katy Trail. Serving as evidence of how loyal a few of his former players still are, Dak Prescott and Sean Lee were attending, though those two flew in from California just for this affair. Also spoke to an obviously slimmed down Zack Martin, who retired after the 2024 season, saying he has lost 60 pounds. Also, there were Jason's former Cowboys teammatesMichael Ivrin and Russell Maryland.
• Quack, Quack: Jerry Jones was asked if the NFL potentially is overexposing its product with so many games on television during the week, so far Tuesday the only day with no games scheduled for 2026. Jerry didn't miss a beat, saying, "No. When the ducks quack, feed them. And we have that demand for our games, and because of the hard work and great players that we have, we have great demand. We should address it, respond to it and feed it." This year feeding six days some weeks.
• This & That: No brainer the Cowboys still need to restock their inside linebacker position, which will be a priority on the first two days of the draft, but also will keep their ears open for any trade possibilities, Stephen pointing out they don't necessarily need to make a free agent move for a veteran before the draft … Cowboys sure added some bulk to their defensive front signing Jonathan Bullard, 6-3, 290, and certainly adding experience, the former third-round draft choice of the Chicago Bears having already played 10 seasons, spending the third of his three years with the Vikings (2022-24) and with Cowboys recently hired defensive line coach Marcus Dixon, then Minnesota's D-Line coach … Maybe this is the last of it – probably not – but the topic of the failed attempt to trade for Vegas defensive end Maxx Crosby might never go away, and two things most forget are these: If Crosby failed the Ravens physical, what makes some think he would not fail a Cowboys physical that likely did reveal a longevity knee issue? And secondly, there's that little fact of his $32.5 million guaranteed base salary for this season.
And let's ask Jerry Jones to provide this week's final word from Phoenix, when pointing out the Cowboys need to fix the defense that's been taking place in free agency and trades. Such as the ones last season to acquire defensive linemen Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams and this year for defensive end/linebacker Rashan Gary. Jerry's take: This has been long overdue.
Plus, think about it, the Cowboys inability to stop the run has been bugging them since 2020 when they finished 31st against the run, 16h in 2021, 22nd in 2022, 16th in 2023, 29th in 2024 and 23rd in 2025.
"Well, I think we've made a tangible – tangible, not how it looks – we've made a tangible restructuring of our defense, and we not only have done it with the direct coaching, we're going to have done it with the direct participants, the players. And we're going to have done it with the schemes," Jerry said. "And so, I think it does address . . . I don't look at what we need to be addressing and getting better at as just a last year issue. I think it's one that some of the things have been lingering around in our defense for several years."
Think about this as my last shot: In the Cowboys' last four playoff losses stretching from 2018 through 2023, once to the Packers, twice to the 49ers and once to the Rams, the Cowboys defense has given up an average of 174.5 yards rushing – a high of 273 to the Rams – and nine total rushing touchdowns, three each to Green Bay and Los Angeles.
How's that for some fine "scattering"?
