DALLAS — Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ weekly appointment on the Shan & RJ show on 105.3 The Fan came once again Tuesday. In this installment, the owner talked about the loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9, which moved Dallas to 3-5 and several games behind in the NFC East. Also on the docket was discussion on what the Cowboys can do to get better at the trade deadline.
What has Jones told the team?
“I wanted them to hear a couple of experiences I’ve had dealing with setbacks,” said Jones on reports that he had talked with the team following their third consecutive loss on Sunday. “Dealing with hard times, some basic examples of how people took those hard times and turned it into something very important in their lives.”
Jones wouldn’t get into specifics of what he said, but the message is the right one from the owner, despite the Cowboys’ season heading in the wrong direction. There is more than half the season left, so there is theoretically time to turn things around so it doesn’t hurt to try to rally the troops.
Dak Prescott’s timeline
“I wouldn’t dare make a prediction on what it could be,” Jones bemoaned as his franchise signal caller is nursing a hamstring injury that will cost him several weeks. “It’s likely we’ll IR him, see kind of where his rehab goes.”
An IR stint for Prescott would mean he’d be out a minimum of four games, which takes his past the annual Thanksgiving game. That could make for a sad holiday for Cowboys fans to take their turkey dinner without a side of Prescott.
Going with Trey Lance or Cooper Rush?
“Don’t dismiss the possibility of doing anything, the’ going with’ has a past tense aspect to it,” Jones added to the speculation about who might be their preferred backup QB option. “It’s not impossible to incorporate some of the skills we might get from both quarterbacks.”
Jones was pressed on what that might look like, but he neglected to provide any further details. It sounds like the Cowboys will be preparing to play both QBs with Prescott out. Rush’s strengths include his short-to-intermediate passing game, while Lance’s legs could be used as a weapon for the offense.
Does Jones still have faith despite the injuries?
“You don’t see it in the 3-5, but what you do see is the youth in the offensive line getting better, and not making those mistakes, pre-snap and penalties,” said Jones. “The rookies [on the offensive line] do some things that are real impressive. We’re going to bring in a receiver today, more than likely, that we really liked. [I] wanted to draft him.”
Shortly after the interview, news broke that the player Jones was alluding to was former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, who the Cowboys are acquiring for a fourth-round pick.
The trade does add talent to the WR room, but the compensation seems off for a club that isn’t going to be saved by one player, especially not one that is currently a work in progress.
Veteran WRs DeAndre Hopkins and Diontae Johnson were dealt for fifth-round selections, and both have been All-Pro players with 1,000-yard seasons under their belts. Mingo is a former second-round pick from the 2023 draft who has just 539 receiving yards and no scores in 24 career games. This season, Mingo has just 12 catches for 121 yards.
It’s also the second year in a row that the Cowboys will be without their fourth-rounder, a round that Dallas could have looked to find a running back for the future.
Mingo’s trade capital does reflect his age and the years remaining on his deal, however. At 23-years old, Mingo is signed through the 2026 season on a rookie contract, so there is room to grow at a cheap rate, but he’s currently a WR who has issues creating separation.
That skill is one of the biggest parts of being a successful receiver in the NFL these days and was already one of the weaknesses in Dallas’ passing game.
Ultimately, at first blush, the trade doesn’t make sense for the franchise for where they are at the moment. Mingo hasn’t performed well during his short time in the NFL, and the position is not a place where the Cowboys are in dire need of talent.
Dallas prides itself on keeping their draft picks and building from within to complement their high dollar franchise players, so throwing away picks isn’t a smart way to do business.
When will CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons play?
“[Lamb’s shoulder injury was] very painful, we knew when it happened. We don’t think we’re risking further injury by having him out there,” said Jones. “There’s a good chance he’ll be out there against Philadelphia, and Parsons as well.”
A question about running back Ezekiel Elliott’s availability was also broached with the owner replying that there’s a good chance that Zeke can go this week after he missed Week 9 due to disciplinary issues. Jones added that it was pretty plain. Elliott broke clear rules, and the punishment fit.
On the penalty issues
“You can imagine the kind of emphasis on keeping the penalties down, certainly pre-snap ones,” Jones said following a game where Dallas was penalized nine times in an overall sloppy affair.
“Those players are constantly communicating with each other, ‘boys listen to the count, stay onsides.’ You want it to be that way, that’s a combination of players and coaching.”
Are the Cowboys buying or selling at the trade deadline?
“We’re not selling,” Jones stated. “We’ll make a case, we’re buying, not selling.” Jones went on to say that the team needs to do it from within, even though their margin is thin because of their record. The owner said he’s hoping for that “storybook type of scenario.”
It’s hard to take Jones’ word about doing it from within when he just made a deal for a player from another team. Dallas appears to want to have their cake and to eat it too but they also seem to be picking the wrong year to make in-season acquisitions after much of their planning before the season has now backfired.
Should the Cowboys tank for better draft picks instead?
“I have those same kinds of thoughts and feelings, I really do,“ Jones replied. “You have to weigh where you are really good, and what you’re seeing today is a consideration of everything we just outlined, and a lot more.”
Ever the eternal optimist, Jones believes that the team can turn it around, even without Prescott. That’s not rooted in reality, as the Cowboys would be foolish to continue down the path of trading for players when they aren’t close to a Super Bowl.
Do you think the Cowboys should be adding or selling at the trade deadline? Share your thoughts with Ben on X (formerly Twitter) @BenGrimaldi.
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