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Related: About this forumJerry Jones stunting Dallas' progress; "preoccupied" with less-pressing matters
Ashley Fox | ESPN.com | 4-29-13
While every other general manager in the NFL was disseminating false information and trying to orchestrate trades to better his draft position, (Jerry) Jones was attending the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Library at Southern Methodist University. Jones should have been re-evaluating his draft board instead of rubbing elbows with political power brokers and dignitaries.
Later Thursday night, Jones threw his own pick in the end zone. He allowed himself to get fleeced by the best team in the Cowboys' conference, one that is already loaded with talent and stands in the way of Dallas' quest to win its first Super Bowl in 17 years.
For some inane reason, Jones opted to help San Francisco land the player it coveted in the first round of the draft -- Louisiana State safety Eric Reid -- and did so at a discounted rate..
Jones traded Dallas' No. 18 overall pick for the 49ers' 31st and 74th picks. Jones should not have settled for a third-round pick, not from the team that has been to the NFC Championship Game the past two seasons, winning it once. The 49ers are the team the Cowboys are chasing. Given their young, talented roster, the Niners didn't need any additional help. Jones should have insisted on a second-round pick. That would have constituted full value for the Cowboys' 18th overall selection.
And even then, the Cowboys could have used a safety, too. They could have plugged Reid in as a starter. They also could have used a defensive tackle, such as Florida's Sharrif Floyd, who fell to the Vikings at No. 23, or another wide receiver, such as Tennessee's Cordarrelle Patterson, whom the Vikings traded up to get at No. 29. Instead, Jones dropped back to select a player he could have gotten on Friday night and most likely could have gotten some time on Saturday. Wisconsin center Travis Frederick isn't a first-round talent. Even Frederick was shocked to be a first-round pick.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2013/story/_/id/9221310/nfl-draft-jerry-jones-stunting-dallas-progress
Nice job, Jerry
El Supremo
(20,365 posts)It was less than six months ago that Dallas owner Jerry Jones put himself on notice as GM of the Cowboys, saying he would have fired himself. Well, based on the early returns from this year's NFL draft, Jones once again has cause for self-dismissal.
The Cowboys were the only team to earn a failing grade for their performance in the draft, an effort that included a trade down and the subsequent selection of a player they could have gotten rounds later.
Dallas Cowboys
Picks: C Travis Frederick, TE Gavin Escobar, WR Terrance Williams, FS J.J. Wilcox, CB B.W. Webb, RB Joseph Randle, OLB DeVonte Holloman.
Analysis: Last year, the Cowboys received a B after an aggressive move up the board to get cornerback Morris Claiborne. This year they traded down, and the grade bottomed out with it. Three of their first four picks are guys who might not play significantly this year. The consensus around the league is that Frederick was a reach. Escobar was a fine pick, but then Williams and Wilcox are two guys who might not play for two years. Considering the Cowboys have Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, Williams was an unnecessary luxury (particularly after the Escobar pick). Wilcox can be an in-the-box safety, but hes so woefully inexperienced that its going to take awhile.
Grade: F
Auggie
(31,060 posts)though I do feel for those fans who plunked down thousands for seat licenses and season tickets. They were fleeced.