Cowboys Emphasize Salary Cap Management and Youth Development in Free Agency and Draft Strategy

In a pre-draft news conference, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones discussed the team's approach to free agency and the upcoming NFL draft, emphasizing the importance of salary cap management and providing opportunities for young players to step up.

The Cowboys have experienced significant free agent attrition this offseason, losing eight players including five starters. Jerry Jones acknowledged the challenges of managing the salary cap and the need to have young, cost-effective players contribute to the team's success. "We have embraced running out of cap room," he said.

The team is focused on being fiscally responsible after using a "credit card approach" in previous seasons. The Jones family is determined to undergo a financial course correction, which means holding back on adding to the supporting cast to ensure they have money for contract extensions for key players like quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and linebacker Micah Parsons.

Despite the limited cap space, the Cowboys expressed confidence in the current roster and their plans for the upcoming draft. The team has seven picks, including three in the top 100, which they will use to fill out their roster with young talent. Head coach Mike McCarthy highlighted the importance of having a strong defensive line in their division and indicated that the team is looking to address needs on both the offensive and defensive lines in the first round of the draft.

Why this matters: The Cowboys' approach to free agency and the draft will have significant implications for their competitiveness in the upcoming season and beyond. By prioritizing salary cap management and youth development, the team is positioning itself for long-term success, even if it means short-term challenges.

Jerry Jones stands put on Prescott's contract, wanting to wait and see what other quarterbacks get. He also acknowledged that the team cannot afford to put an expensive supporting cast around Prescott, and the goal is to "just survive" the season and potentially make the playoffs. The Cowboys are open to trading back from their 24th overall pick in the draft, depending on the available players, as they look to address their roster needs and build for the future.

Key Takeaways

• Cowboys prioritizing salary cap management, youth development over free agent spending.
• Team focused on contract extensions for Prescott, Lamb, Parsons over supporting cast.
• Cowboys have 7 draft picks, including 3 in top 100, to address roster needs.
• Jerry Jones stands by Prescott's contract, open to trading back in draft.
• Cowboys' approach aims for long-term success, even with short-term challenges.