Cowboys 'Trade Train' Leaves Jerry Jones Behind; No Dallas Deal - What Went Wrong?
FRISCO - Jerry Jones indicated to us that he entered Tuesday's NFL trade deadline time with "The Itch.''
The Dallas Cowboys owner, not long before the clock would tick to "zero'' (well, 3 p.m. CT, technically), said he was “standing by the track, ready to grab the caboose on this train today in the next few hours.”
We truly believe it was his "feverish'' (his words) intention to guide Dallas into a move that, as we put it, would transform "bye week'' into "buy week''?
So, what went wrong? Or, more fairly stated, what didn't happen?
The Cowboys sat at 6-2 after last Sunday's thrashing of the Chicago Bears acknowledging that they are an imperfect team ... but one that could be an "over-the-top'' move away from being the NFC's best.
Would the Cowboys make a deal to strengthen a potential Super Bowl run? Jones' preview of the deadline included him saying, "We've got some some things we're entertaining. Some things are coming our way."
But a trade for a wide receiver? Chase Claypool cost the Bears a second-rounder to seal the deal with Pittsburgh. The kooky Calvin Ridley trade - the suspended-for-gambling wideout moved from Atlanta to Jacksonville - wouldn't have helped a Dallas Super Bowl run.
And the big one: Houston never budged on wanting at least that "second-rounder'' for Brandin Cooks. ... and as we have detailed, what to do with the 2023 guaranteed $18 million salary got in the way as well.
So ... James Washington is nearing a return, and that will have to do.
A trade for pass-rush help? Carolina was turning down Brian Burns offers of two first-round picks, and Bradley Chubb was moved to Miami in exchange for a package featuring a first-rounder. (And of course, Dallas actually has a surplus here and was listening to offers on Tarell Basham.
A trade for a cornerback? Washington dangled the struggling William Jackson III and eventually gave him away to Pittsburgh.
A trade for an O-lineman? Tyron Smith's comeback from a torn hamstring will have to do.
Dallas did get a run-stopper in Johnathan Hankins from the Raiders; that counts as a "deadline deal.'' And that pickup had the Cowboys trying to trade Trysten Hill; no takers, so the former second-round D-lineman is being waived.
But beyond that ... Jones said he felt urgency, in part because his team is among the best in the NFC and because he turned 80 last month.
"I am conscious of (being 80) all the time," Jones admitted. "It never crossed mind 10 years ago ... running out of time. But my schedule has tightened up. I have a little less cruisin’ time and little more doin' time."
The Cowboys can still win games, make a push, or even sign another receiver (like the injured Odell Beckham Jr.). But as it regards Jerry Jones grabbing that caboose''?
The trade train ran on time. And the Dallas Cowboys ran out of same.
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