Real 'Reveal' on Why Byron Jones Jumped From Cowboys
FRISCO - "Reveal'' is a tricky word. It suggests something more than a "statement''; it's suggest the offering of the previously unknown, maybe even something of a surprise.
Byron Jones' reasoning for leaving the Dallas Cowboys this month via NFL Free Agency is being framed as a "reveal.'' And if Byron's answer happened to be precisely true, we suppose it would be.
“What really brought to me Miami was joining a young team and being a catalyst for cultural change,” Jones said during his introductory press conference for the Dolphins media. “I wanted to be a part of the building of something special.''
Jones, the former Cowboys first-round pick and standout defender, is very bright - bright enough to always "say the right thing.'' But frankly, this isn't why Byron is a Dolphin; there are any number of teams that could've offered him a chance to "be a part of building something special,'' or even, better, one would think, of "joining something that is already built and is one Pro Bowl corner away from being the most special team in the NFL.''
Those sort of offers were made to Jones. But a five-year, $82.5 million deal was the offer issued by the Dolphins.
And - good for Byron, who deserves every penny - it's the $82.5 million that makes the Dolphins "special.''
Jones, who left Dallas with a classy "love letter'' aimed back inside The Star, also suggested that the Cowboys' plan to retain Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper wasn't what blocked Dallas from keeping him.
"One thing that the Dallas Cowboys do a really good job at is drafting,'' he said, "and they have a whole bunch of good corners on that team -no question about that. And those guys will be just fine without me. But they believe strongly in the way they draft, and they've shown over the years they draft some freaking ballers no matter - first round, seventh round, guys in between.
"They draft and develop really good players.''
Jones is leaving an eight-win Cowboys team for a Dolphins club that won just five games in 2019. But, he said, "We’ve got some ballers. I love the prospect of joining a team that’s on the come-up. To me, that’s exciting.”
If Byron Jones leads a turnaround in Miami, it'll match nicely with one of his reasons for signing there. That's one of the reasons. Not the reason.
