Cowboys' Stephen Jones Pours Cold Water On Urgency To Add LB Before Draft

Dallas Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones knows the team needs to add talent at linebacker, but there doesn't appear to be any urgency ahead of the NFL Draft.

Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys made several moves to improve the roster early in NFL free agency, bringing in talent that is familiar with new defensive coordinator Christian Parker's scheme.

Dallas added multiple players who will immediately boost the secondary, with potential Day One starters like Jalen Thompson, P.J. Locke, and Cobie Durant added to the defensive backfield. However, the team ignored the linebacker position.

During the annual league meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed the need at linebacker, saying the team is "open for business" after missing out on top free agent options.

Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones, however, has a different take and showed a lack of urgency to address the position ahead of the NFL draft.

Dallas Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones at training camp at the River Ridge Fields. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"I don't think there's any timing on that," Jones said, via Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News. "I go back to player acquisition being 365 days a year. We've got good players after the draft, in terms of players that have played in the league. There's always opportunities for trade and we'll continue to look at every avenue."

Dallas currently has only three linebackers -- DeMarvion Overshown, Shemar James, and Justin Barron -- on the roster, so there needs to be more urgency to improve the linebacking corps, especially with Overshown's injury history.

Luckily, the Cowboys own two picks in the first round of the 2026 draft, so there will be multiple opportunities to add talent. Players like CJ Allen of Georgia and Texas Tech Red Raiders superstar Jacob Rodriguez are among those to be linked to the team with the No. 20 overall pick, while superstars like Ohio State's Sonny Styles among the options at No. 12 overall.

We'll just have to see how the draft plays out in a matter of weeks and whether the team decides to get aggressive to move up and make the splash that it needs.

The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25.

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