ARLINGTON — Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said the team made a trade before the team’s 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night.
After Monday’s game, he walked back those comments. Sort of.
“There is no trade right now,” Jones said after the game.
Hours before, Jones indicated a different story.
Cowboys
Speaking on the Stephen A. Smith show on SiriusXM on Monday afternoon, Jones didn’t get into specifics about who the team has acquired because the official paperwork hasn’t been handed into the league office.
Jones also said the team is attempting to make two more trades.
The NFL trade deadline is 3 p.m. Tuesday.
“A lot of action going on right now in terms of trading. We certainly have made a trade and we may make a couple more trades before that deadline,” Jones said. “We’ve made one. We possibly could make two more, and I’m going to wait and let you read about that when we send the papers in tomorrow.”
Jones said multiple times after Monday’s loss that the game result wouldn’t change whether they were interested in making a trade.
Jones also admitted that he was being “coy” about a potential trade because he didn’t want to alert other teams who would be interested in stepping in and acquiring that same player. When asked if he thinks he was in danger of that after alerting others to a potential deal in the first place, Jones said no.
“I know I’m talking in circles,” Jones said, “but I’m talking in circles because I’m in a highly competitive situation.”
Several key NFL players are on the trade market who could make sense for the Cowboys, according to various media reports, as Dallas seeks upgrades on defense.
Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby was a big name on the market, but last week he was told by his team he wasn’t going to be traded.
Related
Crosby’s teammate, edge rusher Malcolm Koonce, is another player on the market. Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb and outside linebacker Matthew Judon are also up for grabs. Teams are also inquiring about Jets linebacker Jermaine Johnson.
Before the Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to the Packers, Jones called Jets owner Woody Johnson to ask about the availability of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams but was told he wasn’t available.
Teams have also asked about Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson and linebacker Logan Wilson. Titans defensive end Arden Key and defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat also could be traded.
“Immediately it will have them on the field and it will address some of the things that have been our shortcomings,” Jones said when asked who the Cowboys acquired while he was talking to Smith and Cowboys Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin on Monday afternoon. “Now that’s a milquetoast answer, it really is. We’ve been, having not to get into too much detail, it’s on defense.”
Jones, in a rambling answer, also talked about how a potential trade would help the defense.
“You got assignments and you make your assignments and all of you are shaking your heads, you know what we’re talking about. Now, if sometimes you want to go out and just make a big play, and abandon your assignment, what does that do to everybody else?”
“Harms way,” said Cowboys Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, who was also on the show.
“In harms way and usually will create a negative thing for the Dallas Cowboys,” Jones continued. “We are trying to get a player and have players that are getting to where they can be in the right place. That sounds simplistic. You say, ‘My gosh, these are pros. They’re supposed to be in the right place.’ It’s not as easy as it sounds. But we’re in there, that’s why I think we can be better.”
If the deal that Jones said they had, then didn’t, comes true.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.