What Cowboys' Jerry Jones' Vow Really Means: 'All In - Then You're All Out!'?

What Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Jones Prediction Really Means: 'All In - And Then Y'All Are All Out!'?

FRISCO - The more Jerry Jones attempts to clarity what his definition of "all in'' is, the less clear it becomes.

And maybe that's the point.

The Dallas Cowboys owner was quizzed this week at the NFL Scouting Combine regarding some specifics of his "bold'' pledge. And specifics proved to be elusive. ... a more muddled mess than ever before.

Here's Jerry speaking pure gibberish: "We will be working on different players and drafting different people. Just the very nature of it is different. Different people, we have different coaches. I think the attention that our nuances of where we are with the cap, the nuances of where we are with our position in the draft, the nuances of where we are with our free agents – we get that involved with the definition of being 'all-in.' 

"When you look at those aspects, we will be looking at every solution towards winning this year."

Nope. "We have different coaches'' and "we will be working on different players'' is NOT "all in.'' That's standard operating procedure. Of course the Cowboys have coaches and players. No credit is granted for "those aspects.''

Shall we try again?

“Your definition of what is 'all in' and mine might not be the same thing, but I’m trying to win the games this year with my decision,” Jones said. “So I’m all in to this year.”

Umm, nope. Again, Jerry uses the word "different'' without actually spelling out any actual "differences.'' 

If he means, for instance, Dallas will try to draft and sign bigger-bodied defensive linemen (just as an example)? That can be "different.'' But it has nothing to do with any conventional definition of "all in.''

Same with Jerry mentioning "the nuances of where we are with our position in the draft, the nuances of where we are with our free agents.'' A "nuance'' tells us nothing unless the Cowboys are willing to say what that "nuance'' is.

Again (just an example): Will the new "nuance'' reveal itself when the Cowboys bid on an expensive Tier 1 free agent? (As opposed to the already-issued goodbye to Tyron Smith.) That would be new. Will they flood the roster with a large collection of veteran free agents on one-year deals, befitting the notion that 2024 is more than just "all in'' - it's more like "All In - And Then Y'all Are All Out''? That would be a significant piece of evidence of "all in.''

Another try, only this time Jerry does get specific about a position - Dak Prescott's position.

“I’ve drafted quarterbacks for the future, OK? I would be reluctant to do that this year,” Jones said. “That’s an example: use our first pick for quarterback this year, for the future if you had an opportunity there. You are at No. 24 and the greatest thing since ice cream, he’s sitting there. I’d be reluctant to do that this year. That’s called ‘all in’ this year.”

"Translating Jerry''? What he's saying is that because of the commitment to Dak and 2024, his Cowboys would pass on a legit QB heir to Prescott in the first round to instead select a player at another position who can help immediately.

This one, we get. But we still find it troubling on two fronts.

One: So the Cowboys would be "untrue to their board'' and take a lineman or a linebacker or a receiver or whatever, instead of taking the higher-ranked "Greatest Thing Since Ice Cream'' QB? That seems ... unwise.

Two: “I’ve drafted quarterbacks for the future, OK?'' Jones claimed.

Oh, Jerry. You have done no such thing. Ever.

Troy Aikman and Steve Walsh (supplemental) were drafted here in 1989. That wasn't about selecting a "future'' heir. Nor - assuming we agree that Day 3 dart-throw QBs cannot be counted on as "future heirs'' - was the 1991 fourth-round pick of Bill Musgrave, the 2009 fourth-round pick of Stephen McGee, the 2016 fourth-round pick of Dak Prescott, the 2018 fifth-round pick of Mike White or the 2000 seventh-round pick of Ben DiNucci.

Cowboys 'Don't Need' New Contract With Dak - Jerry

We'll argue that not even Dak was selected with the "future heir'' idea in mind; it was a crap shoot. ... as the rest of the above guys surely were.

Can we agree that the "Greatest Thing Since Ice Cream'' QB is never going to be taken in Rounds 4, 5 and 7? If so, then the truth is ...

In 35 years, Jerry Jones has NEVER “drafted a quarterback to be the future heir.''

And a final "all-in'' definition try from Mr. Jones ... 

"We're going to be doing every solution or working toward the solution being to win this year," Jones said. "Every solution. And that's what I mean by 'all in.''

What are we left with here? Maybe a PR push. Maybe Jerry Gibberish. Or, if anything substantial at all? Again, with his collection of lame-duck coaches and his lame-duck QB, maybe he secretly means, "All In - And Then Y'all Are All Out!''