Another off-season, and another headlines-stealing move by Cowboys owner & GM Jerry Jones.
Perhaps we shouldn’t blame him. After all, it is in his nature. But trading Dez Bryant to Detroit for quarterback Matthew Stafford? That, my friends, is what you call bold (some might say crazy), even though the trade has not been made official yet by the league office. Sources say it will by this afternoon.
Relying solely on Tony Romo, who’s collar bone was surgically repaired a few weeks ago, was simply too much of a chance for Jerry. No, he wasn’t about to take a chance on a top prospect at quarterback with his top pick. Why not go get a proven commodity, especially with this roster. And the Cowboys lose the off-the-field headaches that Dez brings.
It is no secret that Stafford would probably have found his way to Dallas someday, but no one predicted this soon. Good for Jerry. And good for Cowboys fans.
Leave it to Jerry to be the one GM who could pry Stafford away from Detroit. The Lions are clearly in rebuild mode again, with Calvin Johnson retiring and then un-retiring to become a Patriot (which is why they coveted Bryant). Now the Lions can clearly target another quarterback with their own draft pick.
Funny how these things sometimes fall into place. Jerry has made some bonehead decisions over the years (Joey Galloway anyone?), but count this one as an A-plus.
Other needs remain, including the obvious in finding another wide receiver (or two), as well as a fulltime running back. The choices among the No. 4 overall pick are endless for Dallas now (Ezekiel Elliott would be my pick). And then there is what to do with two top quarterbacks on the roster. Should the Cowboys try and trade Romo? (Denver, Buffalo or the LA Rams certainly would have interest, among others).
Only a few weeks remain before the NFL Draft, so surely Romo will be moved by then, or even on draft day. Stafford lives in Dallas during the off-season, and he was more than happy to lift his no-trade clause to come to the Cowboys and, in essence, come home.
Limited the last few years due to injury, I do not blame Jones in the slightest for rolling the dice and making this move. Stafford is one of the best quarterbacks in the league yet he’s been somewhat flying under the radar in Detroit. And finding top wide receivers is much easier than signal-callers.
Surely this isn’t the last move Jerry h as up his sleeve prior to the beginning of Training Camp. There’s several months to go through before we get there. And if you’re forgetting where we are on the calendar, simply put together the first letter of each paragraph in this story and you’ll be up to speed.
