Who Are Cowboys Coveting In Draft?
- In order of their desire to pick them, Pauline hears the Cowboys are coveting Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea, Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and Maryland wide receiver D.J. Moore.
Cowboys’ David Irving Under Investigation
David Irving is under investigation from Frisco, Texas police, as Drew Davison of the Star Telegram tweets. Irving has been accused of domestic violence from a woman claiming to be his girlfriend. Cops are looking into allegations of assault for bodily injury of a family member; assault against a family member while impeding breath/circulation, and unlawful restraint. The charge of impeding one’s breath/circulation (which, effectively, means choking someone) is a felony. 
On Monday afternoon, his girlfriend retracted her allegations, per Davison (Twitter link). The Frisco Police Department plans to continue with its investigation. “We’re still going to do our due diligence,” officer Radd Rotello told Davison.
This is not Irving’s first instance of off-the-field trouble, but it is the first of its kind during his NFL career. Last year, he began the season with a four-game ban for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. He rebounded well from that suspension, however, as he racked up seven sacks in eight games. This offseason, he signed his one-year, $2.9MM restricted tender to remain in Dallas.
If the allegations have merit, Irving could be looking at another suspension to begin the 2018 season, not to mention a host of legal trouble.
Cowboys Exercise Byron Jones’ Option
It’s officially a done deal. The Cowboys have exercised Byron Jones‘ option for 2019, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The move was actually formalized on Friday, but was not reported until Monday morning. 
Jones will be moving to safety from cornerback this season, but his salary will reflect his former position. The Cowboys now have the defensive back under contract for $6.2MM, though his salary is guaranteed for injury only.
Jones, 26 in September, has started every game for the Cowboys over the last two years and has tallied 130 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one touchdown in that span. Last year, his performance dipped a bit, as evidenced by his 76.8 overall score from Pro Football Focus (ranked No. 54 amongst safeties), down from 83.7 in 2016. The hope in Dallas is that he will get back on track at cornerback.
Since the fifth-year option was implemented under the new collective bargaining agreement, the Cowboys have exercised the additional year on every first round pick except for Morris Claiborne, the No. 6 overall selection in the 2012 draft.
You can keep track of all fifth-year option decisions using PFR’s tracker.
Clayton: Cowboys Most Likely Thomas Suitor
Despite the Seahawks expecting Earl Thomas not to hold out, they still have him on the trade block, John Clayton of ESPN said during a radio appearance with KESN in Dallas (via the Dallas Morning News). Clayton added that the Seahawks would likely be willing to move their three-time All-Pro safety for less than a first-round pick, indicating they would probably trade Thomas for a package featuring second- and fourth-round selections and perhaps something in the 2019 draft. Clayton indicates the Cardinals could use a free safety but that the Seahawks were not going to trade Thomas to an NFC West team. The Cowboys moving Byron Jones to cornerback would open a spot there, and Thomas was vocal about being receptive to a Dallas deal, and they strike Clayton as the top suitor for the 28-year-old defender’s services.
Cowboys To Exercise Byron Jones’ Option
The Cowboys are expected to exercise Byron Jones‘ fifth-year option, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The move will keep Jones, a UConn product, under club control through the 2019 season. He will be locked into a $6.266MM salary, guaranteed for injury only, for 2019.
Jones, whom the Cowboys selected with the 27th overall pick of the 2015 draft, played cornerback at UConn and during the early portion of his rookie season in Dallas, but he settled in at safety thereafter. His overall performance took a bit of a dip last year, but that could be due to the fact that he was asked to play closer to the line of scrimmage in 2017 than in the preceding campaigns. Over the past two seasons, he has started every game and has compiled 130 tackles, two interceptions (including one pick-six), and two forced fumbles.
Jones will be moving back to cornerback in 2018, as he confirmed just last week. He will work under the tutelage of new defensive backs coach Kris Richard, who helped turn the Seahawks’ secondary into one of the most formidable in the league during his time in Seattle.
Although it remains to be seen whether Jones will be operating in the slot or outside the numbers, his wallet should also benefit from the move to corner. Corners generally earn more than safeties, as reflected in the franchise tag numbers for the two positions, which will help Jones when he goes to negotiate his next contract.
The Cowboys have until May 3 to formally exercise Jones’ option. All of the fifth-year decisions on 2015 first-rounders can be found on our tracker.
East Rumors: Giants, Bryant, Patriots, Brady
Dez Bryant took to Instagram to post a video of him working out with Giants star Odell Beckham Jr., fueling speculation that he could land with the Giants. Bryant has been vocal about his desire to sign with the G-Men, but it’s not clear if that interest is being reciprocated by GM Dave Gettleman.
Earlier this week, Brandon Marshall posted – then deleted – a post of his own on Instagram in which he informed Bryant that there was “no room” for him in the Giants’ locker room. Days later, the Giants released Marshall, so there could be room for the three-time Pro Bowler in New York after all.
Here’s more from the East divisions:
- Was Patriots quarterback Tom Brady ever considering retirement? At least two of his teammates aren’t buying it. Two Pats players tell Mike Giardi of NBC Sports Boston (on Twitter) that they’ve spoken to him this offseason, including discussions about the upcoming season, and he’s never indicated he wasn’t playing/retiring. Brady is also continuing his normal workout regimen/diet, even while in Qatar, according to the players. Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com hear that Brady will indeed play in 2018, though he would like a new contract.
- Meanwhile, Brady already has made arrangements to get together with some of his Patriots teammates between the end of the offseason program and the start of training camp, a source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of PFT.
- Eagles vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas wonders if it will be tougher for the team to land quality undrafted free agents this year because of perception that it will be tough to make the final cut on a deep roster (Twitter link via NJ.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks).
- In speaking with reporters, Douglas also noted that there have been many running backs from all parts drafts that have contributed right off of the bat with their teams (Twitter link via Shorr-Parks). That could give some insight into the Eagles’ plans heading into next week’s draft.
QB Luke McCown Retires From NFL
Longtime NFL quarterback Luke McCown is calling it quits. On Friday, the 36-year-old announced his retirement from football. 
“Today I am officially retiring from the NFL,” McCown wrote. “It’s bittersweet to leave the game I love and the craft I’ve worked at since the second grade.”
McCown first entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Browns in 2004. He started in four games as a rookie for Cleveland before a draft weekend deal shipped him to Tampa Bay. He did not see the field for the Bucs until 2007, when he made three starts for the team. Between ’07 and ’15, McCown started only three more contests.
Even though he didn’t see much playing time over the years, McCown earned enough on contracts with the Browns, Bucs, Jaguars, Saints, Falcons, and Cowboys to retire comfortably. We wish the QB and former Verizon spokesperson the best in the next chapter of his life.
Cowboys Place TE James Hanna On Reserve/Retired List
The Cowboys will place James Hanna on the reserve/retired list, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. The tight end’s knee condition has not improved and may end his career. Hanna was not involved in the early part of the team’s offseason program, a sign that his recovery had hit a roadblock. 
Due to the injured knee, Hanna has been hampered over the last two seasons. He missed all of 2016 with the malady and was less effective because of it in 2017, despite appearing in all 16 games.
Hanna was never much of a receiving threat, but he carved out a spot in Dallas based off of his blocking ability. Hanna made the roster in 2012 as a sixth-round pick and played in all but two of the Cowboys’ regular season games over the years, save for the lost 2016 season.
With Hanna out of the picture, the Cowboys’ tight end depth chart consists of Jason Witten, Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin, and Rico Gathers. With Witten getting up there in years, Dallas may want to give extra consideration to tight ends in next week’s draft.
Breer On NFL Draft, Dolphins, Moore
Have pre-draft workouts gotten out of control? Many in the football world believe that is the case, Albert Breer of The MMQB writes.
“I worked out a guy who was dead because he got smoked by the team that worked him out two days before,” said one NFC assistant coach. “I had some questions about his toughness coming in, but I had to give him a pass on the whole thing. And it’s on the coaches for doing that.”
After a workout season that saw Wisconsin cornerback Nick Nelson tear his meniscus while working out for the Lions and N.C. State defensive tackle Kentavius Street tear his ACL while with the Giants, it may be time to bring some reform to the way teams conduct auditions with prospects.
Here’s more from Breer:
- The Dolphins say they have the ammo to get into the Top 6 of the draft if there is a player they like, but Breer gets the sense that Miami probably won’t deal up for any of this year’s top quarterbacks. If they stand pat at No. 11, Breer believes that UCLA’s Josh Rosen is the most likely signal caller to fall to them. Of course, Miami has holes to fill elsewhere, so a Ryan Tannehill successor/alternative isn’t necessarily their top priority.
- The Cardinals seem unlikely to make a big play to land one of the best four QBs. However, if a QB they like slips into the bottom part of the Top 10, Breer could see them making a move.
- More than one team prefers Maryland’s D.J Moore to Alabama’s Calvin Ridley, Breer hears. This is consistent with recent buzz we’ve heard about the rise of Moore. Recently, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport categorized Moore as a firm first-round prospect, which is a change from what we were hearing just a couple of weeks ago. Still, Breer thinks Ridley will be the first WR off of the board and pegs the Cowboys as a likely destination since they have a clear need after cutting Dez Bryant.
- Overall, this draft has depth that will lead to better-than-usual quality into the fourth round, Breer writes. However, the feeling is that this group isn’t stocked with blue-chippers, which means that teams in the 20s feel that they essentially have high second-round picks. “(Picks) 20 and 55 may wind up being the same,” one exec said. “The guy in the last third of the first round, you might be paying a first-round premium on him and he’s no different than the guy at 35 to 40. And those guys in the last third of first round, top half of the second, they’re the same not only in ability but value of their role in the game.” Breer wonders if this could hamper the Bills in their efforts to trade up using the No. 22 pick.
Cowboys Host Courtland Sutton
Dez Bryant wants to sign with the Giants after being released by the division-rival Cowboys last week, but a current New York wideout isn’t on board with that idea. In a now-deleted Instagram story, Giants receiver Brandon Marshall said there was “no room” for Bryant on Big Blue’s roster, as Jaclyn Hendricks of the New York Post writes. Marshall, for his part, bombed during his first campaign in New York, as an ankle injury limited him to just five games and 18 receptions. Viewed as a possible cap casualty heading into the offseason, Marshall has surprisingly stuck on the Giants’ roster to this point. New York could still release Marshall at any point, however, and doing so would save the club in excess of $5MM in cap space.
- Southern Methodist wideout Courtland Sutton met with the Cowboys on Wednesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Dallas has a gaping need at receiver after cutting Bryant, as their roster is currently littered by second- and third-tier pass-catchers. Allen Hurns, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Deonte Thompson, and Ryan Switzer front the Cowboys’ WR depth chart, but Sutton — who is viewed as either a first- or second-round selection — could give Dallas a potential No. 1 wideout. The 6’4″, 215-pound Sutton posted at least 1,000 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons.