Jerry Jones stunting Dallas' progress; "preoccupied" with less-pressing matters [View all]

[Auggie]

Ashley Fox | ESPN.com | 4-29-13

While every other general manager in the NFL was disseminating false information and trying to orchestrate trades to better his draft position, (Jerry) Jones was attending the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Library at Southern Methodist University. Jones should have been re-evaluating his draft board instead of rubbing elbows with political power brokers and dignitaries.

Later Thursday night, Jones threw his own pick in the end zone. He allowed himself to get fleeced by the best team in the Cowboys' conference, one that is already loaded with talent and stands in the way of Dallas' quest to win its first Super Bowl in 17 years.

For some inane reason, Jones opted to help San Francisco land the player it coveted in the first round of the draft -- Louisiana State safety Eric Reid -- and did so at a discounted rate..

Jones traded Dallas' No. 18 overall pick for the 49ers' 31st and 74th picks. Jones should not have settled for a third-round pick, not from the team that has been to the NFC Championship Game the past two seasons, winning it once. The 49ers are the team the Cowboys are chasing. Given their young, talented roster, the Niners didn't need any additional help. Jones should have insisted on a second-round pick. That would have constituted full value for the Cowboys' 18th overall selection.

And even then, the Cowboys could have used a safety, too. They could have plugged Reid in as a starter. They also could have used a defensive tackle, such as Florida's Sharrif Floyd, who fell to the Vikings at No. 23, or another wide receiver, such as Tennessee's Cordarrelle Patterson, whom the Vikings traded up to get at No. 29. Instead, Jones dropped back to select a player he could have gotten on Friday night and most likely could have gotten some time on Saturday. Wisconsin center Travis Frederick isn't a first-round talent. Even Frederick was shocked to be a first-round pick.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2013/story/_/id/9221310/nfl-draft-jerry-jones-stunting-dallas-progress

Nice job, Jerry