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Dallas Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones spoke to the team's season-ticket holders and sponsors via a conference call Wednesday.

Jones spoke for an hour and according to the voice of the Cowboys Brad Sham, there were nearly 1,000 questions though he didn't answer all of them.

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ESPN NFL expert John Clayton joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to talk about Jerry Jones' conference call, the Cowboys' draft picks and much more. Listen

Here's some highlights:

On Valley Ranch being a country club atmosphere: "I don’t think that we do have a country club atmosphere around here. There’s too much competition. These players recognize how fortunate they are to be in the NFL, to have these opportunities. We’ve got as good or better leadership than my experience in 24 years with the Cowboys has seen."

On the safety position, whish has veteran Will Allen and young players in Matt Johnson, Barry Church, Danny McCray and draft pick J.J. Wilcox: "I think we’re in good shape at safety." Jones later added, "I don’t know when I’ve ever seen a player impress our staff without having played in a ballgame any more than Matt Johnson." Jones was asked about naming starters and didn't, instead praising each player.

Defensive end Anthony Spencer is signed for this season at $10.6 million, but he's been franchised the last two seasons. There is some concern if the Cowboys will lock Spencer up long-term: "We'd like to have him under a long-term agreement. He knows that."

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On Tim Tebow, who was released by the New York Jets and why the Cowboys don't want a third-string quarterback: "We really feel good about Kyle Orton and that's where it all starts and stops right there. He will be used differently to some degree than we use (Tony) Romo, but he's capable of winning big games and we know how important that backup slot is, especially if it's temporary if you don't have Romo. We're pretty set at quarterback there. We wish Tim all the luck and the best in the world."

On the defense: "The defense should be the strength of our team arguably, the defensive line can be the strength of the team." Later Jones said, "Our defense will fit Monte Kiffin's scheme. It actually will be a simpler defense for this group to get. The adjustment from where we were in the 3-4 to the 4-3 will not be as significant as it might appear."

On the health of Jay Ratliff: We don't think Jay Ratliff is injury prone. He had possibly three different injuries last year. He is further down the road in his career than he was a few years ago. But we think of all that he's very sound physically and we think he'll flourish in this defensive scheme. He's a natural three technique."

On the draft board: Jones said the Cowboys had center Travis Frederick ranked ahead of LSU safety Eric Reid. The Cowboys moved down in the NFL draft, switching from No. 18 to No. 31 after a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. Frederick was projected as a second-day pick and said he was surprised the Cowboys grabbed him in the first round. Jones also indicated there were two to three safeties ranked ahead of Wilcox on the draft board. Wilcox was a third-round pick.

Jones on losing to the New York Giants at Cowboys Stadium (The Cowboys open the 2013 season at Cowboys Stadium against the New York Giants. The Cowboys are 0-4 against the Giants at home): "It is a pain."

The Dallas Cowboys were almost $20 million over the salary cap when the offseason began, but the restructuring of contracts and releasing of some players put the team in a better situation after the NFL draft.

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The Cowboys are a little more than $5 million under the salary cap. They will pick up an additional $2 million when the release of defensive end Marcus Spears takes effect June 1.

That means the Cowboys will have $7 million available to sign draft picks and free agents. That figure could increase if right tackle Doug Free is released (saving $7 million) or takes a pay cut (an undetermined amount of savings).

Defensive end Anthony Spencer is under contract for $10.6 million, but his cap number could be decreased if he is signed to a long-term deal.

The Cowboys want to have salary-cap space during the season in the event obtaining a veteran free agent is necessary due to injury. Last season, the Cowboys signed Charlie Peprah, Brady Poppinga, Brian Schaefering, Ernie Sims and Anthony Armstrong because of injuries.

Right now, the Cowboys are on target to have enough space to take care of draft picks and free agents before and during the season.

IRVING, Texas – If we’ve learned anything about the Cowboys, it’s that they love their defensive line.

“We believe the defensive line is a strength,” became a default position for just about everybody in the organization during the NFL draft.

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But is it really?

When Monte Kiffin was in Tampa Bay, the strength of the defense was the line with Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice and Booger McFarland. Same for Rod Marinelli in Chicago when he had Julius Peppers, Henry Melton and Israel Idonije racking up sacks.

Take DeMarcus Ware out of the equation. He will continue to be one of the most dominant pass rushers in the NFL. The move from outside linebacker to defensive end will not be too much for him, but it has to be noted that he is coming off major shoulder surgery and has suffered some other nicks the last couple of seasons.

Anthony Spencer is a curious case. He had a career-high 11 sacks last year, but in his first five seasons he never had more than six in a season. One AFC personnel man believed Spencer’s sack boost came in part because he was moved around more than in the past. Bill Polian has said Spencer will be a great fit for this defense. If Spencer is consistently in the same spot opposite Ware, then does he go back to a six-sack player? And he is lighter than most strong-side defensive ends Kiffin and Marinelli have employed.

Jay Ratliff was a difference-maker at one point. He was a disruptive player, incredibly difficult to block and could get to the quarterback. Notice the past tense? Ratliff’s sack total has decreased in each of the last five years and he missed 10 games because of injuries last year. He turns 32 in August. Maybe he is the perfect fit to play the Sapp role here, but how much tread is left?

Jason Hatcher has never had more than 4.5 sacks in a season and he will be making a position switch. Are his numbers a product of the fact that 3-4 defensive ends just don’t have the opportunity to get after the quarterback? Perhaps. He turns 31 in July and is in the last year of his contract.

Tyrone Crawford did some nice things as a rookie but didn’t record a sack. Sean Lissemore had one sack but was slowed by an ankle injury. Kyle Wilber will move to defensive end from outside linebacker this year but has the look of a tweener. Then there’s Ben Bass, Robert Callaway and Ikponmowasa Igbinosun.

Kiffin and Marinelli apparently have told Jerry Jones & Co. that the defensive linemen on the roster will be just fine, given how the team went about the draft and has looked at free agency so far. Rob Ryan said the same thing to Jones about the talent on hand when he showed up two years ago; how did that work out?

IRVING, Texas – With the 18th pick in the first round, the Cowboys could make their pick sometime around 10 p.m. That’s a lot of time to sit around and wait.

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Throughout the week, the Cowboys have run through every possible scenario so when they are on the clock (or even a little earlier than that) they will have a pick ready. It’s like going in with multiple game plans on a Sunday.

Best-case scenario: Somehow, some way Jonathan Cooper or Chance Warmack are available. History says they will there because five offensive linemen have not gone so early in thirty-plus years, but it seems like there is a lot of evidence to the contrary.

Cooper would be the preference but Warmack would be a nice pickup, too. They would walk in as Day 1 starters, which has become something of a catch-phrase around the Cowboys here this week. They would upgrade the weakest part of the team.

The only way this happens is if a quarterback or two or a wide receiver or two go early. Perhaps a running back. They need some unexpected moves that would push Warmack (most likely) down to them.

Likely scenario: The Cowboys take a defensive lineman, like Sheldon Richardson or Sylvester Williams, or safety Kenny Vaccaro.

As of this moment, I believe they would take Richardson if they cannot move back and the offensive linemen are gone. He can play both interior spots with the idea of him becoming the Warren Sapp for this Monte Kiffin defense. Williams is more of the traditional run stopper. Both would bring value to the defense.

Vaccaro is the top safety and he would fill an immediate need. Does he slip to No. 18? The Cowboys worked him out privately and had him at Valley Ranch for a visit.

Of the three, Williams figures to be the guy most likely to be available.

Second-best case scenario: Trade down in the first round and pick up extra picks.

Some might believe this would be the best-case scenario, but the offensive line needs big help.

If the Cowboys can move down, then that would open up more players to them and fit with their draft board more. They are in a no-man’s land right now where there is a gap in talent.

Depending on how far back they go, this would give the Cowboys looks at offensive lineman D.J. Fluker and Justin Pugh, defensive end Bjoern Werner and safeties Eric Reid and Jonathan Cyprien.

A pick of Fluker would seem to mean Doug Free would not be back. Pugh could be a walk-in starter at guard. Werner would fill a need as a backup defensive end with the eye on him starting in the future with Anthony Spencer on a one-year deal. Reid and Cyprien would be walk-in starters, too.

Worst-cast scenario: Everybody listed above is gone and they can’t trade down.

They must be willing to make a pick and this is where Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert comes into the mix. He could be their best player available but drafting a first-round tight end doesn’t help them that much in 2013 or give Jason Garrett the best chance to win now.

Eifert will be a terrific player, but Garrett has not shown the ability to work multiple tight end packages effectively like New England has. The Cowboys couldn’t make it work with second-rounders Anthony Fasano or Martellus Bennett behind Jason Witten.

Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, Werner, Cyprien and Fluker would also be in this mix. Picking any of them at No. 18 would likely be higher than the Cowboys would want.

IRVING, Texas – Jerry Jones basically bought an ad in the NFL classifieds during Monday’s pre-draft press conference, sending out the message that the Cowboys could be in trade-down mode when they get on the clock with the 18th overall pick.

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That news was met with a lot of moaning and groaning from Cowboys fans.

How can you be adamantly against trading down if you have no idea what the offer might be or which players might be available? Folks just don’t trust GM Jerry.

Should they in this situation? Let’s look at the Cowboys’ history of trading down in the first round during the Jerry era.

1991 -- No. 14 overall (obtained from New Orleans – RB Leonard Russell) to New England for No. 17 overall (traded to Washington – DT Bobby Wilson) and No. 110 overall (DE Kevin Harris).

No. 17 overall (Wilson) to Washington for No. 20 overall (traded to Detroit -- DT Kelvin Pritchett) and No. 132 overall (Darrick Brownlow).

No. 20 overall (Pritchett) to Detroit for No. 37 overall (LB Dixon Edwards), No. 64 overall (G James Richards) and No. 108 overall (DE Tony Hill).

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These three deals have to be judged essentially as one. After all the wheeling and dealing was done, the Cowboys turned the 14th overall pick into a second-round linebacker who started for two Super Bowl title teams (Edwards), a third-round guard who never played an NFL game (Richards), a fourth-round defensive end who played 13 games in two NFL seasons (Hill) and a fifth-round linebacker who made 11 tackles in two separate one-year stints in Dallas (Brownlow).

This was a case of great value on Jimmy Johnson’s trade chart and essentially a push in reality. Russell ended up being a decent running back, rushing for 3,973 yards and 29 touchdowns in his career, and it’s not as if the Cowboys passed on a Hall of Famer who went later in the first round. Edwards contributed to three title teams, starting for two.

This deal would have been a steal if the Cowboys selected offensive tackle Erik Williams at No. 64 overall. They ended up drafting him six picks later.

1993 -- No. 29 overall (S George Teague) and No. 112 overall (Albert Fontenot) to Green Bay for No. 46 overall (WR Kevin Williams), No. 54 overall (LB Darrin Smith), No. 94 overall (RB Derrick Lassic) and No. 213 overall (LB Reggie Givens).

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Both of the second-round picks the Cowboys acquired contributed to two Super Bowl title teams. Williams was a quality punt and kick returner who started at receiver for the Cowboys’ last championship team, setting career highs with 38 catches for 613 yards and two touchdowns that season. Smith started all four of his seasons in Dallas.

Teague had a solid nine-year career, but he ended up spending most of that in Dallas anyway. Fontenot also lasted nine NFL seasons, making 81 starts. Lassic lasted 10 games, and Givens never played for the Cowboys.

Give the Cowboys a win for this deal, but it wasn’t lopsided by any measure.

1995 -- No. 28 overall (LB Derrick Brooks) to Tampa Bay for No. 41 overall (traded to Atlanta – DB Ron Davis) and No. 63 overall (OG Shane Hannah).

All Brooks did in Tampa Bay was go to 11 Pro Bowls, be named first-team All-Pro five times, win a Super Bowl and establish himself as one of the best linebackers of his generation.

Hannah started the Cowboys’ tradition of early-round offensive line busts, getting hurt in training camp and never playing a game in the NFL. They flipped Davis for a second-rounder (RB Sherman Williams) and fourth-rounder (TE Eric Bjornson), a couple of backups who combined for 10 career touchdowns.

This might be the worst draft-day deal the Cowboys ever made.

1996 -- No. 30 overall (Andre Johnson) to Washington for No. 37 overall (DE Kavika Pittman) and No. 67 overall (C Clay Shiver).

Pittman made 18 sacks in eight NFL seasons (10 in four seasons for the Cowboys). Shiver started 25 games, but that was evidence of how weak the Cowboys were at center, as he was out of the league after three years.

Johnson was a huge bust for the Redskins. He never played a game in Washington.

The Cowboys would have been better off staying put and drafting Texas product Tony Brackens in the first round. Brackens, picked No. 33 overall by Jacksonville, had 55 sacks and 27 forced fumbles in his eight-year career.

2002 -- No. 6 overall (DT Ryan Sims) to Kansas City for No. 8 overall (SS Roy Williams), No. 75 overall (CB Derek Ross) and a sixth-round pick in 2003 (WR Zuriel Smith).

A couple of Williams’ five Pro Bowl berths were reputation selections after his performance fell off, but he was a dominant force as a playmaking intimidator early in his career. That’s much more than you can say for Sims, who only had one more sack in his career than Williams did.

Ross looked like a steal when he had five picks as a rookie, but the character red flags that caused him to drop into the third round proved true. Bill Parcells got rid of him midway through Ross’ second season. Smith played nine games for the Cowboys, contributing primarily as a return specialist.

This was a good deal for Dallas, just not nearly the steal it seemed destined to be during the rookie seasons of Williams and Ross.

2004 -- No. 22 overall (QB J.P. Losman) to Buffalo for No. 43 overall (RB Julius Jones), No. 144 overall (TE Sean Ryan) and a 2005 first-rounder (DE Marcus Spears).

Spears was a serviceable player for the last eight seasons. Ryan was a nonfactor during his two years in Dallas.

But this deal comes down to Steven Jackson vs. Julius Jones.

The Cowboys decided, based strongly on the input of running backs coach Maurice Carthon, that there wasn’t much difference between the top back on the board and the backs who would be available in the second round.

Jackson has rushed for 10,135 yards and counting, more than twice as many as Jones ran for during his career. Jackson has accounted for 64 touchdowns, almost three times Jones’ total.

Oops.

2007 -- No. 22 overall (QB Brady Quinn) to Cleveland for No. 36 overall (traded to Philadelphia – QB Kevin Kolb) and a 2008 first-rounder (RB Felix Jones).

The Cowboys were tempted to pick Quinn, who they had in the top 10 on their board, but they opted to fully commit to a quarterback with 10 starts under his belt named Tony Romo. Considering that Quinn is with his fourth team and Romo just got $55 million guaranteed, it’s pretty clear that was the right call.

The Cowboys moved back into the first round to select OLB/DE Anthony Spencer, giving up third- and fifth-rounders to do so. No regrets there, with Spencer a solid player coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance and Kolb failing to make an impact in Philadelphia.

This deal would have looked like a stroke of genius if the Cowboys picked Chris Johnson, Matt Forte, Ray Rice or Jamaal Charles the next year. Alas, they selected an Arkansas alum to be a change-of-pace back. Felix Jones had some flashes of brilliance, but his Dallas tenure was a pretty big disappointment given the quality of backs picked behind him.

This was still a solid deal for Dallas.

IRVING, Texas – On Tuesday I upset some people when I questioned the philosophy the Cowboys chose in 2011 and ’12 to select Tyron Smith and Morris Claiborne.

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I believe they left too much on the table by not taking a trade with Jacksonville in 2011, and then by giving up their second-rounder to move up to get Claiborne. To justify their non-move and move, Smith and Claiborne have to be close to all-world in my view.

I believe the more picks you have, the better off you will be. Jimmy Johnson showed that. But I want to add this obvious nugget: the more early picks (top two rounds), the better off you’ll be.

But that was yesterday’s debate.

So now I present to you the argument as to why many of you believe the Cowboys did the correct thing in staying put for Smith and trading up for Claiborne: The Cowboys struggle drafting.

Since 2007, the Cowboys have drafted 47 players and only 18 remain. That’s not good. After a quick perusal of the NFC East, it’s the worst percentage (38.3%) of any team in the division. From 2007-12, Philadelphia has 28 of 59 picks left (47.5%); Washington has 24 of 48 picks (50%) and the New York Giants have 24 of 46 picks left (52%).

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Now, teams will have fewer players left from 2007-08 because most of those players have moved on to second contracts.

As we all know the Cowboys don’t have a player left from the 2009 draft, but that was a year in which they didn’t have first- or second-round picks. The Giants have five of nine picks left from ’09. The Redskins have one of six picks left from ’09. The Eagles have two of eight picks left from ’09.

In the last three years, which should be the core of a team, the Cowboys have 15 of 21 picks left. The Eagles are the worst with 23 of 33 picks. Washington is the best at 21 of 27 and the Giants have 16 of 22 picks remaining.

So am I contradicting myself from Tuesday’s post? No. The Cowboys had a chance to gain an extra second-round pick in 2011 and keep their own second-rounder last year. Four of the Cowboys’ six first-round picks from 2007-12 remain in Anthony Spencer, Dez Bryant, Smith and Claiborne. Two of their three second-rounders from that span remain in Sean Lee and Bruce Carter.

The three departures are Felix Jones, Mike Jenkins and Martellus Bennett. They weren’t busts, but they weren’t hits either. The best thing you can say is they played out their contracts.

ESPN's NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. predicts the Cowboys will select offensive and defensive linemen in the first three rounds.

It's not something I hear mentioned often, but the age of the Dallas defensive line has crept up. By the time the season starts, Jay Ratliff, Jason Hatcher and DeMarcus Ware will be 32, 31 and 31, respectively.

You have to be an ESPN Insider to get the complete three rounds for every NFL team. Kiper also has the Cowboys taking a guard and another defensive lineman in Rounds 2 and 3.

Kiper makes a valid point regarding the line. If the Cowboys draft North Carolina's Sylvester Williams, it could make Ratliff expendable. However, the team might keep Ratliff and create competition for what could be a young, deep defensive line.

Under the new 4-3 alignment, Anthony Spencer and Ware will move to defensive end, where they haven't played since college. The Cowboys also will move Hatcher to tackle, keeping double-teams off Ratliff.

Sean Lissemore, Tyrone Crawford, Rob Callaway and Ben Bass are young players who also will compete for playing time.

The Cowboys are in talks with defensive end Anthony Spencer regarding a new contract.

Salary-cap space isn't a problem now; currently the team has a little more than $5 million to play with. But previous contracts are the issue.

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The Cowboys don't want to get caught with another bad contract for a player that becomes average after he signs it.

Starting right tackle Doug Free signed a four-year, $32 million deal with $17 million guaranteed in 2011. After two seasons, Free moved from left tackle to right tackle and has struggled mightily. He had to share playing time with Jermey Parnell late last season, and his play eventually improved. But overall, Free has struggled. And while a source said recently his status with the Cowboys was "secure," there are strong indications the Cowboys will ask him to take a pay cut. If Free declines, he most likely will be released.

After his breakout season when he took over for Roy Williams, wide receiver Miles Austin cashed in and signed a seven-year, $57.1 million contract extension with $18 million guaranteed.

The year he signed the contract, 2010, Austin picked up 1,041 receiving yards. He's failed to reach that total since and has battled hamstring injuries each of the last two seasons and has been surpassed by Dez Bryant as the best receiver on the team. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said this is a critical season for Austin in terms of his health.

The Cowboys value Austin's skills, but are frustrated by his inability to remain healthy over the course of the season. He also failed to catch a pass in both games against NFC East rival the Washington Redskins last season.

Guard Mackenzy Bernadeau signed a modest four-year, $11 million free agent contract last season with the Cowboys. He's undergone three surgeries since signing the deal. The Cowboys almost benched Bernadeau due to his poor play, and he was an average player in 2012.

Looking at these contracts, you could make the argument that the Cowboys made mistakes in giving them. At the same time, Free and Austin were coming off good seasons the year they received them but have been inconsistent since.

Bernadeau filled a need and the Cowboys got younger at the position. And while his contract isn't as bad, the team might have been able to do more with that $11 million.

When the team moves forward with Spencer, the goal is figure out if that career-high 11 sack season was the sign of things to come or just a man playing well in a contract year.

IRVING, Texas – First-round picks have to be the cornerstones of NFL rosters. The majority have to be more than one-contract players. If not, it generally means they didn't live up to expectations.

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With 2008 first-rounder Mike Jenkins gone off to Oakland and Felix Jones all but gone to anywhere else but here, the Cowboys have not extended the contract of one of their first-round picks before it expired since DeMarcus Ware, one of their two first-round picks in 2005.

Through a quirk in the system, Marcus Spears (2005) was a restricted free agent in 2010 and was kept for a year, but only because the price was right and cheaper than the guys who backed him up. He ultimately re-signed after the 2011 lockout ended and was cut this offseason after the second year of the current deal. Bobby Carpenter (2006) was traded to St. Louis in the final year of his deal.

The 2007 pick, Anthony Spencer, is on the team, but his deal expired after 2011 and the Cowboys have kept him with the franchise tag the last two years. In 2012 they did it because they weren’t sure how much they loved him. They did it this offseason because they didn’t feel like they could lose him. It is possible Spencer could sign a new deal this offseason, but there doesn’t seem to be any rush on that done.

The Cowboys had six first-round picks from 2005-08 and have extended one before that player’s deal expired. How does that compare with the rest of the NFC East?

The New York Giants had three and extended one (Mathias Kiwanuka, 2006) and let two walk (Aaron Ross, Kenny Phillips). Philadelphia had two and extended one (Mike Patterson, 2005), but that was in the second year of his deal and he didn’t become a dominant player. Brodrick Bunkley (2006) was traded by the Eagles before his deal was up. Washington had two and kept Carlos Rogers (2005) for a year the same way the Cowboys kept Spears, but then he signed with San Francisco in 2012. LaRon Landry (2007) walked after his rookie deal was up with the Redskins.

For the Cowboys, the next first-rounder to come due will be Dez Bryant, their top pick in 2010, whose contract is up after the 2014 season. Will Bryant cash in on a big deal before his contract expires?

We're down to two for the national championship in college basketball and while we think about who wins between Michigan and Louisville, let's review our weekend mailbag.

Enjoy.

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Q: To: Mr. Cool Cat Watkins, with Doug Free being worth $7 million dollars is there any tackles on the market right now that we could sign and instantly upgrade the line? Eric Winston or Branden Albert are available or is that not a possibility? If not a tackle who should we sign if any? Long time reader first time writer. Brandon Fuller (Malibu, Calif.)

A: Based on what Free did last season, no he's not worth his contract and he most likely will get offered a paycut. If he refuses, then expect the Cowboys to move on. As much as they like Free he struggled last season under offensive coordinator Bill Callahan. The team wants Free to become more aggressive, a player who attacks defenders and too many times he failed to do that. He almost lost his starting job in 2012 and did play well on the backend of the year. When you evaluate his entire season, you begin to wonder if he's worth coming back. Albert was franchised, so it will cost you too much to give up to get him back from a financial and draft pick standpoint. Winston is a nice pickup, however, why get a veteran player. Stick with the draft and get a younger player to build with Tyron Smith on the other side.

Q: Calvin, is it "Set-in-Stone", that Anthony Spencer will be the starting defensive end? Maybe they can get a quality 4-3 DE in free agency or the draft. This will keep Spencer at OLB. Derrick (New Port Richey, Fla.)

A: Spencer is going to be the starting defensive end because he's more effective at that spot than playing outside linebacker in a 4-3. Monte Kiffin's defensive line warrants pass rushers at all four spots and this is where Spencer comes in. Spencer played a 4-3 defensive end in college and making the move back to it isn't a problem.

Q: I see that Ronde Barber is a free agent. What is the likelihood that we could nab him, before or after the draft? I have seen Ronde excel in that Tampa 2 and be a big ballhawk. He could help out with teaching the scheme to other players as well as produce turnovers in a limited role. I'm not sold on Kenny Vaccaro should Dallas draft him. So why not bolster the safety spot with a proven guy that can still produce and bring leadership and championship experience to a secondary that could clearly use it while we figure out what we have in Matt Johnson and Barry Church? This provided he comes cheap of course. Clayton Hice (Oklahoma City)

A: Clayton, you answered your own questions here: "provided he comes cheap of course." Barber, a solid player on the backside of his career, isn't coming on the cheap. It's ok if the Cowboys keep younger players at certain positions, especially safety. What has veteran players gotten them over the years? I do like what Gerald Sensabaugh provided them at times, but he didn't make enough plays on the ball. The Cowboys have Johnson, who displayed playmaking skills in college. So why not give him an opportunity?

Todd Archer wrote a compelling column the other day about the pressure to win being on GM Jerry Jones.

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Archer writes: "Jones has to do more for Romo besides just writing some handsome checks. Jones has to get better players around Romo, and not just at the sexy positions."

The pieces are here.

The pressure shouldn't be on Jones, it should be on Romo.

Romo has an elite tight end in Jason Witten, two standout wide receivers in Dez Bryant and Miles Austin. He has a rising running back in DeMarco Murray and a young talented left tackle in Tyron Smith.

You could say the rest of the offensive line struggled at times last season, but it's strange how the offensive line wasn't an issue when Romo went on a seven-game stretch where he threw 16 touchdowns and just three interceptions and his team went 5-2 to remain in the playoff picture. Romo was sacked an ungodly 20 times during those seven games.

But all sacks can't be placed on the offensive line, much like all interceptions can't be placed on the quarterback. Can Romo throw the ball away sometimes? Anytime?

On defense, nobody questions the elite status of DeMarcus Ware and the talented young players in Sean Lee, Bruce Carter and Morris Claiborne. Brandon Carr, Jason Hatcher, Anthony Spencer and Jay Ratliff are solid playmakers.

Kicker Dan Bailey is solid.

The pieces are in place.

The Cowboys have the No. 18 overall pick in the draft and should find a starter who will make an impact.

What Romo's contract has done is raise the stakes even higher. Yes, the Cowboys want Romo to deliver a championship before he signed his new contract last week. But the Cowboys could have moved on without Romo and still cleared out salary cap space without restructuring his deal. The free-agency market for the Cowboys was going to be tight regardless of whether the Cowboys lowered Romo's salary cap figures.

By giving Romo this massive contract, the Cowboys told the NFL, "we expect a championship NOW."

At some point, the Cowboys should have drafted a quarterback for the future. They didn't, so now they're stuck and you can blame Jones for that.

But you can't blame Jones for providing security for his quarterback, which is the right thing to do. And don't blame Jones if his quarterback fails to bring a championship to North Texas.

That's on Romo.

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Here are the Cowboys' latest salary cap figures for the 2013 season.

Quarterback Tony Romo continues to have the highest salary cap figure for the season coming in at $11.8 million. Before Romo signed his mega contract for $119.5 million, his cap number was $16.8 million.

Here are the Top 10 salary cap figures for 2013.

1. Tony Romo, $11.8 million
2. Anthony Spencer, $10.6 million
3. Doug Free, $10.02 million
4. DeMarcus Ware, $8.093 million
5. Brandon Carr, $5.4 million
6. Jason Witten, $4.35 million
7. Jay Ratliff, $4.072 million
8. Morris Claiborne, $3.6 million
9. Miles Austin, $3.58 million
10. Tyron Smith, $3.4 million

Note: Romo's base salary is $1.5 million. The highest base salary for the Cowboys in 2013 is currently Spencer's at $10.6 million but that's his franchise tag number. Doug Free comes in with the second-highest base salary of $7 million. Base salaries of several players were turned into signing bonus money to lower 2013 cap figures. For example, Austin's $6.7 million base salary was turned into signing bonus money to lower his cap figure from $6.7 million to $3.58 million. Austin will earn a base salary of $840,000 this season.

In the wake of the Tony Romo contract extension, Calvin Watkins has a list of five players next in line to get big contracts from the Dallas Cowboys. He lists defensive end, Anthony Spencer, linbacker Sean Lee and Bruce Carter, wide receiver Dez Bryant and left tackle Tyron Smith in that order.

Spencer is the obvious one, as the Cowboys could create 2013 cap relief by extending him long-term and reducing his $10.6 million franchise-tag salary. They seem to believe in him as their long-term solution at defensive end in their 4-3 defensive alignment, so I imagine they'll find a way to get this done.

But the rest of the list, and a list of honorable mentions that includes running back DeMarco Murray and defensive lineman Jason Hatcher, underscores a key point about this Cowboys roster and the need they had to lock up Romo long-term. All this talk about the closing of windows makes no sense when you look at the young core of players the Cowboys have put together. They have a well-earned reputation as a poor drafting team, but their 2010 and 2011 drafts have actually borne fruit and delivered them some players around whom they can reasonably build a successful future.

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The issue with guys like Lee, Carter and Murray is health. I wouldn't rush to lock up any of those guys just yet until I see that they've found ways to get themselves through full NFL seasons free of injury. When they're on the field, they're difference-making players, and the 4-3 alignment should allow Lee and Carter in particular to flourish as playmakers. But they have to stay healthy in order to show that, and until they do extending their contracts would feel rash and unwise. Smith as the long-term answer at left tackle would seem to merit a deal sooner rather than later. And you guys know how I feel about Bryant, who could be the best wide receiver in the entire league before too long. A talent like his is worth at least a conversation right now about what it would cost to sign him long-term. If he's offering a deal, it might be wise for the Cowboys to take it before he has another monster year and his price goes through the roof.

There are enough good players on this Cowboys team to merit optimism, though the offensive line still needs to be fixed or it will sink the offense again as it did in 2012. The issue on defense last year was health, and if the pieces fit the 4-3 as well as it appears they should, this continues to look to me like a Cowboys team headed in the right direction -- if a bit more slowly than the fans would like to head.

Tony Romo's contract is done.

So who'll be next to get paid? Here's the top five Cowboys who are in line to get nice, big contracts:

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Todd Archer joins Galloway & Company to discuss the latest on the Cowboys giving Tony Romo a six-year, $108 million contract extension. Listen

1. Anthony Spencer. He's been franchised for $10.6 million and the team wants to keep him long-term. Spencer is coming off a career-high 11 sacks in 2012 and is moving from outside linebacker to defensive end. The Cowboys value him as a run stopper with excellent pass rush skills. By keeping him, the Cowboys won't be forced to draft another defensive end for the future.

2. Sean Lee. Dubbed "the brains of the defense" last season by then-defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, Lee became the unit's second-most important member behind DeMarcus Ware in 2012. Health is a factor, however, as Lee has yet to play a full 16-game season in three NFL seasons. But his leadership skills and playmaking ability pushes the 26-year-old to the upper echelon of those needing new contracts.

3. Bruce Carter. The Cowboys had a first-round grade on Carter when he came out of North Carolina. Like Lee, he's an emerging talent with the smarts, playmaking skills and leadership qualities this team needs. Carter's pass rush skills at outside linebacker in the 4-3 gives the Cowboys confidence this is one position they won't have to address for sometime.

4. Dez Bryant. His desire, toughness and talent is never a question. Bryant is turning into one of the emotional leaders of this team, and the Cowboys need to take advantage. His off-the-field issues have subsided and you can see with each game his command of the offense is getting better and better. Is Bryant an elite receiver yet? Nope. But he's getting close.

5. Tyron Smith. If you have a chance to lock up a talented tackle, left or right, you do it quickly. Smith struggled early with penalties, but morphed into a solid left tackle in 2012. When Smith said he wanted to be a Pro Bowl player the day he was drafted from USC, it raised eyebrows. Guess what? Smith has the skills to do it.

Honorable mention: DeMarco Murray, Jason Hatcher, Dan Bailey and Dwayne Harris.

The mailbag is jammed with questions and comments about Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

Here we go:

Q: I think Romo is OK, but man, Jerry Jones has clearly lost his mind. What the hell is he thinking giving him that much money? Dude needs to start winning in big games and stop choking like he always does. I'm not a hater. I give credit where credit is due, but Romo is not even close to deserving the money he got. I've been a Cowboys fan since I was knee-high, and if you ask me, the trade the Cowboys need to make is Jerry Jones for another owner. -- Abel M (San Antonio)

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Todd Archer joins Galloway & Company to discuss the latest on the Cowboys giving Tony Romo a six-year, $108 million contract extension. Listen

A: Well, Abel, they're not going to trade Jerry. I do believe the Cowboys made the right decision in terms of locking Romo up. I don't agree with the amount of money spent on him. With that type of contract, the expectations increase and I'm not sure Romo can bring a Super Bowl to Dallas.

Q: Why do the Cowboys still believe in Tony Romo? He has proven that he can't win a big game on a big stage like in the playoffs. Why keep giving him big money when he messes up with the game is on the line? -- Marlon Greene (Stone Mountain, Ga.)

A: Romo's record in win-or-go home games is 1-6. That's a mark that will follow him until he wins those types of games. Romo is a good quarterback -- not an elite one -- but the market dictated he receive a big-money deal. The Cowboys are confident that he's the long-term solution. There's nobody else on the roster capable of moving the team into a deep playoff run. Now, the Cowboys should draft a quarterback this year and next just to look to the future. Romo can't play forever, but you better have a replacement ready when he's 36 years old.

Q: Do you think that DeMarco Murray will be the Cowboys' long-term running back? -- Kevin Royster (Springtown, Texas)

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A: That's a good question because Stephen Jones was talking about the durability of that position at the NFL owners meetings two weeks ago. Running backs in this league get nicked up more than ever before. The average shelf life is three years, in general. Remember Marion Barber? His decline started in 2008 and he was never the same after all those injuries. Murray is young enough where you can believe in him for two or three more years. But you have to be nervous about his long-term availability. I think it's too early to say he's the long-term answer at running back. If he finishes the 2013 season without missing any games, then let's re-evaluate things. Right now, keep it the short term.

Q: Do you think they will trade Anthony Spencer on draft day? -- Mark Harris (Laurence Harbor, N.J.)

A: Spencer isn't going anywhere. He had his most productive season last year with a career-high 11 sacks and he's moving to a new position (defensive end) in a scheme that needs defensive linemen who push the pocket. What do you get for Spencer? A first? A second and a third? What's acceptable to you? Trading Spencer isn't going to help the Cowboys unless it moves them into the top 5 of the first round, and I don't believe a team is willing to do that.

Q: The Cowboys will go 8-8 in 2013 with another bonehead throw by Romo. Had Romo drove his team to victory against the Redskins, this team would be one step forward, instead, two coaches backwards. There will never be a proven coach in Dallas until Jerry holds Romo accountable. -- Jackie Hunter (Portsmouth, Va.)

A: The interesting thing about Romo's massive contract is the team is basically saying "It's time to win a Super Bowl. No more excuses." When I've read the news releases from the team, Jerry and Romo talk about Super Bowls. The franchise doesn't want it to be a dream anymore; it's about making it a reality.