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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will enter this season with a sense of desperation, concerned that his current roster's window to contend for a title is closing.

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Galloway & Company's Matt Mosley chats about the window closing for the Dallas Cowboys, and just how close they are to the New York Giants. Listen

"Well, my window is getting shorter. Time goes by," Jones told NFL Network at the owners meetings in Atlanta. "I do feel real pressure because we do have players not only in (quarterback) Tony Romo, but (tight end) Jason Witten (and outside linebacker) DeMarcus Ware, to leave out several that are (also) in the prime of their career. And we need to strike and strike soon with those guys.

"(Coach) Jason Garrett feels exactly the same way about it and understands how urgent it is. Candidly, you're looking through rose-colored glasses if we all don't realize that now is the time to compete on the field."
The Cowboys won three Super Bowls in the 1990s, soon after Jones bought the team, but they have only one playoff victory in the last 15 seasons. They failed to reach the playoffs the last two seasons.

Jones was convinced the Cowboys were Super Bowl contenders last season until they lost to the New York Giants on New Year's Day with the NFC East title and a playoff berth at stake. Watching the Giants win the Super Bowl only reinforced Jones' belief that the Cowboys had a chance to contend for a championship this season.

"When we see a team like the Giants come back with nine (regular) season wins and be world champion, then we know it's there for most clubs," said Jones, whose team finished 8-8 after losing four of its last five games. "That's not taking anything away from the Giants. That's just inspiring the Cowboys a little bit."

Read the rest of the story here.

So what do you think: Is the window closing? Was it ever open? And let's forget the window for one second: What do you think the Cowboys need to do ... must do ... to kick down the door and achieve Jerry's ultimate goal?

The appeal of NFL-imposed cap reductions to the Washington Redskins ($36 million) and Dallas Cowboys ($10 million) has ended. Arbitrator Stephen Burbank dismissed their claims today -- for reasons described below -- and the teams have raised the white flag, issuing a joint statement accepting the decision. Interestingly, the two NFL owners who enjoy a good fight the most -- Jerry Jones and Daniel Snyder -- have decided to go quietly here, choosing to use this as a chip for political capital down the road.

The NFL claimed the teams gained competitive advantage by maneuvering cap money into the uncapped 2010 year, clearing the deck for future spending without encumbrances from bloated contracts of Albert Haynesworth, DeAngelo Hall, Miles Austin and others. Were the teams given a chance to argue, they would have emphasized that there were no written warnings against their conduct, and that the contracts were approved upon submission to the NFL management council (NFLMC). However, they will have no such chance, as the case was dismissed.

Commissioner power

Burbank rejected the teams’ arguments that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was not authorized to act on behalf of the NFLMC, the unit of the NFL that gave strident verbal warnings about their cap maneuvers and suggested discipline. Burbank intimated -- but did not expressly hold -- that the articles and bylaws of the NFLMC contemplate the commissioner acting as an agent for them. Thus, the commissioner’s powers may extend past the playing field into the contract and cap decisions made by teams and their ownership.

NFLPA on board

The March 11 letter announcing the reduction (reallocation letter) was executed by both Goodell and NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith. Smith was agreeable as long as league-wide cap room remained the same, with the $46 million reallocated to the other 28 teams (the Saints and Raiders were denied reallocation because of similar, but lesser violations). The union’s buy-in -- forged with assurances from the NFL that the team cap number in 2012 would not dip below that of 2011 -- was a factor in Burbank’s dismissal.

Teams on board

With the NFLPA signing off, the March 27 resolution by 29 NFL teams (the Bucs abstained) to ratify the reallocation letter became, in Burbank’s eyes, a valid amendment to the collective bargaining agreement. Therefore, the Cowboys’ and Redskins’ claims of unilateral changes in the cap and collusion by other teams were denied. The key line from the decision reads in part: “the March 27th Resolution effectively ratified the Reallocation Letter, which therefore is binding on the Redskins and Cowboys as an amendment to the CBA.”

Thus, Burbank essentially gave his blessing to two agreements that served to bind and penalize the Redskins and Cowboys without them being a party to either. Commissioner power is strengthened again, 28 teams have additional cap room, and the NFLPA protects its players’ cap room league-wide. Everyone is satisfied except, of course, those two owners.

Something tells me that -- although they are accepting the decision -- they won’t soon forget this episode.

I don't know. Maybe this is for the best.

The effort by the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins to recover a combined $46 million in salary-cap penalties won't even get off the ground. Stephen Burbank, the NFL's independent arbitrator, granted the league's request to dismiss the complaint. And the teams released a joint statement saying they would respect the decision, so that's that. The Redskins lost a total of $36 million and the Cowboys $10 million in cap room over the next two seasons, and they're just going to have to deal with it because it's what the other NFL owners think is fair and the arbitrator found their argument that the complaint not be heard to be a persuasive one.

There's no way that any sensible, thinking person who's not an NFL owner can honestly feel that the league acted justly in penalizing the Cowboys and the Redskins for spending their money and structuring their contracts the way they did during the uncapped 2010 season. But it doesn't matter, because the NFL plays by its own rules and no one else's, and that's the lesson for today.

But in the end, maybe it's for the best. Maybe Burbank is doing everyone a favor. There's no one on any side of this dispute who can feel good about the way they've conducted themselves. It's a badge of shame for the league and the union, and it's not even really a badge of honor for the two aggrieved parties. So maybe, even though it's not fair, Burbank is being nice by telling everyone to just stop.

This all started because NFL owners agreed, in secret, to limit spending in 2010 even though there was no cap -- to continue to structure contracts as though there were a cap, because the lockout they were about to impose was basically a thinly veiled attempt at union-busting. They knew all along they'd ultimately have a new agreement with a new cap and they didn't want anyone to have gamed the system to their advantage in the meantime. In the real world, we call this collusion -- all of the business owners in a given industry agreeing among themselves to impose restrictions on wages. But in the NFL, it's OK, because the collective bargaining agreement the owners have with the players spells out which types of collusion are allowed and which aren't.

The Redskins and Cowboys got in trouble because they didn't go along with this game, instead using the lack of a salary cap in 2010 to structure contracts in such a way as to spare themselves from salary-cap trouble in future years. The sense is that many, if not all, teams did this, and that the Redskins and Cowboys just did it to such an egregious extent that some of the other owners insisted they be punished. They'd been warned, after all, that anyone who failed to honor the secret agreement discussed in the last paragraph would be punished. Giants owner John Mara, the chairman of the management council, said at the owners meetings in March that the Cowboys and Redskins got off easy -- that they were lucky they didn't lose draft picks.

Which is baloney, of course, because you can't break rules when there aren't any. But let's not go too far in letting our hearts break for Jerry Jones and Daniel Snyder, who weren't exactly acting on charitable impulses here. They didn't break with the rest of the owners because they felt the policy was unfair to players. They did it because they thought it would give them an advantage, and that they could get away with it.

And then there's the NFLPA, for which this is anything but a shining moment. The players' union, which should be fighting such collusive behavior, instead capitulated and agreed to the sanctions against the Redskins and Cowboys because the owners threatened to reduce this year's salary cap if they did not. The union believes that was the right decision for its membership, and in the end it may well have been. But it is not a decision of which the union can be proud, and the fact the NFLPA allowed itself to be outmaneuvered by the league on this matter likely contributed to Burbank's decision to dismiss the complaint. The league's argument was based, largely, on the fact the sanctions were agreed upon by the league and the union. And jeez, if those two agree on something, how can it not be OK? Right?

It's all just plain ridiculous, the whole thing, and it's probably for the best that it all goes away. Everybody associated with it should be ashamed of themselves (though, sadly, no one seems to be). And while it's unfair that only the Cowboys and Redskins suffer for the arrogance of a group of people who continue to play its paying customers for willing patsies, the truly sad part is that anyone in this situation gets to walk away feeling as though he was in the right.

You can’t blame Mike Jenkins for being mad that he lost his starting job despite playing pretty well with a lot of pain last season.

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But it makes no business sense whatsoever for the Cowboys to consider trading Jenkins at this point, which is why they won’t budge no matter how long the cornerback stays away from Valley Ranch.

The Cowboys shopped Jenkins after trading up to pick Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick and didn’t get any offers of significant value. And that isn’t likely to change with a cornerback who is coming off major shoulder surgery and wants the last year of his rookie deal ripped up in favor of a rich new contract extension.

The Cowboys could probably get a late-round pick for Jenkins, like the seventh-rounder the Falcons sent the Eagles for Asante Samuel. Why take that when the Cowboys will likely get a mid-round compensatory pick after Jenkins signs elsewhere in free agency?

The best way for Jenkins to get paid is to play well in his reduced role this season. He doesn’t want to wait, but he doesn’t have any leverage, no matter how long he stays away from the team.

The Cowboys’ front office hasn’t exactly shown a bunch of confidence that Bruce Carter is ready to make a Sean Lee-like leap in his second season.

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The Cowboys signed Dan Connor, a starter the last two seasons for the Carolina Panthers, to a two-year deal worth $6.5 million. The company line is that Connor will compete with Carter, but it’s hard to believe the Cowboys would pay that kind of money to an inside linebacker if they didn’t envision Connor playing the majority of the snaps next to his former Penn State teammate Lee.

But a 3-4 team needs three inside linebackers. Which made Jerry Jones’ revelation that the Cowboys would have picked Utah State linebacker Bobby Wagner if they had kept their second-round pick pretty interesting.

That’s why Carter has as much to prove as any Cowboy during the offseason team workouts, which begin for the full roster with this week’s OTAs.

The Cowboys thought they got a steal when they selected Carter in the second round last year. Like Lee, they gave Carter a first-round grade and considered it a gift that he dropped in the draft due to a knee injury.

Carter spending the first half of the season on the physically unable to perform list wasn’t a surprise to the Cowboys. But it wasn’t a good sign that Carter only played 41 defensive snaps last season, according to ProFootballFocus.com, failing to convince the coaches that he should have even a niche role in Rob Ryan’s scheme.

There is no question about Carter’s athletic ability. He displayed his tremendous speed and quickness by running down Philadelphia’s Jeremy Maclin in a one-on-one situation in the open field on a punt in Carter’s NFL debut.

For Carter to be a defensive contributor, he has to prove that he can be counted on to be in the right place. He was dealt a tough hand as a rookie, not being able to practice until midseason. He can make up for lost time beginning with this week’s OTAs.

Troy Aikman might be the only person as impressed with the Cowboys’ roster as Jerry Jones.

“The Cowboys are as talented as just about any team in the league,” Aikman said while appearing on The Rich Eisen Podcast with fellow Triplets Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin over the weekend.

Aikman has always been high on Tony Romo, taking his praise to a new level earlier this offseason by declaring that Romo was better than him. There is no question in Aikman’s mind that the Cowboys have a quarterback in place who is capable of leading a team to a title.

“I know that to win you have to have a great quarterback, and I believe that Tony Romo is that,” Aikman said. “I know what the criticisms are. I know that he has to win in January before people really put him in the elite status. But until you do that, there are always going to be those questions.

“He had a great year last year. That’s the concerning thing to me is that you think about how good he played last year and yet it still wasn’t good enough for this team to make the playoffs. That’s a concern.”

The Cowboys have addressed some personnel concerns this offseason, most significantly turning a glaring weakness into a strength by adding Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne to the cornerback corps.

Dallas also has to figure out how to stop fading down the stretch, which has been an issue since Bill Parcells’ days ruling the Valley Ranch roost. The hope is that the players getting the opportunity to work with six-time Super Bowl champion strength and conditioning coach Mike Woicik will solve some of those problems.

Jones thought the Cowboys were Super Bowl contenders last season until they were eliminated from the playoffs in the de facto NFC East title game against the Giants on New Year’s Day, which was Dallas’ fourth loss in the final five games. Aikman agrees with that thought process.

“With three weeks left in the season, nobody even thought they were going to make the playoffs,” Aikman said of the Giants. “They hit it at the right time and got to playing well, gained some confidence, and they go on to win the Super Bowl. When you look back on that season, you fail to remember they really struggled for a good part of that year.

“The Cowboys, had they have won that last game of the season against the Giants, then they would have been in the playoffs. Now, I don’t know if they would have gone on to win the Super Bowl, but that’s how fine the line is between winning and losing, and winning a Super Bowl in this league.

“For the Cowboys if you look at the total picture, one playoff win in however many years that it’s been – not real good. But I do, as Emmitt said, agree that Jason Garrett is the right guy. Now, he has to win. There is a lot of pressure on him and they have some things in place. We seem to say this every year, but I expect them to have a really good year.”

Our NFL columnist, Ashley Fox, has a neat little graphic element up on the site about 10 NFL quarterbacks who are "on the spot" in 2012. I didn't know Ashley was so graphics-savvy, but take a look. One of those slideshow deals where you scroll through and there's a photo and a blurb on each guy.

Anyway, No. 1 on the list is Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles, and No. 4 on the list is Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys. Pretty good representation of our little division, no? Here's Ashley's take on Vick:

The Eagles are built to win this year, but Vick will have to stay healthy and limit his turnovers. He missed three games in 2011 and had 24 turnovers -- and Philadelphia went 8-8 and missed the playoffs.

As we have written many times here, Vick and his turnovers were a bigger part of the problem in Philadelphia last season than was mentioned much at the time or has been discussed much since. As the season draws nearer, I expect the focus on Vick and the pressure he's under to intensify. I agree with Ashley that no quarterback in the league enters 2012 under more pressure than does Vick.

Here's Ashley's take on Romo:

Last season, Romo threw for 4,184 yards with 31 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. But in six years as the Cowboys' starter, he has won just one playoff game. Romo is 32 years old. Jerry Jones won't be patient forever.

I tend to think Jones might actually be patient with Romo forever, if that's what it takes. Romo and Jones are close, and the Cowboys' owner takes great pride in the fact that the undrafted quarterback to whom he gave this opportunity has blossomed into one of the best quarterbacks in the league. I don't believe that Jones feels remotely as critical toward Romo and his oft-cited poor playoff record as Dallas fans and the conventional NFL wisdom do, and I really do think that Romo's play would have to drop off considerably in order for the Cowboys to consider replacing him. I do not think it's possible for that to happen within the course of the coming season.

That said, I do agree that Romo belongs on any list of NFL quarterbacks "on the spot," because few get more attention, and the longer he goes without delivering some playoff success (be it his fault or not), the more he squanders the opportunity to take control of the narrative about his own career. He might not care what people say about him now, but someday he will, and if these shadows remain unchanged (hat tip, Mr. Charles Dickens), the story of Romo's career will be that of promise unfulfilled, not that of an undrafted guy who exceeded expectations.

GRAPEVINE, Texas -- It’s a question that has been asked a lot since the Cowboys faded into playoff spectators last season: Do you still believe in Rob Ryan?

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“Rob’s skills, the thing that he brings to the table, are easily bought into,” Jerry Jones replied. “We did, we have and we continue to buy into those.”

Why would the Cowboys have changed their mind about the defensive coordinator they hired a year ago? The Dallas defense made a drastic improvement in Ryan’s first season, advancing from awful to mediocre.

It’s silly to make Ryan the scapegoat for an 8-8 season. His unit ranked 16th in scoring defense. The Cowboys ranked 15th in scoring offense. This was simply an all-around mediocre team.

The biggest mistake Ryan made was constantly opening his big mouth to brag about what great talent he was coaching. That was all a bunch of bull, perhaps intended to inflate confidence.

All it did was artificially inflate expectations.

If you listen to Ryan, it was all his fault that Dallas’ defense didn’t live up to expectations. He skipped English 101 -- how many four-letter words are taught in that class? -- and threw too much, too fast at his players without an offseason to implement the complicated schemes. He’s vowed to go with a slower approach this season.

Just remember, Wade Phillips’ scheme was too simple in his last half season with the Cowboys. The same scheme seemed to work pretty well in Houston last season, huh?

The front office made it clear this offseason that Ryan was handcuffed by over-the-hill, inadequate talent. That’s why the Cowboys paid $50 million for cornerback Brandon Carr, packaged their first two picks for cornerback Morris Claiborne to headline a defense-loaded draft class and signed potential starters at safety and inside linebacker in free agency.

Ryan shouldn’t have to go with smoke and mirrors all the time this season. He should have personnel good enough to win without a lot of gimmicks.

It’s on Ryan to find the fine line between being too smart for his own good and not creative enough with his calls.

“Where I’m coming from there is, it just isn’t about personnel at all, but it is also about education, how well those players understand the scheme and also a real good coaching job on how much to give those players so that they can go out there and perform instinctively,” Jones said. “That’s all a mouthful, but I’ve got a lot of confidence in Rob Ryan and the defense and the defense we’ll have.

“You want to get all of Rob you can possibly get and his philosophy, but it’s a little like (Tony) Romo. You want to basically get it in a way that it’s sound and wins ballgames. Some of the things he wants to do -- bring it -- we want to do. That’s why we went to the defense.”

They spent the offseason upgrading the defense, giving Ryan a realistic shot to back up his bold words.

Is Ryan really the great defensive coordinator he claims to be? We’ll find out this season. It’s foolish to judge him after one season in which he was handcuffed by poor personnel.

IRVING, Texas -- Mike Jenkins has done nothing wrong this offseason.

It is well within his right to do his rehab work from major shoulder surgery mostly in Florida. The Cowboys’ offseason conditioning program is voluntary even if there is a wink-wink involved.

But it doesn’t mean Jenkins is in the right either.

Is Jenkins, who was the Cowboys’ best cornerback last season -- and that is not meant as faint praise -- upset that he does not have a new contract? Is he upset the team signed Brandon Carr to a $50 million deal and Orlando Scandrick to a $27 million deal before he could cash in? Is he upset the Cowboys traded up to get Morris Claiborne in the first round in the draft?

Maybe it’s yes to all three, but staying home is not the right answer.

Let’s offer up Ken Hamlin and Marion Barber as lessons why.

In 2008, Hamlin did not take part in the offseason program, organized team activities and mini-camp after the team put the franchise tag on him. That same offseason the Cowboys tended Barber as a restricted free agent with the highest compensation possible -- a first and third rounder -- and he missed about two months of the offseason program.

Eventually Hamlin and Barber got paid. The Cowboys signed Hamlin to a six-year, $39 million deal in July 2008. Barber signed a seven-year, $45 million deal in May.

But neither guy was the same player.

Hamlin was cut after the 2009 season. Barber lost the tread on his tire and was cut after the 2010 season. He retired this offseason after one year in Chicago.

Maybe this is just anecdotal evidence about the importance of the offseason program, but you’re hearing a lot of guys talk now about how much better this spring has been than last spring when there was a lockout in effect.

If it’s all about money, then, hey, those guys got their money. Is it a coincidence that Barber’s agent then is Jenkins’ agent now, Drew Rosenhaus?

Trading Jenkins is/was not easy. Why would a team trade for a guy who is coming off major shoulder surgery? Why would a team trade for a guy with one year left on his deal? Why would the Cowboys want to give up on a young cornerback even if they have stockpiled the spot this offseason?

On Wednesday owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he has visions of a long-term plan for Jenkins. Maybe he does or maybe he’s just saying he does. The Cowboys will have significant money tied up in Carr, Scandrick and Claiborne. Can they really afford a fourth cornerback?

Yes, if he plays as well as Jenkins played last year and in 2009.

Jenkins' best attribute as a corner is his willingness to compete at the line of scrimmage and for the ball in the air. Yes, I know people now are talking about two failed tackles he had as a rookie and 2010, but if he didn’t answer any toughness questions for you last year by playing with that shoulder injury then shame on you.

Jenkins can show the Cowboys they have to keep him. He can show other teams he’s healthy and worth the money in 2013.

He can’t show them that from Florida.

GRAPEVINE, Texas – Not only will Tony Romo bypass a chance at this year’s U.S. Open, but the Cowboys’ quarterback will not attempt to qualify for the HP Byron Nelson Championship either.

The Nelson’s pre-qualifier will be played Thursday at Lantana Golf Club. The Nelson will be held at TPC Four Seasons in Las Colinas from May 17-20.

Romo has attempted to qualify for the Nelson for at least the last six years but has not made the field. There has been talk in the past about him receiving a sponsor’s exemption.

Romo was on the golf course Wednesday, however, at the team’s annual sponsors’ tournament at Cowboys Golf Club in Grapevine, Texas. Most of the team's veterans took part in either the morning or afternoon tournaments.

“I get a little concerned if I see somebody out there playing good golf other than Romo,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones joked. “We allow him to be a good golfer.”

GRAPEVINE, Texas -- The Cowboys will close their California portion of training camp on Aug. 21 in San Diego following two days of practice against the Chargers.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said a few logistics, like lodging, need to be ironed out.

“I don’t see anything there that would keep that from being a done deal,” Jones said.

The Cowboys and Chargers meet in Week 2 of the preseason on Aug. 18 and after a day off the teams will practice Aug. 20-21 at San Diego’s facility. The Cowboys will return home Aug. 22 and are expected to hold a night practice at Cowboys Stadium on Aug. 23, leading up to the preseason home opener against St. Louis on Aug. 25.

The Cowboys and Chargers practiced against each other at Valley Ranch and Cowboys Stadium leading up to a preseason game in 2011.

GRAPEVINE, Texas – On a day when first-round pick Morris Claiborne had the pins removed from his surgically repaired left wrist, Cowboys owner and general manager announced fourth-round pick Kyle Wilber had surgery to repair a fractured right index finger.

UPDATE: Both players will be out until training camp in July, which had been the plan all along for Claiborne. The rookies are scheduled to report to Oxnard, Calif., on July 25, followed a few days later by the veterans.

Earlier in the day owner and general manager Jerry Jones was not sure of a return date for Wilber, who had the surgery Tuesday, but did not expect him to be ready for next week’s teaching sessions.

Rookies can return to Valley Ranch on Monday.

Wilber suffered the injury on the second day of last week’s rookie mini-camp. A prolonged absence would hurt his ability to pick up the defense. He showed the ability to make plays in the mini-camp in the run and pass game.

Claiborne took part in all of the rookie camp meetings and parts of the on-field walkthroughs while wearing a hard cast. He will be fitted for a soft cast for a few weeks and will be able to go through conditioning work.

IRVING, Texas – The award-winning 5 Wonders is back for a post-draft look. Today we talk about Morris Claiborne, Bruce Carter, Mike Jenkins and the missing nose tackle?

** The Cowboys traded up for Claiborne because he was the second player on their draft board and they could not believe he slipped out of the top five. In 2003 the Cowboys drafted Terence Newman with the fifth overall pick and said part of the decision was based on Newman’s return abilities. In nine seasons, Newman had 38 punt returns for a 7.5-yard average and one touchdown. They never really let him do it. I wonder if the Cowboys will let Claiborne return punts and/or kicks. He averaged 25 yards per kick return last year at LSU and had a 99-yard touchdown. He’s not Patrick Peterson as a returner, but he could be a good one and the Cowboys’ return games need to improve in 2012. Here’s a bonus wonder: I wonder if Dez Bryant actually becomes more of a full-time returner this season. It’s Year 3 for him and I wonder if the team will sign him to a second contract down the road.

** Claiborne’s arrival has Jenkins’ future in question. Jenkins is in the last year of his contract and is scheduled to make a little more than $1 million. He is also coming off shoulder surgery and as I wrote on Friday, the team is a little concerned at how much rehab time he’s spending in Florida and not at Valley Ranch. But I wonder what you could get for Jenkins. The money is palatable but he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2013. And he’s coming off major surgery and won’t be ready until training camp. Jerry Jones likes to say a player’s value is lowest at the draft, so they could not get equal value for Jenkins or close to it. I wonder if the Cowboys let Jenkins play out the year, hope he does well, signs a big contract elsewhere and then hope they can get a compensatory back in 2014. The team doesn’t wonder about this (they say) but I wonder if they would like a do-over on Orlando Scandrick’s contract.

** I have to take Jones’ word for it that Bobby Wagner would’ve been the Cowboys’ pick in the second round had the team not made the move up for Claiborne. But I wonder what that means about Carter, last year’s second rounder. At every opportunity the Cowboys have said they liked how Carter progressed last season off a torn anterior cruciate ligament, that he met every goal they planned knowing that he was injured. Well, now he’s healthy and I wonder if he’s really a fit. The Cowboys added Dan Connor in free agency to a two-year deal and Jones said they would’ve taken Wagner, an inside linebacker. That would seem to be a little redundant, unless Rob Ryan is drawing up some sort of special scheme or maybe Wagner could play outside. There will be a lot of eyes on Carter during the organized team activities and minicamp.

** Where’s the true 3-4 nose tackle? As good as Jay Ratliff has been, many of you want the Cowboys to grab a huge nose tackle and slide Ratliff to defensive end. That’s why some fans wanted Dontari Poe in the first round or even Alameda Ta’Amu in the third round. I wonder if the need for that type of plugger is as important nowadays. Think about it. The NFL is a passing league and if you have a 330-pound nose tackle to stop the run, he will play about 30 percent of the snaps. Is it worth it? I don’t know, but it looks like the Cowboys don’t believe so. The good nose tackles in 3-4 defenses now also have some pass rush and flexibility, like Vince Wilfork or Haloti Ngata. Those guys aren’t available all the time and run defense was not the Cowboys’ downfall last year. I also wonder this: The Cowboys might be higher on Josh Brent than many people know.

** I wonder how many undrafted players make this roster. You can almost lock up Ronald Leary, the Memphis guard, after how Jones talked about him Saturday. Heck, you wonder if Leary could be a candidate to start. Last year four undrafted players made the 53-man roster and a fifth, Raymond Radway, would have if not for an injury.

IRVING, Texas -- After making a splash with a first-round trade Thursday for cornerback Morris Claiborne, the Cowboys decided to stand pat and not make any deals during the final two days of the NFL draft.

The Cowboys had chances to move up and down, including an opportunity in the fourth round that would have cost them 12 spots but given them more picks, according to owner and general manager Jerry Jones.

But Trader Jerry held strong. In the last two years, the Cowboys have made just one draft day trade.

Jones said he didn’t make the fourth-round trade because he did not want to cost the team a chance to get Wake Forest linebacker Kyle Wilber or Eastern Washington safety Matt Johnson. The Cowboys ended up with both players.

“That Matt Johnson [is] a ballhawk,” Jones said.

While it appears the Cowboys were able to fill needs at tight end, safety, outside linebacker and wide receiver on Saturday, Jones said there was not a reach pick.

“As it turned out, you could go across the board and it would be pretty evenhanded,” Jones said, adding, “We went by our board today.”

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys had an obvious need for help on the defensive line, which is part of the reason why they drafted Tyrone Crawford in the third round Friday.

The Cowboys want to generate more pass rush from their line and Crawford’s biggest strength is getting to the quarterback.

But the Cowboys also had a need because of age.

Their top four defensive linemen will be at least 29 by the time the season starts, and Marcus Spears, the 29-year-old, is entering his eighth season. Kenyon Coleman is 33. Jay Ratliff will be 31 in August. Jason Hatcher will be 30 in July.

The Cowboys also have Sean Lissemore, who turns 25 in September, Josh Brent (24) and Clifton Geathers (24).

“We like what has happened with Geathers,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “Of course, he’s a bigger guy and Lissemore you know about that. Again, we’d like one of those guys at that position on the come all the time. Our third round says the guy you draft is not necessarily a starter now but has a chance to move into a starter in the future. [Crawford] fits that profile.”

Crawford turns 23 in November.