By SportsDayDFW.com
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones has assured fans that there is, indeed, "a little bit of method to the madness" when it comes to the club's approach to turnover this offseason.
And the following quote from Jones, it seems, has become one of the more noteworthy aspects:
"Players we want to keep, we keep them. Most of these players, I'm not going to single out guys, but most of them we were ready to let move on."
Though not referred to by name, former Cowboys safety Barry Church admitted to being bothered a bit by some of Jones' comments when asked about them Tuesday.
"I'd be lying if I sat there and said, like, 'Nah, that didn't bother me at all,'" Church said on the Dennis & Cowlishaw show [KESN-FM 103.3], "but it's a part of the game. It's a part of the business of the NFL. You gotta know that you can't really take much of it personal, even though, for a second there I kind of felt like it was a jab, but, hey, they gotta do what they gotta do. It's their organization. You feel like they're making the best decision to go forward, and hey, I can't do anything about it now, so best of luck to them."
In total, the Cowboys have lost 10 players in free agency -- seven on the defensive side of the ball.
Church was one of four defensive backs to leave Dallas. An undrafted free agent in 2010 who had spent his entire career as a Cowboy, Church signed a four-year, $26 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jones also said the following on Sunday:
"Now, there were a few if they would have been for the right price, we would have done it. But we certainly didn't want to get into overpaying for anybody."
Church and the three other defensive backs who departed -- cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne and safety J.J. Wilcox -- formed what was essentially the Cowboys' starting secondary in 2015. Church started 15 games, Carr started all 16, Claiborne 11 and Wilcox 13.
And though all four entered this offseason as unrestricted free agents, Church didn't think they all would be joining new clubs for the 2017 season.
"Aw, man, I did not think that was coming at all," he said. "Maybe one, or two of us, but I didn't think a full, clean sweep. But they've got a lot of young talent down there. They got Byron Jones, they got Jeff Heath coming off of a great playoff game, so they got a lot of talent to play with around there and I hope the best for them."
Church also said he feels the Cowboys' defense won't have any problems adjusting to their free-agent losses, in part because coordinator Rod Marinelli (who has been signed to an extension) is a great coach and "awesome motivator of men."
The Cowboys have offset key defensive losses with veteran signings in cornerback Nolan Carroll and defensive tackle Stephen Paea, in addition to taking a flier on defensive end Damontre Moore.
Meanwhile, Church looks forward to an opportunity in Jacksonville that excites him.
The Jaguars have been big spenders this offseason, adding, in addition to Church, high-profile names like defensive lineman Calais Campbell and cornerback A.J. Bouye.
Campbell, a second-team All-Pro last season, and Bouye, one of Pro Football Focus' top breakout players of 2016, join a unit that already features young standouts in edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and another big-money player in defensive lineman Malik Jackson.
"Well, on paper it seems like we can be a pretty good defense," Church said. "I believe they were sixth in the league last year, but the game isn't played on paper, so we're definitely gonna have to put the work in and develop a chemistry to get things rolling. But as far as potential, I mean, the sky's the limit. They got a lot of young talent out there, so I'm excited about the opportunity."
Could Church return to Dallas one day?
"My house is here, everything's here, so I'll be in Dallas once my career is said and done in Jacksonville," he said.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones has assured fans that there is, indeed, "a little bit of method to the madness" when it comes to the club's approach to turnover this offseason.
And the following quote from Jones, it seems, has become one of the more noteworthy aspects:
"Players we want to keep, we keep them. Most of these players, I'm not going to single out guys, but most of them we were ready to let move on."
Though not referred to by name, former Cowboys safety Barry Church admitted to being bothered a bit by some of Jones' comments when asked about them Tuesday.
"I'd be lying if I sat there and said, like, 'Nah, that didn't bother me at all,'" Church said on the Dennis & Cowlishaw show [KESN-FM 103.3], "but it's a part of the game. It's a part of the business of the NFL. You gotta know that you can't really take much of it personal, even though, for a second there I kind of felt like it was a jab, but, hey, they gotta do what they gotta do. It's their organization. You feel like they're making the best decision to go forward, and hey, I can't do anything about it now, so best of luck to them."
In total, the Cowboys have lost 10 players in free agency -- seven on the defensive side of the ball.
Church was one of four defensive backs to leave Dallas. An undrafted free agent in 2010 who had spent his entire career as a Cowboy, Church signed a four-year, $26 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jones also said the following on Sunday:
"Now, there were a few if they would have been for the right price, we would have done it. But we certainly didn't want to get into overpaying for anybody."
Church and the three other defensive backs who departed -- cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne and safety J.J. Wilcox -- formed what was essentially the Cowboys' starting secondary in 2015. Church started 15 games, Carr started all 16, Claiborne 11 and Wilcox 13.
And though all four entered this offseason as unrestricted free agents, Church didn't think they all would be joining new clubs for the 2017 season.
"Aw, man, I did not think that was coming at all," he said. "Maybe one, or two of us, but I didn't think a full, clean sweep. But they've got a lot of young talent down there. They got Byron Jones, they got Jeff Heath coming off of a great playoff game, so they got a lot of talent to play with around there and I hope the best for them."
Church also said he feels the Cowboys' defense won't have any problems adjusting to their free-agent losses, in part because coordinator Rod Marinelli (who has been signed to an extension) is a great coach and "awesome motivator of men."
The Cowboys have offset key defensive losses with veteran signings in cornerback Nolan Carroll and defensive tackle Stephen Paea, in addition to taking a flier on defensive end Damontre Moore.
Meanwhile, Church looks forward to an opportunity in Jacksonville that excites him.
The Jaguars have been big spenders this offseason, adding, in addition to Church, high-profile names like defensive lineman Calais Campbell and cornerback A.J. Bouye.
Campbell, a second-team All-Pro last season, and Bouye, one of Pro Football Focus' top breakout players of 2016, join a unit that already features young standouts in edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and another big-money player in defensive lineman Malik Jackson.
"Well, on paper it seems like we can be a pretty good defense," Church said. "I believe they were sixth in the league last year, but the game isn't played on paper, so we're definitely gonna have to put the work in and develop a chemistry to get things rolling. But as far as potential, I mean, the sky's the limit. They got a lot of young talent out there, so I'm excited about the opportunity."
Could Church return to Dallas one day?
"My house is here, everything's here, so I'll be in Dallas once my career is said and done in Jacksonville," he said.
