Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones "will always be the rock-star front man" for the team, but the organization's "streak of fiscal responsibility has some fingerprints on it, and those who know the Cowboys say those identifying marks belong largely" to Jones' son, Cowboys COO & Exec VP Stephen Jones, according to Charles Robinson of YAHOO SPORTS. Sources said that Stephen Jones is "doing a disciplined job of running a franchise that had become known for shooting from the hip fast and often, consequences be damned." The Cowboys are currently "in the midst of what might be the most remarkable period of financial self-control" in franchise history. The team's recent personnel decisions, including letting free-agent RB DeMarco Murray sign with the Eagles on Thursday, have been "alarmingly prudent when placed against this franchise's history of being a slot machine for star players." What happened with Murray "ultimately drew the spotlight and placed it squarely on Stephen Jones." Sources said that he "drew the line" at $5M a season for Murray. A source said that this was "in contradiction" to Jerry Jones, "whose sentimentality for Murray would have had" the Cowboys paying between $6-7M a year to retain him. It was Stephen Jones "who won out" in the end. Sources said that Stephen Jones "has grown concerned with the percentage of the team's salary cap devoted to the offense" in past seasons (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/13). In Ft. Worth, Clarence Hill Jr. wrote the Cowboys "didn't blink," but rather "stuck to their hard line" on Murray's salary. What this means for the Cowboys "more than ever is that this is Stephen Jones' team," as he is "making the final decisions." This changing of the guard "became increasingly evident last season when it was Stephen who attended every practice instead of the elder Jones, which was a change" (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 3/12).
DALLAS DEFECT: USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes Murray "managed to get the type of deal from the Eagles" that the Cowboys "could not quite stomach." Jerry Jones "always knew there was a chance that Murray would bolt." Bell: "But I'd bet he figured the big offer would come from the likes of the downtrodden" Jaguars or Raiders, "who for all of their salary cap room are still a hard sell for winning a championship" (USA TODAY, 3/13). In Dallas, Brandon George writes the Cowboys' plan to replace Murray "will mirror the reason he left," as they "have no intentions of paying a veteran big bucks." These new "fiscally responsible Cowboys aren’t budging" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/13). Jerry Jones said of Murray, "If there was no salary cap in place, DeMarco would be a Cowboy. This came down to an allocation of dollars within the management of the salary cap" (DALLASNEWS.com, 3/12).
