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Pacman Jones
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ESPN.com and NFL Network’s Adam Schefter are reporting that the Titans and Cowboys have completed a complex — and drawn-out — deal that would send suspended CB-RS Pacman Jones to Dallas, with several provisions built into the deal. The Cowboys will give up their fourth-round pick in this year’s draft, No. 126 overall, for Jones, but if he is not reinstated and does not play next season, the Titans will send a fourth-round pick in next year’s draft back to the Cowboys. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said that Jones’ reinstatement hearing won’t come until a few weeks before training camp, and there is no guarantee that Jones will be allowed to play. Some details still must be worked out prior to the draft, and Jones must pass a physical before the trade will be finalized.
There are several elements to this deal. First, there’s little doubting that the Cowboys gained more talent, provided that Jones is reinstated. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is believed to have talked with Goodell at some point in the past two days, and though Goodell surely did not tell the owner whether Pacman Jones will be allowed to play, Jerry Jones likely felt good enough about the conversation to make the trade with the built-in safety net.
The Cowboys felt they could part with the fourth-rounder because they have four picks in the first three rounds and also have the first pick of the sixth round. The team’s needs appear static — running back, wide receiver and cornerback. Team sources say the team will approach the draft just as it would have, had the Pacman deal not gone through, meaning cornerback still will be an area that should be addressed early on, likely among those first four choices.
It should be noted that Pacman Jones has not played football since the end of the 2006 season and likely will need serious practice time before he can be expected to vie for a starting spot. And using Cowboys NT Tank Johnson as an example, the team would hope that Jones would be able to practice before he is reinstated. If not, he might come into camp very raw and might not push RCB Anthony Henry until further down the line.
If and when Jones can play, and after he gets into game shape, he has a chance to get back to where he was when he last played — as one of the better man-cover corners in the NFL. After a disastrous rookie season, Jones showed his tremendous coverage skills and was a dangerous returner on punts and kickoffs and as an occasional offensive specialist. The Cowboys eventually could use him in the same way. If he’s slow to get back to form, he could open as the nickel back and return punts before taking on more responsibility.
Clearly, the downside and risk of the trade exists in the character department. Not only is Jones potentially one misstep away from league banishment, but he also adds a volatile element to an already charged Cowboys locker room with Terrell Owens, Johnson and others. The reach of head coach Wade Phillips, who allowed the players to act under their own supervision in his first season in Dallas, will be tested.
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