Cowboys owner Jerry Jones attempts to sell fans on building around an expensive defense months after trading Micah Parsons

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is used to stepping in it or outright inserting his foot in his mouth whenever a microphone or camera is in his face. Well, it happened again on Tuesday during Jones' weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. While on the show, Jones responded to those who doubt the Cowboys’ ability to keep defensive linemen Quinnen Williams, Osa Odighizuwa, and Kenny Clark due to their large salaries.

Jon Machota of The Athletic: “Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on @1053thefan on those who say Dallas can't keep all three defensive tackles, Quinnen Williams, Osa Odighizuwa and Kenny Clark, because of their salaries:

"That's not right. We can. We can build from that."

Of course, to Jones, this sounds like a situation to be easily navigated. However, Cowboys fans and analysts haven’t forgotten how Jones opted not to pay a highly touted defensive player named Micah Parsons just over three months ago.

Since trading for Williams at the deadline in November, the Cowboys are 3-0 and have climbed themselves back into the NFC playoff picture at 6-5-1. In 2023, Williams signed a $96 million extension with the Jets. The Cowboys have Williams’ rights through 2027, but can potentially get out of the deal after next season.

Clark was traded to Dallas from Green Bay just before the season began and is currently playing on a three-year extension signed with the Packers that averages out to over $21 million per year. Two years remain on Clark’s current deal. Odighizuwa re-upped with the team in March, signing a four-year extension worth $80 million.

While Jones sounds assured he can pull this off in the midst of a playoff push, it’ll be interesting to see if that tune changes once the offseason rolls around and wide receiver George Pickens has his hand out for a new contract. Pickens will be a free agent at season’s end, and based on the way he’s helped open up this offense once again, he’s going to want fair compensation to guarantee he stays in Big D.

All these big-ticket players coming to the forefront, after fans just witnessed Jones pass on keeping an All-Pro pass rusher (Parsons), who’s just entering his prime, in town for another few years. Jones now expects this same fan base to believe he’s going to fork over the cash to keep this well-oiled machine of a defensive front together when he wouldn’t re-sign a generational talent like Parsons.

The Cowboys have improved dramatically on the defensive side of the ball since the trade deadline. A once putrid run defense is now one of the best over the last three games, and overall, Dallas has gone from giving up over 30 points per game to just over 21 in the past three games. If Jones and the Cowboys front office can find a way to keep this defensive band together, it would bode well moving forward, but based on the franchise's recent track record, this sounds like nothing more than a pipe dream.