Jerry Jones says Cowboys Super Bowl contention is not a reach
Jerry Jones opened Cowboys camp by saying Dallas can contend now, and he may trade a top pick for defensive help.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Jerry Jones said the Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl talk is no fantasy act as training camp begins in Oxnard, California, telling reporters Tuesday he believes the roster is built to compete for a title, according to ESPN.
In a news conference that ESPN’s Todd Archer reported lasted more than 40 minutes, the Cowboys owner and general manager framed a successful season as one in which Dallas is in the championship chase. Jones said he does not view that expectation as “outlandish” or “a reach.”
That is a bold camp-opening marker for a franchise still carrying one of the NFL’s loudest droughts. ESPN noted the Cowboys have gone 30 years without a championship, their last coming in Super Bowl XXX after the 1995 season.
Dallas has also missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. That includes a 7-9-1 finish in 2025, Brian Schottenheimer’s first year as head coach, according to ESPN.
Can the Cowboys contend for the Super Bowl?
Jones pointed to the most recent Super Bowl as proof that a quick jump is possible. ESPN reported he cited the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, who reached Super Bowl LX in February after both had missed the playoffs in 2024.
Jones said those two teams’ runs left him as encouraged as he has been about the Cowboys’ chances of getting back to the Super Bowl. The message from the owner was plain: last year’s disappointment does not have to define this season.
The Cowboys open their first practice Wednesday, and Jones made clear he likes the outside skepticism. He told reporters he enjoys that expectations are not universally high and said he likes the team Dallas has assembled to try to prove otherwise.
Jones is open to trading a top pick
Jones also said he is willing to spend future draft capital if the right player can help the Cowboys immediately. According to ESPN, he said a top pick this year is available for a player who would clearly improve the team now.
The owner described a recent conversation with another owner as a “very legitimate discussion,” though ESPN reported he did not give specifics. Jones mentioned defensive help as the type of addition he could pursue, including a pass rusher or linebacker.
That fits with Dallas’ earlier offseason interest. ESPN reported the Cowboys were involved in talks connected to Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby before a potential move involving Baltimore fell apart over a failed physical. Jones declined to say much more about Crosby, noting that he remains a Raider.
George Pickens stays in the spotlight
Jones also addressed wide receiver George Pickens, whose contract situation has stayed quieter than it could have. ESPN reported the Cowboys chose not to enter long-term contract talks with Pickens after his first season in Dallas.
Pickens had 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in that first Cowboys season, according to ESPN. He took part in mandatory minicamp and was on the team charter to Los Angeles on Monday.
Jones said Pickens is part of the Cowboys’ ambitions and said another standout season would benefit both the player and the team. He added that he hopes Pickens becomes the NFL’s most productive receiver this year, because that kind of season would help Dallas as well.
Jones also acknowledged feeling personal pressure for the Cowboys to win now, citing roster pieces and future salary-cap costs that will not stay the same. For Dallas, camp begins with the owner loudly setting the bar: contention, and maybe more, right away.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.