The Cowboys had a need at safety heading into the NFL draft, but they didn’t address that need until the seventh round. Cowboys V.P. Stephen Jones says the reason for that is simple: The Cowboys don’t believe safety is as much a need as everyone says.
“We obviously feel a little bit better about our safeties than maybe some of our critics in the media,” Jones said on a conference call with season ticket holders.
Jones said a depth chart featuring 2013 third-round pick J.J. Wilcox and 2012 fourth-round pick Matt Johnson along with veteran Barry Church is better than people realize.
“I’d start with J.J. Wilcox,” Jones said. “He was really having a tremendous training camp and he had a real tragedy in his life when he lost his mother. We were naming him the starter that day, and then he had to leave camp, rightfully so, to be with his family. . . . We think J.J., working with him in the offseason, has it all back together again and we think he’s going to seize the opportunity.”
“Matt Johnson has real injuries, but they’re more unfortunate than chronic,” Jones continued. “This is probably the year for him to really have it all come together. . . . Church is the leader of that group and we have young guys in [Jakar Hamilton] and some guys like that we think can step up for us.”
Jones also said seventh-round safety Ahmad Dixon was a great value.
“We were also really pleased with Ahmad Dixon,” he said. “He’s almost a cinch to make our team because our special teams coach, Rich Bisaccia, was so fired up about him.”
So no matter what the media say, Jones feels just fine about his safeties.