Why Jerry Jones Didn't Pick Manziel

Published on 9-May-2014 by Stacey Mickles

Football - NFL    NFL Daily Review

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Why Jerry Jones Didn't Pick Manziel

OK, so one linkbait wet dream over the past few weeks has been whether Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would draft Johnny Manziel last night.

According to at least one NFL expert -- who, unsurprisingly, gets his paycheck from the ratings-hungry NFL Network -- Jones was crazy about Manziel, and Johnny Football and Jones were BFFs. 

But for one of the few times in Jones's career as general manager and owner, he didn't make the dumb move.

The Cowboys didn't need a quarterback; they have more pressing issues elsewhere. Their defense is a horror show, and on the offensive side, one requirement was to strengthen the line.

So it wasn't a surprise that Zack Martin is now in their employ.

It was a vanilla move, but the team needed a vanilla move, as explained by this vanilla talking head that the NFL media flock seems to breed endlessly:

Yes, indeed. Safe. Solid. Just like government bonds.

Allegedly, Jones understood that.

But I'm not buying for a second that he really didn't consider going for the glitz. The sort of glitz that translates into 8-8 records in playoff-free seasons.

Frankly, it was not even a thought,” he said.

“The fact that we got Romo more production with that quality of player, took any of the positives (away from drafting Manziel). There’s no way any quarterback comes in here and beats out Tony Romo. We know that."

Sure, we do.

In short, Jones didn't want the pressure. As soon as Romo threw his first pick of the 2014 season, everybody and their momma would have been yelling at Jason Garrett to play Manziel.

And Jerry has invested too much money for that to happen. So, he went the safe route and took a player who will actually be a contributor to the cause right now

How much do you want to bet, though, that if Jerry had the chance again, Mr Football would be in a Cowboys uniform no matter what anyone thought?

Click on a photo to enlarge.