Same Old Situation

Odd draft choices leave analysts wondering if Jerry Jones has finally lost his mind

Can someone please convince Jerry Jones to buy the Los Angeles Clippers? The NBA model suits Jones’ tendency to discard draft picks like they are limitless poker chips. Unfortunately, in the NFL this leads to mediocre football teams that are woefully short of quality backup players.

In the first round, the Cowboys started off splendidly as Jones ignored his penchant for making a big splash by passing on Texas A&M lightening rod Johnny Manziel. Instead, Jones picked up offensive lineman Zack Martin, a solid if not spectacular choice. There were no crazy, headline-making trades entertained by the Cowboys. The team simply took the best player left on the board.

Jones threw reason out the window when he traded two picks to the Washington Redskins in order to grab DeMarcus Lawrence of Boise State.

But Jones threw reason out the window when he traded the Cowboys’ second- and third-round picks to the Washington Redskins in order to move up 13 spots and grab DeMarcus Lawrence of Boise State. The move prompted Walter Cherepinsky of the popular blog Walterfootball.com to proclaim, “I honestly think Jerry Jones has lost his mind.”

The backlash against the move has nothing to do with the player selected. Lawrence was one of the best pass rushers remaining in the draft, and the Cowboys have a DeMarcus Ware-sized hole to fill on defense.

The problem is that Jones once again did not get value for his trade. To put things in perspective, the Cowboys received the exact same compensation in last year’s draft when they traded down 13 spots in the first round. Even Jones admitted that he overpaid.

Jones just doesn’t seem to understand that the Cowboys need help in multiple areas. By sending off the team’s third-round pick, Dallas is robbed of a chance to add another quality player to fill in when the inevitable injury bug hits.

Yes, DeMarcus Lawrence looks to have a bright future with the Cowboys. Then again, so did Anthony Spencer, right up until he blew out his knee last year. Should Lawrence go down with an injury, Dallas will once again be grievously under-manned on the defensive line.

The Cowboys spent the final rounds of the draft gathering Jason Garrett-type players — workhorses who lack outstanding size and talent. Linebacker Anthony Hitchens was taken too early because he projects to be nothing more than a backup player. Devin Street is Pitt’s all-time leading receiver, and he could develop into a dangerous red zone target. First he needs to eat a sandwich and hit the weight room.

Ben Gardner of Stanford also lacks natural size and talent but makes up for it with an outstanding work effort. Gardner will compete to be a reserve defensive lineman. Former Texas Tech linebacker Will Smith's productivity exceeded his natural talent in college, so naturally the Cowboys snatched him up.

Amazingly, the Cowboys waited until the seventh round to address one of their most glaring needs: secondary play. Baylor Bear Ahmad Dixon will be counted on to help a miserable safety corps for Dallas. Hopefully Dixon can learn quickly or get used to seeing this again next season.

Ken Bishop and Terrance Mitchell are both late-round picks that would be happy to make the roster at this point. It should be pointed out that many draft experts praised the Cowboys for finding Mitchell so late. He probably won’t be a starter in the NFL, but he could make a capable backup who has big-play ability.

Perhaps the Cowboys will strike gold among the 23 free agents the team invited to camp. Players that received invites include former Longhorn Chris Whaley, Jordan Najvar and Glasco Martin of Baylor, as well as Ben Malena, the former Cedar Hill recruit who spent the past few years at Texas A&M.

Overall, the Cowboys had a solid draft, but it's mind-boggling that Jerry Jones still hasn't grasped how important depth is in the NFL. Odds are the Cowboys will once again be considered a talented team that folds in December as the injuries mount and they have no one to fill the void.

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for the win

Cheer on these Texans competing for Team USA in the 2026 Winter Olympics

Amber Glenn, 2026 Winter Olympics figure skater from Plano

teamusa.com/

Plano's famous figure skater Amber Glenn is on the roster.

The XXV Winter Olympic Games, also known as the Milano Cortina 2026, are right around the corner, running February 6-22 in northern Italy. Out of the 2,900 athletes who will participate in this year's Games, 232 will represent the U.S., with four hailing from the Lone Star State.

North Texans will recognize two local athletes in particular: Ice hockey player Hannah Bilka, who grew up in Coppell, and Plano's record-breaking figure skater Amber Glenn. Another figure skater, Emily Chan, also has ties to Dallas-Fort Worth.

To catch these Texas-born athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics, viewers can tune in to NBC and its affiliate networks, websites, and apps (like Peacock).

Without further ado, these are the Winter Olympians competing for Team USA with roots in Texas. (Note that there are other athletes with Texas ties, like Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars, who are competing in the Olympics but aren't considered Texans.)

Hannah Bilka, 24
Sport: Ice hockey
Texas tie: Bilka grew up in Coppell and is the youngest of four children. At age six, she followed in the footsteps of her older brother, Anthony, and started playing hockey. Due to a "lack of girls’ hockey teams in Texas," she grew up playing hockey with boys.
Fun facts: She won the 2024 National Championship in women’s ice hockey with the Ohio State Buckeyes, the same university where she earned a master's degree in sport management. Her two older sisters, Christina and Stephanie, were figure skaters.
When to watch: The women's ice hockey preliminary round begins on Thursday, February 5. The women's bronze and gold medal matches will take place on Thursday, February 19.

Hannah Bilka, 2026 Winter Olympics hockey player Hannah Bilka is one of two North Texans competing in this year's Games.Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Emily Chan, 28
Sport: Pairs figure skating
Texas tie: Chan hails from Pasadena, a Houston-area suburb in Harris County, but she also calls Dallas home. She graduated from Texas Online Preparatory School as the valedictorian.
Fun facts: She loves to cook, bake, make jewelry, and dreams of opening her own café in the future. Her longtime skating partner, Spencer Akira Howe, is from Los Angeles. They both relocated to train at the Skating Club of Boston in 2019, where Chan now coaches young figure skaters. Chan is also pursuing a family and marriage counseling degree from Grand Canyon University.
When to watch: The figure skating "team event" kicks off on Friday, February 6. The pairs figure skating competition begins on Wednesday, February 16.

Emily Chan, 2026 Winter Olympics figure skater In addition to being a top-notch figure skater, Emily Chan is also trained in Chinese modern dance and ballet.teamusa.com/

Amber Glenn, 26
Sport: Singles figure skating
Texas tie: She was born in Plano, and started skating at just five years-old.
Fun facts: Glenn is a mental health advocate and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. She came out as pansexual in 2019. She loves to play Magic: The Gathering, and her dog, Uki, is named after stalking shadow card Ukkima. She also enjoys anime and Star Wars. On Friday, May 29, Glenn will visit Allen during the 2026 Stars on Ice Tour.
When to watch: The figure skating "team event" kicks off on Friday, February 6. The women's singles free skate competition begins Thursday, February 19.

Amber Glenn, figure skating Plano's Amber Glenn will have the Dallas-Fort Worth crowd on its feet. Facebook/ISU

Boone Niederhofer, 32
Sport: Bobsledding
Texas tie: Niederhofer grew up in San Antonio, and later became a wide receiver at Texas A&M University. His father, Dan, played football for Abilene Christian University. Niederhofer and his family previously lived in Midland .
Fun facts: Niederhofer has a degree in petroleum engineering and worked in Texas' oil and gas industry while competing in bobsledding competitions.
When to watch: The bobsled competition begins on Sunday, February 15. The men's two-man heat will take place on Tuesday, February 17, and the men's four-man heat is scheduled for Sunday, February 22.

Boone Niederhofer, 2026 Winter Olympics bobsledder Boone Niederhofer is a former Texas A&M University football player.Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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