At the conclusion of the NFL’s League Meetings on Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones walked out of a side door of the Four Seasons Resort in Irving and declined to talk about what the 32 owners discussed.
“I don’t have any comments as to the contents of the meeting today. Can’t uh—don’t want to talk. I don’t want to—we want to be really, really guarded about what’s said in the meetings,” Jones said.
But Jones said he would be glad to talk about football, and he couldn’t hold back when the topic turned to free agent receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Even though the Cowboys signed receiver T.Y. Hilton, 33, on Monday, Jones said the team remains steadfast in their pursuit of Beckham and even hinted at a coming deal when asked for a timeline.
Beckham, 30, a three-time Pro Bowler, has not played since he suffered a torn ACL in Super Bowl 56 last February.
He is only interested in playing in the postseason.
And while the Cowboys signed Hilton because he can make an immediate impact, Jones said Beckham remains an option because he could possibly be a difference maker in a Super Bowl title with his performance in the playoffs.
“Great players make great plays. Great ones make exceptional plays,” Jones said of Beckham. “And so I hope we advance here where a handful of great plays — and I may be arm-waving — could be the difference in the world championship.”
So when will Beckham be ready to play?
“He’s at a level, but I don’t have an exact quantifying way to say when, but he is working,” Jones said. “But sooner rather than later. Yes, Just stand by. Stand by.”
Does Jones have a timeline for a decision? The team would like Beckham to get to Dallas to continue his rehab with the trainers and learn the playbook so he could have best opportunity to be an impact player in the postseason.
“I don’t want to talk about that. I would stand by,” Jones said.
