ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Jerry Jones says the Dallas Cowboys have no intention of trading cornerback Mike Jenkins or any interest in going to federal court to further fight the NFL about a $10 million salary cap reduction.
Jones made it clear Wednesday that he fully expects Jenkins to stay with the Cowboys, even as the cornerback was missing another week of voluntary workouts. Jenkins has remained home in Florida after shoulder surgery and there have been numerous reports he wants to be traded after Dallas added two prominent cornerbacks in recent weeks.
"I'm real excited about what we can do defensively with having his skills along with the other corners we have. ... We could really have a chance to do something exceptional in our secondary and I want to give us every chance to do that," Jones said. "I'm sure not interested in the future. I'm all about what we can do next season."
Jenkins, who is going into the final year of his contract, was the first topic presented to Jones during an impromptu 25-minute session with reporters on the field at Cowboys Stadium, where the team practiced instead of Valley Ranch because of some rain overnight and that morning.
The owner's session came a week after arbitrator Stephen Burbank upheld the NFL's salary cap reductions against the Cowboys and Washington Redskins. Burbank ruled in favor of the league and dismissed the grievances by both teams. Dallas lost $10 million in salary cap for overloading contracts during 2010, while the Redskins lost $36 million for this season and next.
"We were very emphatic that there was no deal among the owners about anything to do with a cap, and that was our position," Jones said. "We honor the arbitrator. The ruling was that the place to hear this was not in his jurisdiction, the place to hear it was over in federal court, which we're not interested in getting involved like that."
Even with the $10 million salary cap reduction, $5 million each this year and next, the Cowboys were able to fill some pressing needs in free agency. They then moved up eight spots while giving up their second-round pick in the draft to select LSU All-America cornerback Morris Claiborne sixth overall.
The additions of cornerback Brandon Carr and Claiborne certainly could have an impact on playing time for Jenkins, who started 12 games last season. He missed four with a hamstring injury, though dealt with other nagging injuries all season.v
Even with Carr and Claiborne, Jones still expects Jenkins to be a big part of the Cowboys defense.
"I can't think of anything that helps the Cowboys better than to have Jenkins on the team. Nothing. And I'm not interested in what we gain in the future," Jones said, again dismissing any idea of a trade "And I'm certainly not interested in the iffiness in the future when I've got my hands on someone that I know can play winning football this year."
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
