Jerry Jones Admits Big Cowboys Draft Mistake in New Comments

The 2024 NFL season didn't come close to going the way that the Dallas Cowboys had planned.

After owner/general manager Jerry Jones promised the franchise would be going "all in" on a Super Bowl pursuit, the Cowboys will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2020 as they enter Week 17 with an underwhelming 7-8 record.

A disappointing campaign is bound to lead to some reflection, including when it comes to Jones.

The 82-year-old billionaire is far from perfect, however, he's at least been transparent about his regrets this season. On Friday, Jones opened up on 105.3 The Fan about one of the biggest mistakes he made this offseason.

Cowboys News: Jerry Jones Regrets Inexperienced Offensive Line

The start of the 2024 NFL offseason saw the Cowboys lose two of their starting offensive linemen: left tackle Tyron Smith (New York Jets) and center Tyler Biadasz (Washington Commanders). Rather than replace the duo with veteran presences, Jones opted to find their replacements through the 2024 NFL draft.

Once April rolled around, the Cowboys opted to replace Smith with Tyler Guyton (Round 1, Pick 29) while Cooper Beebe (Round 3, Pick 73) has filled in for Biadasz. While the rookie blockers have had their promising moments, their inexperience has created issues that Jones clearly regrets.

"(I) probably got a little out over my skis, thinking just plug those guys in," Jones said, per Cowboys insider Jon Machota. "We've paid the price to some degree."

There's still plenty of time for Guyton and Beebe to have great NFL careers, but improvements must be made if they want to remain starters going forward.

Even though he entered the draft as a right tackle, Guyton has been moved to QB Dak Prescott's blindside ever since coming to Dallas. The former Oklahoma Sooner has since struggled to consistently stop opposing defenders, resulting in him allowing 24 pressures through 13 appearances.

Unsurprisingly, Pro Football Focus hasn't been a fan of Guyton's inconsistent performances. The 6-foot-7 LT currently carries a 49.4 offense grade, which is the sixth-worst among 78 eligible tackles this season.

Beebe, meanwhile, has been a bit more reliable than Guyton. Even though it took some adjusting after moving from guard to center, the ex-Kansas State blocker has since gone on to play to a 65.0 offense grade (16th). He's only allowed two pressures across 198 passing downs in his last five games, suggesting that he may have finally found his footing.

Having said that, it wouldn't be a shock if Beebe's underwhelming play earlier in the season cost the Cowboys a win or two.

Although Guyton and Beebe were likely prematurely thrown into the fire this season, there's nothing that the Cowboys can do about it now. Jones has to accept what happened and hope that the promising tandem learns from their mistakes to come back better than ever in 2025.

Guyton and Beebe's next opportunity to show Jones what they can do will come against the rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. It's shaping up to be an uphill battle for America's Team with FanDuel Sportsbook currently listing the Eagles as the 7-point favorites at Lincoln Financial Field.

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