Dallas Cowboys: Jerry Jones defends taking risks on players

OXNARD, Calif. -- Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones traditionally opens training camp with predictions of a Super Bowl run for his team.

Never mind that the Cowboys have won just two playoff games since 1997 and haven't reached the Super Bowl since 1995. Jones is ever the optimist and is always selling a special season for the Cowboys.

But even Jones can't escape the dark cloud surrounding the Cowboys heading into 2016.

Instead of Super Bowl hopes, he found himself campaigning for the soul of the franchise when he spoke with the media on the outside of camp.

Three starters are suspended for violating the league's substance abuse policy in defensive ends Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence and middle linebacker Rolando McClain.

Rookie top pick Ezekiel Elliott faces allegations of domestic violence from a former girlfriend.

It all had the Jones and the Cowboys facing questions about how they acquire players and if they take too many chances on risky players. Jones did his best to accentuate the positive of the organization and the culture of the team.

He said the returns of quarterback Tony Romo, wide receiver Dez Bryant and cornerback Orlando Scandrick -- all three missed significant time with injuries during last season's 4-12 debacle -- were far more exciting than the negatives of the suspensions.

"We've got several challenges. We know where those are, but those are far overshadowed by the positives of our returning players that we didn't have last year," Jones said. "It's an exciting time. It's a positive time. I will tell you right now that it is far more positive to be sitting here with what we've got ahead of us over the weeks and months ahead, than it was at midpoints through last season. We are not going to let a few setbacks, a few notable setbacks, deter the fact that we are fortunate, we have many assets and we're going to put them on the playing field and win ballgames with them."

The Cowboys don't believe the suspensions and off-the-field issues reflect poorly on the team's approach to player acquisition.

"To me, the overwhelming strength of this football team is the culture of the football team," head coach Jason Garrett said. "That starts with the guys we have on our team. I think if you look at the individual guys, and you guys who know me know I'm always reluctant to point guys out, but if you go down the line. Look at Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, Doug Free, Jason Witten, Tony Romo, Tyrone Crawford, Sean Lee, Barry Church, then keep going on and on and on. I've been fortunate enough to be in this league for north of 25 years. I'm not so sure I've ever been around better character guys than these guys. That's the culture of our football team. That's the foundation of our football team."

Jones said the team has had success by taking risks on players and don't plan to change their ways now.

"If you are in a risky business, the first way you can have rose-colored glasses on is not to understand you are in a risky business," Jones said. "Things do happen. We have one player that won't be here for two or three weeks. He got hit in the eye with a paint ball. It's just an example of really why you should focus on what is good about it, where the good things are. We are going to focus on the good, good people that can be on the field that can play and make plays for us. That's not to say we aren't going to continue to be looking for resourceful ways to win football games."