FRISCO, TexasIn what has become an annual event not only with the Cowboys but around the entire NFL, the pre-draft press conference was held on Tuesday at The Star.

It's the time of year when teams try to give as much info as possible, without actually saying anything of substance as they try to remain vague with their intentions for the draft, which begins Thursday night.

The new face on the panel this year is of course, head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who discussed his first draft. He was joined by Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and Will McClay.

While the Cowboys didn't give away any of their plans, they did have some interesting takes. Here are some of the highlights from Tuesday's press conference:

Trade(s) in the works?

The Cowboys have been active in the offseason trade market already this year, acquiring Kenneth Murray Jr., Kaair Elam and Joe Milton III all via trade, and it sounds like they might not be done yet.

"We're looking at two things that could happen before or after the draft," Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said at the team's pre-draft press conference. "Two pretty substantive trades. Been working on today."

With lingering needs at different positions on the roster, the trade market and lingering free agents can serve as supplemental pieces to put the Cowboys in a position to pick elsewhere in the draft or add at positions that Dallas couldn't grab in the draft after it's concluded. Jerry Jones is no stranger to making deals on draft day either, as the Cowboys have made 72 trades on the day of the draft since Jones bought the team in 1989, and three of the last five have involved Dallas' first-round pick. - Tommy Yarrish

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

It might not seem like blockbuster news to consider a coaching staff is working closely with a scouting department, but if you've followed the Cowboys over the past several seasons, then you've seen times when a selection or two, or three, felt disjointed from what the coaching staff may have opted to go with be it real or perceived.

"We're getting the benefit of those new coaches and [Schottenheimer] has really encouraged them to be a part of the process," Jerry Jones said. "They've been on the road, going to [prospect] workouts, and the Combine. Schotty has got them really, not just fired up, but talking the talk. They've been great in the draft room. None of them has had any hesitancy speaking up."

This time around, things feel markedly different, from seeing Schottenheimer and his staff traveling to collegiate pro days alongside Cowboys' scouts, not to mention the presence of the former at the NFL Combine. It's also the reason the Cowboys claim they're still finalizing their board on April 22, and that's a major indicator of the singular alignment Schottenheimer and the organization are working to achieve. - Patrik Walker

Gilmore sighting

An odd occurrence took place in the middle of the press conference when veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore walked past the room, creating a stir among the reporters, who promptly tweeted the happening.

Gilmore, who is a free agent, played for the Cowboys in 2023, was at The Star on Tuesday. When asked about his presence, Stephen Gilmore took a more general approach and said the Cowboys are "always looking to upgrade the team" but remained vague about Gilmore being in the building.

The Cowboys do have a need at cornerback, especially with Trevon Diggs rehabbing from a knee injury and Jourdan Lewis leaving for Jacksonville in free agency. - Nick Eatman

Up to Speed

One of the totems of Schottenheimer's offensive plan will be the ability to run the ball, but another will be presnap misdirections and, ultimately, the ability to apply pressure to the opposing defense in every possible fashion. One facet of that plan will involve an upgrade of speed at the receiver position, and Schottenheimer didn't mince words when asked if the Cowboys value that attribute highly with the 12th-overall pick in this year's draft.

"It's always something you look at. At the end of the day, it's an exciting time of the year. Speed in this league is important. It's not the only way to do it," Schottenheimer said. "But the one thing about speed is it gives you something you don't have to coach. The way we're gonna play and the style we're gonna play, speed is an advantage, but it's not the only thing we look at." -

This should rightfully put a player like Matthew Golden in play at that spot, but Schottenheimer also adding that more will come into play means someone like Tetairoa McMillan bigger, stronger, more physical and violent has an equal chance there. In an unlikely scenario wherein both are available, which would Dallas select?? - Patrik Walker

Whose Line Is It, Anyway?

Tyler Smith was a much maligned pick that turned into an All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler with a Hall of Fame trajectory. His first-round selection was followed by the use of another first-round pick at offensive line, namely Tyler Guyton, and a third-round pick on Cooper Beebe both in 2024 but a step back awaits the Cowboys as they try to figure out how to replace Zack Martin.

"The team within the team the offensive line. Can you put that kind of resources in your offensive line, and can you get yourself up there to play around the rim so we can get one of these [offensive lineman]? Generally, we've had some pretty good war daddy draft picks on our offensive line with the 1s," Jerry Jones said. "Obviously, when one of those guys come up, if they're that kind of player, then you're gonna have a lot of resources invested in that offensive line out there with him. We won't necessarily eliminate [it] because we've got the resources we have on our offensive line. This weekend, we won't eliminate that because we've had some success with loading it up on the offensive line."

With the future Hall of Famer retiring this offseason, as well as fellow future Hall of Famer Tyron Smith (meaning he won't be returning to help on the field in 2025), the front office signed not one or two, but three different offensive lineman in free agency; and yet, as Jones points out, the Cowboys are not going to shy away from potentially using a first-round pick on an offensive lineman for the third time in four years.

They did exactly that from 2011 through 2014, acquiring Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin, as a friendly reminder. - Patrik Walker

Best player available vs. biggest need

All offseason, the Cowboys' front office and coaching staff have emphasized that they want to pick the best player available throughout the course of the draft by filling their needs in free agency. Even with the additions that they've made up to this point, there are still spots that are more vacant than others, and that could come into play in Dallas' draft strategy.

"I think at the end of the day, you are trying to pick the best player on the board. Now if it's up there and you've got guys who are equally rated for the most part, and obviously you might lean into a position where hey, we could use a little more help there, and we're pretty strong over here, so let's lean over here and take that player." Cowboys COO/co-owner Stephen Jones said.

"But what you don't want to see yourself doing is taking a player who is quite a bit down the line, a round down, and trying to take that player over a guy that you've got situated [with a first round grade]."

That makes for a potentially interesting discussion and debate when the Cowboys are on the clock at #12 overall, especially if there's one player that would've been a consensus pick off the board. Is the best player available still worth it, or can they sacrifice a bit to fill a need? Tommy Yarrish

What Cowboys like in cornerbacks

Brian Schottenheimer is an offensive minded coach, but he's been around the league and football long enough to know what traits make a good cornerback.

"You want length, you want size, you want the ability to play press man-to-man," Schottenheimer said. "The big thing for us defensively is, [Matt Eberflus] says it this way, there's no house guests. Everybody's got to be willing to tackle and support the run with the things that we do."

Players like Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland and Caelen Carson all fit various parts of that description, and cornerback is likely a spot where the Cowboys use a Day 1 or 2 pick on the position given the uncertainty around Trevon Diggs' injury. - Tommy Yarrish