Cowboys VP Calls Felix Jones Injury Most Devastating Loss to Team in '08

A year ago, the Cowboys used their two first-round picks on running back Felix Jones and cornerback Mike Jenkins. Neither contributed much as a rookie; Jenkins played in 14 games (starting three) and had 19 tackles, but the one he didn't make sticks out most in my mind (of course it does).

Jones, who was something of a surprise pick with Rashard Mendenhall still available, played in just six games before landing on injured reserve with a big toe and hamstring injury.

He was drafted to complement Marion Barber, and early in the season he did just that. On his first NFL carry, Jones ran 11 yards for a touchdown, and before his season ended in mid-October, he rushed for 266 yards -- with a gaudy 8.9-yard average -- and three scores. He was exactly what the Cowboys envisioned when they drafted him.

Now with months of rehab behind him, Jones is healthy and practicing. And Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones recently told DallasCowboys.com's Mickey Spagnola that Felix "was possibly the most impactful single player the Cowboys have had "'since I don't know when.'" Stephen also added that of all the injuries Dallas endured last year, losing Felix was the most devastating to the entire team.

Whoa, really? Spagnola points out that Mat McBriar and Kyle Kosier both fractured their foot, Roy Wiliams broke his arm and Tony Romo missed three games with pinkiegate.

I'm not going to argue that Felix wasn't a big-play threat when he had the ball, but no way was he more "impactful" than Romo. And I'm not even sure Stephen believes that. Maybe he's trying to give the young running back confidence heading into his second year, or maybe he's trying to motivate Barber or Choice.

Just in case, I got four words for why Felix wasn't the team's biggest loss in 2008: Brad Johnson, Brooks Bollinger. Dallas was a completely different club with Romo out of the lineup, and Terrell Owens will gladly tell you as much. And while losing Jones made the offense less versatile, nobody thought, "oh, crap, there goes our playoff chances," once he landed on injured reserve. Everybody muttered that when Romo broke his finger.

Plus, Dallas had depth at running back, and Choice, another rookie, played surprisingly well when forced into duty. I'm pretty sure no one's willing to make that argument for Johnson or Bollinger; save an asteroid striking the Cowboys' sideline just prior to kickoff, there's no excuse for losing to the Rams.

On the upside, Jones is healthy, and we can all pretend that he's the Cowboys' 2009 first-round pick since he missed more than half of '08, and the organization sent their first-rounder to the Lions (along with a third and a fifth) for the other Roy Williams.You know, the guy who's supposed to replace T.O. (Emmitt Smith remains skeptical.)