Cowboys' Jerry Jones: Eagles Were 'Absolutely' on My Mind When Building Roster

The Dallas Cowboys may have stood pat at this season's NFL trade deadline but team owner Jerry Jones feels comfortable with the decision given the team's offseason additions.

And ahead of his squad's NFC East showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jones talked about how big of a role the Eagles played when he and the front office constructed the Cowboys' roster.

They all know that's their biggest hurtle, not just in the division but the conference as well.

"Absolutely it was, and they've done additions as well," Jones said of Philadelphia during his weekly appearance on. 105.3 The Fan's "K&C Masterpiece." "But we really had our trading deadline, we made our trading deadline before the season started. That's why we traded for Stephon Gilmore, that's why we traded for Brandin Cooks. So, I know there's been a lot of talk here lately about the trading deadline, but thank goodness we had the opportunity to get that trading deadline done back before we started the season.

While the additions of Gilmore and Cooks have certainly proven to be valuable so far, the Cowboys' roster still looks like it's a notch below the elite class of the NFC like the Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.

It's especially confounding that the organization didn't try to bolster its defensive unit following the loss of Pro Bowl corner Trevon Diggs—who has been ruled out for the season following an ACL tear back in September.

And considering that the Eagles have a number of elite offensive playmakers, it wouldn't hurt to add another good corner to play opposite of Gilmore—who appears to be back to his best.

The warts on Dallas' roster were truly revealed in their blowout 42-10 loss to the 49ers back in Week 5, but they have bounced back with a few strong performances. This Eagles game at Lincoln Financial Field is likely their toughest test the rest of the year with the exception of the Miami Dolphins on Christmas Eve.

It'll be interesting to see if those weaknesses will be exposed again or if the Cowboys have upped their level and are true contenders in the NFC.

The Cowboys may have been quiet at the deadline but the Eagles certainly weren't. They added to an already elite defense by trading for All-Pro safety Kevin Byard from the Tennessee Titans.

The 49ers also acquired Chase Young from the Washington Commanders before the trade deadline, boosting an already sensational pass rush unit.

So, although Jones is known for making splashy moves, he and the Cowboys held back when they likely needed it most.