The Dallas Cowboys freed up $19 million in salary cap space last week and owner Jerry Jones made it clear the timing wasn't coincidental. Speaking on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday morning, Jones said the team is "in play" to make a potential trade if the right opportunity emerges.

"The timing is conspicuously obvious," Jones said about the cap space creation. "That does show that we have really viable serious room financially to make trade if we wanted to right now."

The Cowboys restructured contracts for defensive tackle Kenny Clark, cornerback DaRon Bland, and tight end Jake Ferguson to create the additional cap room. While Jones didn't indicate any trade is imminent, he emphasized the financial flexibility gives Dallas options as the season begins.

"It certainly can be used for this year's team," Jones said. "We could use it for this year's team."

Defense the Target for Potential Moves

If the Cowboys do make a move, Jones indicated it would likely address the defensive side of the ball. He expressed confidence in the offense, particularly following the Broderick Jones trade.

"You could look for it to be defensively," Jones said. "You could more than likely see depth on defense. Defense would be the place."

This isn't the first time Jones has hinted at significant roster additions. During training camp in Oxnard, California, he said high draft picks were "expendable" if they could help the team meaningfully right now.

"A top pick is expendable this year for me to add to somebody that meaningfully would help us now," Jones said at the team's opening training camp press conference. "And we would have the right kind of spot on our team for it. So I'm not just looking for a player. We're looking for somebody that can add to the mix here."

Cowboys' Aggressive Offseason Approach

The potential for another significant move would continue what has been an aggressive offseason for Dallas. The team hired Christian Parker as defensive coordinator and added several key defensive pieces including Caleb Downs, Rashan Gary, Von Miller, and Cobie Durant.

After signing Von Miller last month, Jones had already expressed openness to making a trade "if we saw an opportunity to take a little of the future and put it on this team."

The Cowboys are preparing for their season opener against the New York Giants on Sunday night. Jones acknowledged that the first weeks of the season could help determine how aggressively the team pursues additional moves.

"The best way for me to answer that is not timing wise, right on something this morning or this week, but if you look at it generally speaking, we're in play," Jones said when asked about ongoing trade discussions. "And that's the best way to describe it."

The financial maneuvering gives Dallas flexibility as they look to end a three-decade Super Bowl drought. With $19 million in newly created cap space and Jones's stated willingness to trade high draft picks for immediate help, the Cowboys appear positioned to make a significant addition if the right player becomes available.