IRVING – Last season should have been one for Julius Jones to remember.
He finally ran for 1,000 yards in a season as he and his brother Thomas, who played with Chicago, became the first brothers to reach the milestone in the same year.
More importantly, he played in every game after injuries slowed him his first two seasons.
But Jones looks back and sees a season filled with yards and opportunities lost.
"I think maybe I was being told where to run and [was] not able to use my instincts, which is really what got me here at this point in my life – using my instincts and running how I know how to run the ball," Jones said. "Maybe I listened to coach [Bill] Parcells a little too much and was kind of running like a robot."
In the first half of the season, he averaged 20.6 carries and 86.7 yards per game. In the second half, those numbers dropped to 12.8 carries and 49.4 yards per game. Part of it was teammate Marion Barber's production, but part of it was Parcells' belief that Jones was not built to carry the full load of a season.
Entering his fourth season, Jones remains something of a mystery.
A cracked shoulder blade slowed his rookie season, but in the final seven games of 2004 he ran for 803 yards, making some wonder if he was the next great Cowboys' running back.
The comparisons to Tony Dorsett and Emmitt Smith slowed in his second year when a high left ankle sprain kept him out of three games and limited his effectiveness for more than that, leaving him seven yards short of 1,000 on the season.
Then came last year.
"I need to prove I can be the back they want," Jones said. "They drafted me and passed up a lot of good guys to get me. I want to prove that I was the right choice and the right decision. Hopefully I'll be a Cowboy for the rest of my career."
Jones has opted to work with a personal trainer in Arizona this off-season rather than attend the Cowboys' conditioning program. While new coach Wade Phillips would like Jones to work out with his teammates, he and running backs coach Skip Peete like what they have seen in this minicamp.
Jones said he likes the freedom of the system being used by offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, and hopes to run more instinctively this season.
"I'm all about business this year," Jones said. "That's why I made the switch to go to Arizona and train and get in the best shape I could possibly be in. It's all about business. This is my fourth year. I've got a lot to prove."
Jones is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and it's not clear whether the Cowboys will make a play to keep him off the open market as they did a year ago with tight end Jason Witten, safety Roy Williams and linebacker Bradie James.
Jones understands the business side of the NFL. His brother, Thomas, went from a so-called disappointment in Arizona to excelling in Chicago only to see the Bears draft Cedric Benson in the first round in 2005. Thomas Jones was traded to the New York Jets this off-season.
"He's been through everything there is" to go through, Jones said. "I just listen to him."
The Cowboys will also have a decision to make on Barber, who will be a restricted free agent after the season. Barber led the NFC with 14 rushing touchdowns last year and ran for 654 yards on 135 carries. The Cowboys will retain the right to match any offer made to Barber.
They will not have that option on Jones, and there has already been speculation the Cowboys could target Arkansas junior running back Darren McFadden, if he declares for the NFL draft, because they hold two first-round picks.
Jones also saw his name involved in trade talks this off-season, although the Cowboys did not initiate any of the dealings.
"Yeah, this is the last year of my contract," Jones said. "Obviously I want to put up good numbers and have a good season."
And end some of the mystery.
| HIGHS AND LOWS | | Last year, Julius Jones became the Cowboys' first 1,000-yard rusher since Emmitt Smith in 2001. But his production fell off in the second half because of inactivity. | | Period | Carries | Yards | TDs | | First eight games | 165 | 689 | 3 | | Last eight games | 102 | 395 | 1 | |
