AP

The Cowboys dealt with the free agents on their coaching staff in the last few days, keeping things mostly intact on the sideline after a division title.

Now it’s on to the free agents who do their work on the field. Wide receiver Dez Bryant and running back DeMarco Murray are on the top of that list and owner Jerry Jones said Thursday what most people have known for a while. It will be expensive to keep both of the players in town while also having the cap space available to re-sign linebacker Rolando McClain, one of their right tackles (Doug Free and Jermey Parnell are both out of contract) and add players to bolster the defense.

“Is it possible? Yes,” Jones said, via the team’s website. “But if you just look at it from the standpoint of dollars and cents, it probably doesn’t look reasonable.”

Jones didn’t rule anything out, but both players hit free agency off terrific seasons and keeping any flexibility elsewhere is probably going to require a choice between the offensive stars. If we were placing a bet, Bryant would be the one that returns to the team because the quality of the Dallas offensive line and the relative fungibility of running backs make Murray’s production seem like the easier one to replace.