Cowboys Owner Jones Wants 18-game NFL Regular Season

An 18-game regular season and two preseason games.  Many fans and professionals have been asking for this.  Now, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones agrees.

"I think candidly it's probably physically better for players than it is to have the longer preseason, the longer practicing," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Tuesday. "Our studies show that we actually have a ramped-up injury situation with players during preseason as opposed to the injury factor in the regular season."

But is there more of a health risk to play more games?  Jones thinks that's possible, but said, "I think it's defensible, and really I did present it on the basis that it's something I think it does, and that's create a safer game for the players."

Most teams do not allow their starters to play much in the preseason, opting to let them sit out to avoid injuries.  Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot will have zero carries in the preseason for the first time in his career.  And, with injuries on the offensive line, Dak Prescott did not play last Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cowboys close out the preseason on Thursday versus the Texans.  No starters are expected to play.