ATLANTA – After Sunday’s 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones spoke to players, coaches, medical and support staff in the locker room.

With the Cowboys sitting at 3-5 after their third straight loss, Jones wanted to provide reassurance that all is not lost heading into the 2024 season.

“Well, I really don’t want to get into that because it was a very emotional message,” Jones said. “But I’ve spoken to the team a few times about getting my butt kicked and been around men who’ve gotten their butt kicked and I’ve seen them come back and hold up the trophy…Now there is There’s a time for everything. “We all know we have to play better than we did tonight or we won’t get anywhere.”

In 2018, the Cowboys were 3-4 when they traded a first-round pick to the Oakland Raiders for wide receiver Amari Cooper. Although the Cowboys lost their first game against Cooper, they won seven of their last eight, finishing 10-6, winning the NFC East and reaching the divisional round of the playoffs.

The trade deadline is Tuesday, and Jones said the Cowboys have “a few things in the works.”

Asked if the Cowboys would make a bold trade like they did with Cooper six years ago, Jones said: “Don’t look for things like that, okay.”

“The point is,” Jones said, “we think we have a chance to improve our roster.”

The Cowboys have many needs such as wide receiver, defensive line and offensive line. Jones said edge rusher Micah Parsons (ankle) and cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) are “close” to returning. Wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) will be able to open his practice window on Monday and has shown significant improvement over the past week.

“We’re going to do everything we can at all times to make this team better, and if what we have to give up is what we think will help make it better, we’ll do it,” Jones said. “I know everyone understands. I don’t think I need to say it, but we’ll try.”

This is the Cowboys’ first three-game losing streak since 2020, when they lost four straight en route to a 6-10 finish. But with five defeats they have equaled the number of defeats in eight games they had suffered in total in each of their previous three seasons.

Jones supported head coach Mike McCarthy, pointing to Jimmy Johnson and 1989, when the team started 0-8 en route to a 1-15 season.

“I get along well with Mike,” Jones said. “I know how hard he works. I like his football mind. I know how well he works. I think he has an excellent coaching record. He’s really good with the players. They value him very much. But he has one.” And so I’ll just give you this: I like the positives that I see.

“And honestly, I’ve seen some of the best coaches I’ve ever been around, even in bad times. We came here when Herschel Walker played for us our first year and we hadn’t won anything yet,” and they’re all here to see Herschel and this guy (Johnson) took it and went to the house with it a couple of times gone, our trainer there. My experience has been that there have been times where you’ve asked questions and thought about, “I would do it differently, but I’ve had good experiences sticking with it.”

Jones appears poised to stick with running back Ezekiel Elliott, who was inactive due to disciplinary issues and did not make the trip to Atlanta. Sources said Elliott missed meetings and there were problems.

“Zeke’s situation is clearly a team discipline situation,” McCarthy said. “We’ll continue on Monday and see where we are.” Jones praised Elliott as a teammate despite his lack of meetings.

“I look at the entire work. I look at his entire time knowing him with the Cowboys and his history in athletics,” Jones said. “And I’m good at these things, but you have to have consequences here. And that got him.”

In the offseason, Jones said the Cowboys would be “all in” this season; But that didn’t result in any moves that would improve a squad that lost key players from last year’s 12-5 team.

On Sunday he was asked again if he was all-in for 2024.

“Well, I am. That’s me,” Jones said. “And you say, ‘Boy, things are looking pretty bleak around here,’ but honestly, I’ve seen situations that looked bleak change.”