Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Friday night he didn't speak with wide receiver Dez Bryant and blamed himself. Jones had said Thursday evening he would speak to Bryant on Friday about a variety of issues and expected the wide receiver to get looked at by the medical staff, but it didn't happen. Jones said he got too busy with the draft and labor issues and couldn't clear his schedule to speak with Bryant. Yet Jones defended Bryant for not being at Valley Ranch. "We had the good communication that I wanted to have," Jones said about his Thursday night conversation with Bryant. "It would have been redundant [to talk again Friday], that's why we did talk. We had a real good talk yesterday and that's where I like to leave it."

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke with embattled receiver Dez Bryant on Thursday, mainly to set up a longer conversation Friday. Jones took advantage of a change in lockout rules to chat with Bryant for the first time in weeks. The owner said the purpose of the call was “to make sure he was going to come through tomorrow and more than anything meet with our trainers.”

The Cowboys don't plan to have one of the NFL's highest payrolls next season, but they also want to keep left tackle Doug Free. Free's free agent status is somewhat unclear. Under the old free agency system, an NFL player would become an unrestricted free agent after four accrued seasons. Free, however, is a restricted free agent. Under the new system, in place since last season after the owners opted out of the collective bargaining agreement, a player becomes an unrestricted free agent after six seasons. "I don't want to speak for Doug, but hopefully he's enjoyed being here," team executive Stephen Jones said. "He's obviously a priority for us. We want to sign Doug back. We think he's a very productive offensive tackle for us. He'll be our No. 1 priority when things start up ... to get him signed up."

Three Cowboys veterans met with Dez Bryant on Saturday to discuss recent off-the-field issues that have dogged the talented young wide receiver. Bryant had lunch with quarterback Tony Romo, center Andre Gurode and inside linebacker Keith Brooking. "Just finished eating with chase crawford ,Tony romo Keith and Aundre gurode...had a good time," Bryant tweeted. Crawford is an actor and Romo's future brother-in-law.

Matt Mosley of FOX Sports writes that the Cowboys are unlikely to draft Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley if he's available to them. Dallas has the ninth overall pick in next week's NFL Draft. "I can say with conviction that the Cowboys want no part of Fairley," Mosley wrote. "Not even sure they'd take him in the second round. There's simply no belief at Valley Ranch that Fairley would come close to reaching his immense potential."

The home of the Cowboys will host the U.S. Women's Open this summer, the first time a bowling event has been held at the billion-dollar showplace of team owner Jerry Jones. Shiny wooden lanes will be placed on either side of the famous Cowboys star at midfield. There will be temporary seats on the field for the June 30 event.

The Cowboys were just 6-10 last season, but they still received the maximum number of prime-time games when the 2011 schedule was released on Tuesday. Dallas will be featured in prime-time five times, joining Baltimore, Indianapolis, the New York Jets, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is in the process of personally contacting all of his teammates to organize full-team workouts on the field next month, according to a team source. His involvement in organizing teammates when contact between players and team officials is not allowed might demonstrate his ability to lead, which has come into question before.

The Giants will visit the Redskins and the Jets will host the Cowboys on Sept. 11, marking the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, as reported by ESPN.com. With the NFL and its locked-out players mired in negotiations over a new labor agreement, the league on Tuesday announced its 2011-12 schedule, assuming the season starts on time.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones joined the NFL's contingent in Minneapolis as talks resumed Tuesday following a three-day break. Jones walked in with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and others, including Denver owner Pat Bowlen and Green Bay Packers CEO Mark Murphy.