The move came after a turbulent season in which Owens feuded with quarterback Tony Romo, tight end Jason Witten and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

But Jones dismissed the notion that Owens was cut because of his behavior.

"There are a lot of reasons why you sign a player or you release a player," Jones told the NFL Network. "You take age as a consideration, where you are with your entire roster. You take into consideration, especially at a position such as wide receiver, do you want to give others more of an opportunity to develop.

"In this particular case, we have an outstanding player in Roy Williams, and it was a significant factor in the decision I made to release Terrell."

The Cowboys officially released Owens on Thursday, announcing the move 16 hours after ESPN broke the story Wednesday night. Cutting Owens costs Dallas roughly $9 million against the salary cap.

The Cowboys on Thursday also released disgruntled safety Roy Williams, who had asked to be either traded or released.

The Oklahoma alumnus was the face of the franchise after it made him its No. 1 pick in 2002, but his struggles in coverage reduced him to a two-down player last season. The team saves about $2 million in salary cap space by cutting Williams, a five-time Pro Bowl player.

"Roy has been a wonderful representative of this organization," Jones said in statement. "Unfortunately, we have reached a crossroad with his time here in Dallas, and the difficult decision was made to allow him to explore other opportunities in the NFL."

Owens released a statement on his Web site thanking Jones, coach Wade Phillips and the franchise for his three years in Dallas. He also thanked the fans and said he looked forward to continuing to play in the NFL.

Owens sent text messages to a handful of teammates, including Brackenridge graduate Sam Hurd.

Hurd told reporters in Irving that Owens' reaction was "more shock than anger. It was just like, 'Wow.' I really didn't believe he saw that coming."

Jones began soliciting advice about what to do with Owens immediately after Philadelphia crushed Dallas 44-6 in the regular season finale, an embarrassment that kept it out of the playoffs.

"I think that's the easy place to go because of his personality and because of his visibility, but that's too easy," Jones said of the notion he released Owens because of his behavior. "If it would have been that easy, (releasing him) would have been a decision I would have made 60 or 90 days ago. That is just not a part of why I ultimately made the decision."

Jones suggested the decision to part ways with Owens had a lot to do with his age (35) and a drop in productivity that stemmed from his struggles to counter press coverage. Owens had only two 100-yard receiving games last season, finishing with 69 receptions for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns. In 2007, he caught 81 passes for 1,355 yards and a franchise-record 15 TDs.

Midway through last season, Detroit traded receiver Roy Williams to Dallas for three draft picks from the first, third and sixth rounds in 2009. The Lions also gave the Cowboys a seventh-rounder next year.

With Owens demanding the ball, Williams finished with only 19 catches for 198 yards and one TD.

Considering the heavy price he paid to acquire Williams, Jones expects the former Texas star to be far more productive.

Achieving that goal, however, would have been difficult with Owens on the roster.

"We felt like (releasing Owens) would give... Roy Williams the focus we'd like him to have," Jones said. "...I look at this as more of a strategic move relative to personnel for the Dallas Cowboys than I do that there's something wrong with Terrell Owens."

FROM GRAPHIC:

Valley Ranch housecleaning

The Dallas Cowboys have issued pink slips to three high-profile, controversial players this offseason, a trend many observers view as proof Jerry Jones has reversed course and is now clearly emphasizing the need for improved chemistry. Express-News Cowboys beat writer Tom Orsborn breaks down the sins of each of the players released in the housecleaning and one unrestricted free agent who won't be re-signed:

* Adam "Pacman" Jones, CB: He enjoyed too many late nights, including one that included an alcohol-fueled brawl with his team-employed bodyguard. The incident led to yet another league-imposed suspension and shattered the club's trust in a player who was also a disappointment on the field.

* Terrell Owens, WR: Where to start? Owens feuded with quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten, questioned offensive coordinator Jason Garrett's play calling and suggested publicly the team should scrap Garrett's vertical passing game and go to the West Coast attack. But his biggest transgression may have been his inability to counter press coverage and beat double teams.

* Roy Williams, S: The former Oklahoma standout has struggled in coverage throughout most of his NFL career. But rather than admit it, he continually shifted blame to his fellow defensive backs and accused reporters of lacking Football knowledge. Bottom line: He lacked accountability.

* Tank Johnson, NT: His disappointing play last season isn't the only reason the Cowboys haven't given an offer to this unrestricted free agent. Moments after the end of Dallas' humiliating 44-6 loss in the regular season finale at Philadelphia, Johnson flashed a smile and shrugged off insults hurled at him by Eagles fans with one sentence that summed up his lack of commitment to his teammates and the franchise: "I'm a free agent, baby."