PALM BEACH, Fla. — There's a difference of opinion between the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans in trade talks involving Adam "Pacman" Jones.

The Cowboys see a troubled player down to his last strike, so they don't want to overpay for his services. The Titans see two playmakers — a shutdown cornerback and an elite return specialist — and don't want to just give away such a unique, young talent.

Sources said the Titans have asked for two mid-round draft picks, one in 2008 and the other in 2009. The Cowboys were offering one second-day selection in 2008. One draft pick might be sufficient compensation for the 24-year-old's cornerback skills — but the Titans need that second pick as payment for his return abilities.

"If he is reinstated, comes back and is given the opportunity to return both punts and kicks, he'll be in the top three in the league in both categories," Titans coach Jeff

Fisher said yesterday at the AFC coaches breakfast at the NFL spring meeting.

That cannot be debated.

In his two NFL seasons, Jones returned punts and kickoffs for the Titans. He led the NFL in punt returns in 2006 with a 12.9-yard average and finished fourth in kickoff returns in 2005 with a 26.2-yard average.

Jones has scored four touchdowns on returns, all punts — a 90-yarder against Philadelphia, an 81-yarder against New England and a 53-yarder against Houston in 2006, plus a 52-yarder against the Texans in 2005.

So Jones has the potential to be a game-breaking return man if he returns from an indefinite NFL suspension — and Devin Hester has shown the NFL the value of such a commodity over his last two seasons.

But his greater value is as a cover corner. Although small (5-9, 184 pounds), Jones is able to match up in man coverage because of his speed (4.38-second 40-yard dash coming out of college) and jumping ability (38 1/2 inches).

The Titans selected Jones with the sixth overall pick of the 2005 draft and started him at cornerback each of his two seasons. Jones broke up 25 passes in his 30 career games and also intercepted four balls in 2006, returning one 83 yards for a touchdown against Jacksonville.

"He's one of the more instinctive defensive corners I've ever been around," said Fisher, who has coached defensive football in the NFL for 23 seasons. "Unlike anyone I've ever had before, he's a guy who guesses right. I don't recall him guessing wrong."

Fisher saw Jones evolve into an elite cornerback at Tennessee.

"I thought Pac matured considerably," he said. "By the end of his second year, he understood the emotions associated with the game and how to control those emotions on the field."

His problems have come off the field. With a reported 10 incidents involving the police and multiple arrests, Jones became one of the first victims in NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's crackdown on troublemakers last May.

Goodell suspended Jones for the 2007 season for conduct detrimental to the league. He said he would review his possible reinstatement before training camp this summer.

That's why the Cowboys are reluctant to part with much in a trade. There's no guarantee Jones will even be back on the field in 2008.

Fisher added a new twist to the negotiations when he said the Titans have not eliminated the prospect of bringing Jones back themselves if he's reinstated.

So the stalemate continues.