FRISCO - Begrudgingly, Dallas Cowboys critics have to admit one thing about Jerry and Stephen Jones' "selectively aggressive'' approach to 2025 roster-building ...
They are leaps and bounds ahead of where they were a year ago, when "Blow It Up'' was born.
At this time in 2024? Dallas was in the process of losing 11 starters/rotational players to free agency without bringing in any "outside'' helpers.
To date in 2025? Dallas has made 20 moves, including signing 10 of their own guys and acquiring 10 more via free agency or trade.
The Cowboys have reached into their wallets, too, relatively speaking, on the deals for in-house guys Osa Odighizuwa and KaVontae Turpin, and have committed middle-of-the-road money to at least one newcomer in Kenneth Murray Jr. (at $7.7 million).
And maybe we'll issue a brownie point of credit for one more almost-move we know about on recently signed New York Jets cornerback Brandon Stephens.
Amid much criticism from Jets fans, Stephens jumped rom the Baltimore Ravens to the Jets courtesy of a three-year. $36 million deal.
Those numbers anger Jets fans who have looked at what they see as the corner's struggles with the Ravens over the last few seasons.
And yet ... in the last two years he's been a full-time starter on a fine Ravens defense. He was seen as a helpful commodity in New York, as with D.J. Reed leaving for a new gig in Detroit, the Jets were looking to find a replacement there and a partner to star Sauce Gardner.
Dallas situation is not dissimilar. Slot corner Jourdan Lewis departed for Jacksonville. Trevon Diggs is still rehabbing. DaRon Bland needs a partner.
Ultimately, it's pretty clear that the 6-1, 215-pound Stephens - who happens to be a DFW guy from Plano who also played here at SMU - didn't get the same offer from his hometown team that the Jets provided him.
But Stephens, 27, insists there was something else that lead him away from Dallas.
"You know, it just felt right in my spirit,'' he said of his Jets decision. "I felt like I was supposed to be a Jet."
With new head coach Aaron Glenn in charge in New York? We can see the match.
"Physical," Stephens said of his game. "That's the type of brand of football that I bring to the table and the type of brand that shows what I can do, but makes other people around me better."
So Dallas turns to "the next.'' Maybe the trade for Buffalo Bills first-round bust Kaiir Elam will have to suffice. Or maybe names like Stephon Gilmore and Asante Samuel Jr. will continue to be assessed inside The Star.
Cowboys Nation, we're sure, would love to give Dallas credit for doing something even better than "trying.''
Related: Cowboys Trade Interest in Dak Surprising Backup QB?
Related: Jets Find D.J. Reed Replacement In Brandon Stephens Signing
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This story was originally published March 21, 2025 at 7:16 AM.