Stephen Jones Sends Bold Message on Cowboys’ Trade Deadline Plans
The Dallas Cowboys are all in on the 2025 NFL season. But they’ll also consider moving players off their roster to address areas of need.
Stephen Jones, the Cowboys executive vice president and CEO, addressed why the Cowboys would be considered both buyers and sellers ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline on Tuesday.
The Cowboys (3-4-1) are in second place in the NFC East and sit 2.5 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Eagles. They’re just 1.5 games back of the San Francisco 49ers for the final NFC playoff spot.
Dallas will host the Arizona Cardinals (2-5) on Monday Night Football mere hours before the 4 p.m. ET deadline.
Stephen Jones: ‘Sometimes Player For Player [Trades] Can Be Very Interesting’
The Cowboys have one of the best offenses in the NFL. They rank first in the NFL in passing-yards per game (263.8), second in yards per game (384.1) and points per game (30.8).
Yet, Dallas is middling due to its woeful defense. The Cowboys are 31st in the NFL in yards-against per game (404.6) and points-against per game (31.3) and have allowed at least 30 points in five of their eight games this season.
So Jones knows the Cowboys can use their strength on offense to potentially acquire defensive reinforcements.
“I think there’s a lot of things that go into us improving as a defense,” Jones told KTFM on Thursday. “If you can find a player that upgrades you, as I’ve always said, we’re always looking for that every year. Whether it’s by trade or whether it’s a player acquisition, it comes by a lot of shapes, forms and fashions.”
Cowboys fans may be incensed at the team’s scuffling defense, since the blockbuster Micah Parsons trade sapped the team of one of its most talented players. Still, according to Jones, there are deals to be made to improve.
“We have areas where we have depth, and sometimes player-for-player [trades] can be very interesting to us,” Jones said. “We’re also in consideration for giving up a player for us getting a pick and vice versa. It goes all ways.”
The Dallas Cowboys’ Game Against Arizona Is ‘A Big, Big Game’
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has never lost at AT&T Stadium, and Arizona has won three straight against Dallas dating back to 2020.
“What an amazing high-school career he had,” Jones said of Murray, who won three straight state championships while playing at Allen High School and also having a standout baseball career as well. “He’s just a competitor and a winner, and that’s our goal, to put that streak to an end. But I’m sure he’s going to have his competitive juices flowing coming back home to where all he won all those championships.”
Yet, the Cardinals have been struggling with five straight losses despite their minus-1 point differential. If the Cowboys have any illusions of making the playoffs in the much-improved NFC, Jones knows they’ll need to win at home — where they are 2-0-1 despite averaging 33 points per game.
“It’d be huge for us to get a win,” Jones said. “It’s a big, big game. I know it’s a big game for the Cardinals, but it’s a huge game for us as well.”
Steelers Starter ‘Out for Foreseeable Future’ & ‘Likely the Season’: Insider
Things have escalated from bad to worse for Pittsburgh Steelers starting safety DeShon Elliott, who was initially only ruled out for the Week 9 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
On October 31, the Steelers announced that they would be transferring Elliott to the injured reserve, along with veteran defensive lineman Daniel Ekuale. This prompted an update from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, and it wasn’t good news.
“The Steelers placed S DeShon Elliott and DT Daniel Ekuale on Injured Reserve,” Rapoport informed. “Ekuale tore his ACL and Elliott (knee) is out for the foreseeable future, likely the season, as well.”
Pittsburgh has been very cryptic about Elliott’s knee injury, but it didn’t look good when it occurred, as the veteran was in visible pain. Now, it appears the Steelers’ worst fears might be a reality, as Elliott will be sidelined for at least four weeks and possibly much longer.
Steelers’ Week 9 Actions Hinted DeShon Elliott’s Injury Could Be Long-Term
GettyPittsburgh Steelers safety Juan Thornhill will likely see an increased role after the DeShon Elliott injury.
They say actions speak louder than words, and although the Steelers kept the long-term prognosis of Elliott’s injury a secret this week, their actions hinted that he could be out a while.
The Steelers first signed a former starting safety in Darrick Forest, then agreed to a trade with the New England Patriots for ex-starter Kyle Dugger.
Between Forest and Dugger, head coach Mike Tomlin is likely hoping he can patch up the back end of his defense without Elliott. Of course, he also has free agent acquisition Juan Thornhill as a potentially important chess piece to work with.
“[Elliott is] a significant component of what we do, particularly relative to some of the things that Indy does well,” Tomlin told reporters this week. “He is a central figure in our secondary in terms of run defense, for example. He covers tight ends in passing circumstances, so certainly we have some adapting to do in terms of how we divide the labor up this week.”
Continuing: “But that’s always the case when you lose someone, particularly someone significant. It’s not a one-person job. It’s a multiple-person job. That’s the spirit in which we’re planning. There will be several people given an opportunity to meet the demands of what he does for us.”
Thornhill has appeared in all 7 of the Steelers’ games this season, but he’s only been credited with 1 start. That could change following the injury to Elliott.
Steelers Rule Out Several Players for Week 9 vs. Colts
The Steelers are down another safety in Week 9, as the team ruled out veteran Jabrill Peppers (quadriceps) on October 31, per team reporter Teresa Varley.
Wide receiver Scotty Miller (finger) will also miss this contest, along with Elliott and Peppers, and cornerback Cory Trice Jr. was ruled out as he works his way back from a “hamstring/knee” injury.
According to Varley and the Steelers, four players are officially questionable for Week 9, too. Those players are quarterback Will Howard (right hand), starting safety Chuck Clark (illness), linebacker Malik Harrison (knee), and linebacker Cole Holcomb (illness).
Clark will be a key name to watch, considering the aforementioned absences at safety. Without him, it might be Thornhill and a newcomer leading the snap count at the position.
