The Dallas Cowboys might be one of the most recognizable brands in all of sports, but that hasn't translated to much success on the field in recent years. This is a franchise that has prided itself on winning championships, and Dallas has not even reached the NFC Championship game in 30 years.
While Jerry Jones and the Cowboys have still been able to sign big-name players who are already on their roster, the outside free agents the franchise has attracted in recent years who are major difference makers have been few and far between.
With the 2025 offseason essentially all wrapped up, Dallas fans saw another veteran starter elect to sign elsewhere for less money to put himself in a position to contend for a championship. This was the motivation players had for joining the Cowboys, but a new reality is setting in.
Cowboys Must Face Grim Reality Following Jaire Alexander Signing
Former Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander signed with the Baltimore Ravens on Wednesday, reuniting with his college teammate, Lamar Jackson, on a one-year, $4 million deal. Money wasn't the motivating factor for Alexander in this decision. Winning was. This is a problem for Dallas and the Jones family.
This is another scenario where having more money to offer was not a factor. Star free agents don't view the Cowboys as legitimate contenders at this time, and this is as close to a confirmation of that as fans can ever receive.
Dallas has needs in the secondary. Alexander would have been a fantastic fit and would have had the opportunity to be a starter from the jump.
All of that wasn't enough to even make Alexander consider joining America's Team. Alexander prioritized getting to Baltimore, which is a wild thing to suggest for anyone who has ever lived in that part of the country, and that is where he landed.
Dallas, on the other hand, is still waiting to see just how healthy their top secondary options will be once the 2025 regular season kicks off. This is a bad place for the Cowboys to be, not only this season but as time moves forward. The only solution is to start winning at a high level again, and they cannot begin doing this fast enough.