Editor's note: This story was originally published May 4.

Stephen Jones has come out publicly and said the NFL needs to take a long, hard look at its policies concerning marijuana.

Every team in the league has been reluctant to step out and become the face of this issue. The Cowboys' willingness to do so now, one week after commissioner Roger Goodell touted a more regressive stance, underscores a significant development:

Jerry Jones has taken the temperature of his fellow owners and is confident support exists. A deal maker as shrewd as Jones would never leave himself, the franchise and his brand exposed otherwise.

Contrary to public opinion, the Cowboys owner can be quiet. It comes when he's laying the groundwork for change and building consensus. The only way Stephen Jones plants that seven-leaf flag with his comments to Pro Football Talk is that he and his father have done some work behind the scenes.

What did the younger Jones say? The Cowboys executive vice president acknowledged the societal shifts that have taken place since the current policy went into effect. He maintains any system or policy that has been in place as long as this one deserves scrutiny.

Does the policy help the players with accountability? Does the current system still reflect the best-case model and take into account the existing legal climate? He has questions about testing, discipline and fine amounts.

Stephen Jones stresses that he doesn't have the answers. He adds that he and his father have come to believe that the league can do a better job in helping their players.

"In my opinion, we should take a long hard look at how we're doing this and see if there's a way, a better way, to do it," Jones said in the interview.

Goodell is more aligned with attorney general Jeff Sessions than talk show host Bill Maher on the subject. In an interview last week, the NFL commissioner spoke of the addictive nature of marijuana, the dangers of ingesting smoke and mentioned compounds in the drug that aren't conducive to long-term health. Goodell indicates he could see a path for allowing its use for medical reasons but was against recreational use. He believes there's more to this issue than players wanting to feel better after games and wants to make sure the league is not held accountable for potential negative consequences down the road.

Editorial aside: Is the commissioner's moral authority undercut on this point given how the league has handled chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)?

Back to marijuana.

Goodell concedes there are medical benefits and studies should continue. But he said advisors with the NFL and the Players Association have yet to conclude it's in the best interest and health and safety of the players to make a change in the league's policy.

It can be easy to dismiss the Cowboys comments in the public relations battle over this issue. It can be argued the club has an agenda given Randy Gregory's suspended status for the upcoming season.

But again, ask yourself this: Would the Cowboys crawl out on this limb publicly if it had no idea whether other owners would be there to catch them? Jerry Jones didn't broach this subject in a closed session at the annual meetings in March only to come away with no idea of which way the wind is blowing.

Who has a better handle on the membership's view of this issue, Jones the owner or Goodell the commissioner? Who has more sway, the billionaires or the commissioner whose contract must be renewed by the owners in 2018?

There's a marketing component to this argument that goes beyond the medical discussion. As more states legalize marijuana, as society softens its stance, why would the NFL want to stigmatize players as they come into the league?

Does anyone believe the only photo of a college student smoking marijuana or wearing a gas mask bong belongs to Laremy Tunsil, the offensive lineman from Mississippi who watched his stock drop last year before being selected by Miami?

Change won't be immediate. It won't come as quickly as proponents want. But it appears inevitable.

With the comments of Stephen Jones this week, the Cowboys are now in the forefront of this movement in the NFL.

Twitter: @DavidMooreDMN