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Cowboys' pre-draft QB interest makes some sense
Todd Archer, ESPN Dallas Cowboys reporter
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys know Tony Romo can't play forever even if they need him to play at a high level for at least the next three seasons to help stave off serious salary-cap issues.
But that has not stopped the Cowboys from closely looking at quarterbacks in this draft not named Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota to potentially prepare for Romo's departure or upgrade the backup spot.
Last week the Cowboys had private workouts for Sean Mannion, Brett Hundley and Garrett Grayson. Earlier in the draft period, they had a private workout with Bryce Petty, although he was not a Dallas Day or national visitor to Valley Ranch.
The Cowboys have had some interest in backup quarterbacks like Shaun Hill and Matt Schaub before they signed elsewhere.
All of it should make Brandon Weeden feel a bit uneasy.
The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots have gone with Brock Osweiler and Jimmy Garoppolo as the backups to Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. They were willing to take chances behind their older quarterbacks that the Cowboys so far have not been willing to take behind Romo.
Weeden does not fit in the Brad Johnson, Jon Kitna and Kyle Orton category the Cowboys had used as Romo's backup prior to 2014, but he at least had starter's experience with the Cleveland Browns.
That the Cowboys would send coaches to work out the prospects is telling. The Cowboys are not a team generally willing to throw smokescreens out there in draft process.
The odds say a team must find a starter in the top two rounds of the draft at quarterback, although Russell Wilson and Nick Foles have made it as third rounders.
While the Winston and Mariota debate has taken center stage, since 2011 quarterbacks taken in the second or third rounds of the last four drafts have had a better record, Total QBR and more than double the playoff wins than first-round quarterbacks in that time span.
Thank Wilson and Colin Kaepernick for that.
The only first-round quarterback from 2011-14 with a winning record is Andrew Luck.
The Cowboys would not need a rookie to start this year, but in the last four years a rookie quarterback drafted in the second round or later has started all 16 games: Derek Carr (2014), Geno Smith (2013), Wilson (2012) and Andy Dalton (2011).
Since 1967, quarterbacks have gone 1-2 in the draft five times but there have been success stories after those picks at the position.
We've mentioned Wilson and Foles (2012), but Aaron Brooks (1999), Matt Hasselbeck (1998), Mark Brunell (1993), Elvis Grbac (1993), Trent Green (1993), Ken Anderson (1971) and Joe Theismann (1971) were hits by teams after quarterbacks went Nos. 1 and 2 overall.
Maybe the Cowboys will have some similar success should they draft a quarterback next week.
Todd Archer, ESPN Dallas Cowboys reporter
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys know Tony Romo can't play forever even if they need him to play at a high level for at least the next three seasons to help stave off serious salary-cap issues.
But that has not stopped the Cowboys from closely looking at quarterbacks in this draft not named Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota to potentially prepare for Romo's departure or upgrade the backup spot.
Last week the Cowboys had private workouts for Sean Mannion, Brett Hundley and Garrett Grayson. Earlier in the draft period, they had a private workout with Bryce Petty, although he was not a Dallas Day or national visitor to Valley Ranch.
The Cowboys have had some interest in backup quarterbacks like Shaun Hill and Matt Schaub before they signed elsewhere.
All of it should make Brandon Weeden feel a bit uneasy.
The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots have gone with Brock Osweiler and Jimmy Garoppolo as the backups to Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. They were willing to take chances behind their older quarterbacks that the Cowboys so far have not been willing to take behind Romo.
Weeden does not fit in the Brad Johnson, Jon Kitna and Kyle Orton category the Cowboys had used as Romo's backup prior to 2014, but he at least had starter's experience with the Cleveland Browns.
That the Cowboys would send coaches to work out the prospects is telling. The Cowboys are not a team generally willing to throw smokescreens out there in draft process.
The odds say a team must find a starter in the top two rounds of the draft at quarterback, although Russell Wilson and Nick Foles have made it as third rounders.
While the Winston and Mariota debate has taken center stage, since 2011 quarterbacks taken in the second or third rounds of the last four drafts have had a better record, Total QBR and more than double the playoff wins than first-round quarterbacks in that time span.
Thank Wilson and Colin Kaepernick for that.
The only first-round quarterback from 2011-14 with a winning record is Andrew Luck.
The Cowboys would not need a rookie to start this year, but in the last four years a rookie quarterback drafted in the second round or later has started all 16 games: Derek Carr (2014), Geno Smith (2013), Wilson (2012) and Andy Dalton (2011).
Since 1967, quarterbacks have gone 1-2 in the draft five times but there have been success stories after those picks at the position.
We've mentioned Wilson and Foles (2012), but Aaron Brooks (1999), Matt Hasselbeck (1998), Mark Brunell (1993), Elvis Grbac (1993), Trent Green (1993), Ken Anderson (1971) and Joe Theismann (1971) were hits by teams after quarterbacks went Nos. 1 and 2 overall.
Maybe the Cowboys will have some similar success should they draft a quarterback next week.
