Cowboys set with Dak Prescott, but Tony Romo's future a big question
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
NFL Nation reporter Todd Archer breaks down the Dallas Cowboys, position by position, analyzing what the players did in 2016, what they can do in the future and what the team can do to improve the position in 2017.
QUARTERBACK
Under contract: Dak Prescott, Tony Romo
Free agents: Mark Sanchez, Kellen Moore
A look back: Nobody thought Prescott could do what he did in 2016. Maybe he did. Maybe his family did. But that’s it.
When he took over for an injured Romo, the Tom Brady-Drew Bledsoe comparisons made in late August were mostly viewed as a joke. A fourth-round pick can have moments of success, but nothing sustained.
Prescott finished his rookie season with 23 touchdown passes and four interceptions. He completed 67.8 percent of his passes. He ran for six touchdowns, a team record by a quarterback. He had four games with three touchdown passes. He became the ninth rookie in NFL history with at least 3,000 yards passing and 20 touchdowns. His 13 wins tied Ben Roethlisberger for the most in NFL history by a rookie.
He beat Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks in Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco. He became the Cowboys' first rookie quarterback to be named to the Pro Bowl.
What the coaches talked about most was his poise and leadership skills on an offense filled with talent. He was not afraid to speak up when it was needed and he delivered in big moments.
He played so well, helping the Cowboys to a franchise record 11 straight wins, that he took the coaches and front office off the hook when Romo was healthy. They never had to make a decision. Prescott made it for them.
And Romo, who suffered a compression fracture in his back on Aug. 25, also took the coaches and front office off the hook with his concession statement, saying Prescott earned the job. Romo played as the No. 2 quarterback for the final seven games of the season, a role he had not been in since early in the 2006 season.
Coaches and teammates praised Romo's preparedness and work in practice. He played in only one series all season, completing 3-of-4 passes for 29 yards and a touchdown to Terrance Williams against Philadelphia.
Moore opened training camp as the No. 2 quarterback, but suffered a broken ankle on Aug. 2 and spent the season on injured reserve. With Romo not ready at the start of the season, Sanchez was signed after he was cut by Denver. He played in two games, completing 10 of 18 passes for 93 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. His main contribution was as a mentor of sorts to Prescott, helping managing the highs and lows of a rookie season.
A look ahead: There is plenty of room for Prescott to grow, even with the statistics he put up in 2017.
Experience is always the greatest teacher. The more he plays, the better he should become because of the approach he takes. He needs to continue to work on his footwork, which was sloppy on occasion. He needs to read defenses quicker and move defenders with his eyes. They are the same fine-tuning measures all young quarterbacks have to go through. Romo made them in his first full season as a starter in 2007 after bursting onto the scene in 2006.
Romo’s future is not only the biggest question the Cowboys face, but perhaps the biggest in the NFL. With a cap figure of $24.7 million, it’s just not practical for the Cowboys to keep him, despite what owner and general manager Jerry Jones has said.
Romo has played in parts of only five games the past two seasons. He turns 37 in April. Recouping fair value will be difficult in a trade, because teams will use age, injury and salary as reasons to keep the compensation down.
If the Cowboys cut or trade Romo, he will count $19.6 million against the cap, saving them $5.1 million. They can save $14 million by designating him a post-June 1 cut, but then he would count nearly $9 million against the cap in 2018. The Cowboys will have to decide whether it is better to take the Band-Aid off with one quick pull and deal with the consequences.
A look out: It remains entirely possibly the Cowboys re-sign Sanchez, who as a close relationship with Prescott, and Moore, who is a favorite of offensive coordinator Scott Linehan. Neither will cost a lot.
Using history as a guide, the Cowboys added Brad Johnson as a free agent in 2007 to serve as Romo’s backup. There was never a doubt about Johnson's role and there would not be a doubt about the role of Sanchez or Moore either. Prescott will be the guy.
If the Cowboys don’t go the June 1 route with Romo or if they don’t re-work the contract to help them against the cap, then it would be hard to see the Cowboys getting into the high-end of the backup quarterback market (say, $5 million a year).
What about the draft?
Again using history as a guide, the Cowboys selected a quarterback just once in the draft before taking Prescott in the fourth round when Romo was the starter. They took Stephen McGee in the fourth round in 2009, and he was unable to move into a No. 2 role. The Cowboys can use a mid to late pick on a quarterback, but they have too many other needs to take one early. Many cite Green Bay as an example to all for drafting quarterbacks almost every year, but they also seemingly forget that was a few generations ago in NFL parlance.