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Could Ronald Leary bring Cowboys a backup quarterback?
11:01 PM ET
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- The homestretch to the NFL draft is here now that the Senior Bowl, scouting combine and owners meetings are done.
The Dallas Cowboys have kept seven of their own free agents, including starting-type players like Rolando McClain, Morris Claiborne and James Hanna. But they haven’t filled enough of their holes on the defensive line and at backup quarterback.
Let’s get started with Five Wonders with that backup spot.
The Cowboys never got into the bigger-money games for Colt McCoy or Chase Daniel. They had Matt Moore in for a look but he opted to remain with the Miami Dolphins. At the owners meetings last week, executive vice president Stephen Jones also mentioned the possibility of a trade. It got me to wondering if the Cowboys could use Ronald Leary as trade bait for a backup quarterback. I’m not advocating getting rid of Leary, who I believe could start for most teams in the NFL, but the Cowboys have cast their lot with La’el Collins at left guard. The Cowboys gave Leary the second-round tender worth $2.553 million as a restricted free agent, but they can negotiate deals with teams. Leary should be of interest to teams, but teams generally don’t want to give up picks at this time of the year. In 2010 the Cowboys traded Anthony Henry for Jon Kitna to solve their backup problem. Could Leary bring a backup quarterback in 2016?
I wonder if how the Washington Redskins divvied up carries last season will help Alfred Morris this year. At the owners meetings, Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones said that Darren McFadden was the starter. Coach Jason Garrett sang McFadden’s praises as well. What may be the plan in March may not be the plan come September, but for the sake of this wonder, let’s say it holds true. Before last season, Morris was the dominant ball carrier during his time with Washington. He had 202 carries last year, with Matt Jones picking up 144 carries. The Cowboys went with Joseph Randle as the lead back until he fell apart and then they had no choice but to ride McFadden. He responded well, but the Cowboys want to protect themselves, and Morris offers that. If needed, he can carry it 20 times a game and he was at his best in his first few years wearing down teams. Being used to a rotation should help him in Dallas.
It has happened the past few years and it always catches me by surprise. When the Cowboys were quiet at the start of free agency, the inactivity was met with a lot of anger. As in the draft, the Cowboys told you what they were going to do. Stephen Jones said it in February. They were not going to be players in free agency. They don’t want to spend great money on good players and that’s what happens in that early wave. I understand why fans get upset, but the Cowboys were actually honest with their intentions.
I receive a lot of questions via Twitter about the Cowboys selecting a receiver early in the draft. It makes sense, but I wonder if it is totally dependent on what the Cowboys do with their first-round pick. If the Cowboys take an offensive player at No. 4 overall, I just can’t imagine they wouldn’t take a defensive player in the second round. You can fault the logic and use the take-the-best-player-available theory, but it’s just a theory. It’s not always practical. Why is a receiver necessary? Terrance Williams is entering the final year of his contract and he did not step up as hoped when Dez Bryant went down last season. Was that more about the backup quarterbacks or him? The Cowboys are set with Bryant and Cole Beasley, but after Williams they have questions in Brice Butler and Devin Street.
Here’s a backup wonder to what I just wrote: I wonder if Butler can be a surprise player in 2016. The Cowboys picked him up in a trade from the Oakland Raiders after Bryant broke his foot and he never found solid footing, in part, because of a hamstring strain and, again, the backup quarterback play. I’m not sure he is the most precise route runner, but he showed a feel for getting open at times and big plays. At some point teams need the lower-paid players on the roster to make big plays because you can’t pay everybody big money and you can’t make huge investments in every position. This is a big offseason for Butler. He will have time to work with Tony Romo and time to earn the coaches’ faith. Maybe if they don’t select a receiver in the early rounds, Butler will reward that faith.
11:01 PM ET
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- The homestretch to the NFL draft is here now that the Senior Bowl, scouting combine and owners meetings are done.
The Dallas Cowboys have kept seven of their own free agents, including starting-type players like Rolando McClain, Morris Claiborne and James Hanna. But they haven’t filled enough of their holes on the defensive line and at backup quarterback.
Let’s get started with Five Wonders with that backup spot.
The Cowboys never got into the bigger-money games for Colt McCoy or Chase Daniel. They had Matt Moore in for a look but he opted to remain with the Miami Dolphins. At the owners meetings last week, executive vice president Stephen Jones also mentioned the possibility of a trade. It got me to wondering if the Cowboys could use Ronald Leary as trade bait for a backup quarterback. I’m not advocating getting rid of Leary, who I believe could start for most teams in the NFL, but the Cowboys have cast their lot with La’el Collins at left guard. The Cowboys gave Leary the second-round tender worth $2.553 million as a restricted free agent, but they can negotiate deals with teams. Leary should be of interest to teams, but teams generally don’t want to give up picks at this time of the year. In 2010 the Cowboys traded Anthony Henry for Jon Kitna to solve their backup problem. Could Leary bring a backup quarterback in 2016?
I wonder if how the Washington Redskins divvied up carries last season will help Alfred Morris this year. At the owners meetings, Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones said that Darren McFadden was the starter. Coach Jason Garrett sang McFadden’s praises as well. What may be the plan in March may not be the plan come September, but for the sake of this wonder, let’s say it holds true. Before last season, Morris was the dominant ball carrier during his time with Washington. He had 202 carries last year, with Matt Jones picking up 144 carries. The Cowboys went with Joseph Randle as the lead back until he fell apart and then they had no choice but to ride McFadden. He responded well, but the Cowboys want to protect themselves, and Morris offers that. If needed, he can carry it 20 times a game and he was at his best in his first few years wearing down teams. Being used to a rotation should help him in Dallas.
It has happened the past few years and it always catches me by surprise. When the Cowboys were quiet at the start of free agency, the inactivity was met with a lot of anger. As in the draft, the Cowboys told you what they were going to do. Stephen Jones said it in February. They were not going to be players in free agency. They don’t want to spend great money on good players and that’s what happens in that early wave. I understand why fans get upset, but the Cowboys were actually honest with their intentions.
I receive a lot of questions via Twitter about the Cowboys selecting a receiver early in the draft. It makes sense, but I wonder if it is totally dependent on what the Cowboys do with their first-round pick. If the Cowboys take an offensive player at No. 4 overall, I just can’t imagine they wouldn’t take a defensive player in the second round. You can fault the logic and use the take-the-best-player-available theory, but it’s just a theory. It’s not always practical. Why is a receiver necessary? Terrance Williams is entering the final year of his contract and he did not step up as hoped when Dez Bryant went down last season. Was that more about the backup quarterbacks or him? The Cowboys are set with Bryant and Cole Beasley, but after Williams they have questions in Brice Butler and Devin Street.
Here’s a backup wonder to what I just wrote: I wonder if Butler can be a surprise player in 2016. The Cowboys picked him up in a trade from the Oakland Raiders after Bryant broke his foot and he never found solid footing, in part, because of a hamstring strain and, again, the backup quarterback play. I’m not sure he is the most precise route runner, but he showed a feel for getting open at times and big plays. At some point teams need the lower-paid players on the roster to make big plays because you can’t pay everybody big money and you can’t make huge investments in every position. This is a big offseason for Butler. He will have time to work with Tony Romo and time to earn the coaches’ faith. Maybe if they don’t select a receiver in the early rounds, Butler will reward that faith.