JJT: Fear of Tony Romo injury shouldn't make Cowboys reach for quarterback

[Cotton]

Fear of Tony Romo injury shouldn't make Cowboys reach for quarterback
1:48 AM ET
Jean-Jacques Taylor
ESPN Staff Writer

IRVING, Texas -- At the gym this week, a stranger said Tony Romo is as fragile as a china doll. At church, a parishioner insisted Romo wouldn't play more than eight games, if that.

And at an Easter brunch, a local politician shook his head vigorously at the notion of Romo as the Dallas Cowboys' starting quarterback for the 11th consecutive season.

Everybody, it seems, wants the Cowboys to take a quarterback with the fourth pick in the NFL draft after watching Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel and Kellen Moore go 1-11 in 12 starts. Listen to fans and read enough comments on social media, and it’s clear folks want Romo’s eventual replacement taken in the draft.

The problem with obsessing over drafting a quarterback this season is twofold.

First, folks assume the Cowboys won't draft this high anytime soon, so they need to take a quarterback to secure their future because no one can forget the five miserable seasons between Troy Aikman's retirement and Tony Romo's emergence.

Second, many of you assume the soon-to-be 36-year-old Romo will miss a bunch of games in 2016 because he missed 12 games and parts of two others last season.

Try again. Each of those viewpoints is flawed.

If there's a quarterback worthy of the fourth pick, then the Cowboys should certainly take him. If not, then they must pass. One of the easiest ways to wreck a franchise is to reach for a quarterback in the first round.

Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder are each good examples of why the Cowboys shouldn't draft a quarterback, just because they need a backup for Romo.

If the three highest-rated quarterbacks in the 2016 draft fail to become stars, no one will be shocked. North Dakota State's Carson Wentz is probably the most physically gifted, but he has spent his entire career playing against inferior competition. Do you trust him to evolve into Steve McNair or Joe Flacco?

California quarterback Jared Goff had 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions against UCLA, USC, Oregon, Stanford and Utah, and 32 touchdowns and five interceptions against every other opponent. At 6-foot-7, Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch played in a spread offense that makes you wonder how long it will take him to adjust to the pro-style offenses of the NFL.

There's never a guarantee in an inexact science such as drafting quarterbacks, but we expect some players such as Andrew Luck, Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger to play to their pedigree.

With Wentz, Goff and Lynch, all you have is an educated guess. No more.

Romo broke his collarbone twice last season and missed 12 games. In the previous four seasons, he had played in 62 of 64 games, and in his first nine seasons as a starter, Romo missed a total of 15 games. He missed 10 of those games in 2010, when he broke his collarbone the first time.

He missed three games with a broken finger in 2008 and one game each with a back injury in 2012 and 2013.

Romo has played with a punctured lung and a creaky back. No questions exist about his toughness, and he’s really not the fragile player he’s perceived to be. Aside from when he breaks a bone, you can find him in the starting lineup.

None of his issues last season had to do with his back, a positive sign. This is a violent game and injuries will forever be a part of it. But Romo isn’t missing games with chronic injuries.

Only Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer have been NFL starters longer than Romo.

It's unlikely Romo is going to play the four or five seasons owner Jerry Jones hopes he plays, but he will start next season.

The Cowboys would like to get their quarterback of the future in this draft, but there’s no need to force the issue. They still have time.

______________________________________

God, shut the fuck up, Frenchie.

 

[L.T. Fan]

This is a brilliant logic. Use prior flawed examples as a reason to not do anything with the current window, players available and circumstances of the franchise.

 

[Stars]

All I know is, every time Romo goes down on his shoulder, I'm expecting him to break a collarbone. You can say that it's not chronic or spin it however you want, but the fact is, he's broken his collarbone 3 times. In fact, I'm not sure what JJT is even rambling about in this article. Unless Dallas took a quarterback with every freakin' pick, I don't see how drafting just one is "forcing the issue".

 

[E_D_Guapo]

If there's a quarterback worthy of the fourth pick, then the Cowboys should certainly take him. If not, then they must pass.

Another truly insightful piece from JJT.

 

[Cotton]

Another truly insightful piece from JJT.

The entire Dallas media seems to have gone the way of the moron here lately. Minus a couple of the DMN writers.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

None of his issues last season had to do with his back, a positive sign. This is a violent game and injuries will forever be a part of it. But Romo isn’t missing games with chronic injuries.

Because he didn't play long enough for there to be any other issues. These arguments are just ridiculous. The back is a huge worry, the collarbone is a huge worry and his age is a huge worry. If Romo stays healthy and plays all of 2016 then awesome. We are probably in the playoffs and happy. Even if that means the fourth pick in the draft sat the entire season. Not exactly sure how that would "wreck the franchise" as this idiot implies.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Another truly insightful piece from JJT.

I always love the logic of, well he isn't an Andrew Luck caliber prospect so he isn't worth the fourth pick. If that's your criteria for taking a QB in the first, you'll probably never take one.

 

[E_D_Guapo]

I always love the logic of, well he isn't an Andrew Luck caliber prospect so he isn't worth the fourth pick. If that's your criteria for taking a QB in the first, you'll probably never take one.

Why use such a premium pick on a QB when just grab a failed baseball prospect off the scrap heap to take over as your starter. Oh wait...

 

[Smitty]

Taking Goff or Wentz at 4 isn't reaching so STFU.

 

[VA Cowboy]

I always love the logic of, well he isn't an Andrew Luck caliber prospect so he isn't worth the fourth pick. If that's your criteria for taking a QB in the first, you'll probably never take one.

The other part of that logic that fails is if it's applied to the other players available at 4. Bosa and Buckner aren't viewed as the 2nd coming of JJ Watt or Reggie White or any other franchise caliber DL/edge rusher. Jack is a 4-3 non-rushing LB. Ramsey is versatile but isn't viewed as another Deion or Revis or Polamalu at safety.

It ultimately should come down whether we have Wentz or Goff graded as potential quality longterm starting QB's and whether they rate as high or near the other prospects at 4. If yes or close, then the benefit of the doubt should go to the most important position on the field, QB.

 

[boozeman]

I love how a CB/S hybrid, LDE or chase ROLB aren't reaches, yet, these two QBs are.

This is just a shitty draft, period. It is not like there are five elite guys out there and we are bypassing them all for a QB.

 

[fortsbest]

That is the same logic that saddled us without a QB for 10 plus years after Aikman. Oh, we can find a QB anywhere and Troy isn't going anywhere. Concussions, oops, retirement, oops. Hello Qwinthy! etc. F that. Draft a QB cuz I promise Romo gets hurt again either this year or next. These idiots that write like Tony actually will make 3 years without getting hurt are ignoring his history. Draft the damn QB and if Tony makes it into his 4th year, trade the draftee for a high pick, then get another one.

 

[Simpleton]

What is the difference between taking a QB at 16 and taking one at 4 in a relatively shitty top of the draft?

Nothing except whatever nonsense Jerry has conjured up in his pea brain and whatever sweets nothings Garrett has whispered into his ear in an attempt to save his job by getting an impact player instead of a QB who may not even play a snap this year.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Nothing except whatever nonsense Jerry has conjured up in his pea brain and whatever sweets nothings Garrett has whispered into his ear in an attempt to save his job by getting an impact player instead of a QB who may not even play a snap this year.

All I know is that we have held private workouts with all 3 first round QB prospects. I have a hard time believing we are doing that for no good reason. Additionally we made no serious effort to adress the backup QB spot in free agency. We clearly are considering a QB in the first no matter what Jerry says publicly. That doesn't mean we will for sure but I certainly think it is just as likely as any position.

 

[NoDak]

That is the same logic that saddled us without a QB for 10 plus years after Aikman.

5 years. Aikman played in 2000, Romo was starting in 2006.

 

[Genghis Khan]

That is the same logic that saddled us without a QB for 10 plus years after Aikman.

I know it seemed like 10 plus years, but it was actually way less than that. More like 5 or 6.

 

[Simpleton]

All I know is that we have held private workouts with all 3 first round QB prospects. I have a hard time believing we are doing that for no good reason. Additionally we made no serious effort to adress the backup QB spot in free agency. We clearly are considering a QB in the first no matter what Jerry says publicly. That doesn't mean we will for sure but I certainly think it is just as likely as any position.

Yea, I agree. It's hard to tell exactly what is going on with this organization these days because it seems that in alot of ways they're letting Jerry just run off at the mouth while ignoring him.

Jerry says we won't take a QB at 4, Stephen says we would take a franchise QB over an impact positional player, Jerry blathers on about RG3 and Manziel since before the season even ended, we don't even give either of them a sniff in free agency.

There is certainly a reason that we are working out all of these QB's, but then again we also worked out guys like Cook and Prescott. I'm hoping it's not just a matter of due diligence while the real plan is to draft a guy in the 2nd or 3rd.

Trading down/up for Lynch would be perfectly fine as well.

I'm extremely curious to see whether we bring in any QB's for pre-draft visits. I think it would be really interesting if we didn't bring any in and only brought in positional players as a way to not show our hand.

Stephen also said that backup QB was the most important spot to address in the offseason, so there's that too.

 

[ravidubey]

The article is a wake up call targeting a lot of casual fans who are totally banking that the 4th pick is Troy Aikman II.

Simple logic:
- The Cowboys having the 4th pick in the draft has no bearing on whether both Carson Wentz and Jared Goff will be franchise QB's.
- Tony Romo hurting his collarbone after coming back too early has no bearing on his hurting it again after it properly heals, which there's no indication it's not.

But fans are acting as like whomever the Cowboys draft at 4 is going to be God's gift and Tomo is brittle and done. Neither are logical opinions.

Anyone who cites the 2004 draft as an example of how multiple HOF QB's just fall from the sky is cherry picking a very special year for QB's that last happened in 1983.

Some are saying to use the pick even if it lands a serviceable starter. Really? From the 4th overall pick? We can get serviceable in the 2nd round, albeit at a shorter contract length. Shit we can get "serviceable" next year, too.

 

[ravidubey]

Jerry says we won't take a QB at 4, Stephen says we would take a franchise QB over an impact positional player

Both are on the same page if there is no franchise QB available.

 

[boozeman]

Both are on the same page if there is no franchise QB available.

My thing is if they understand what one even looks like.