Dallas Cowboys mock draft rumors now have the team targeting Carson Wentz in the 2016 NFL Draft. These Cowboys draft rumors about Wentz come from NFL Network, as its first major mock draft has been released. The report states that the Cowboys will select North Dakota State University quarterback Carson Wentz with the No. 4 overall selection of the 2016 NFL Draft. This would make Wentz the second quarterback selected, following Jared Goff going to the Cleveland Browns with the No. 2 overall selection.
Carson Wentz played four seasons for North Dakota State University in the FCS. He appeared in 42 games, completing 64.1 percent of his passes for 5,115 yards, 45 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Wentz also rushed for 1,028 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 4.8 yards per carry during his time at NDSU. Wentz played just seven games in the 2015 college football season, finishing with a quarterback rating of 152.3 on the year.
These Dallas Cowboys rumors may not surprise fans who have been paying close attention to the quarterbacks entering the 2016 NFL Draft. An earlier report from NFL stated that Carson Wentz had the talent to be the first quarterback selected in the draft. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound quarterback has the size to be a pocket passer in the NFL, leading to most mock drafts listing him early in the first round. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Mel Kiper at ESPN and the CBS Sports analysts have Wentz falling to the Houston Texans at No. 22.
With several teams looking to select a quarterback early in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Cowboys may not be able to wait till later rounds. If the team is truly intent on selecting a quarterback like NFL Network claims, then the first-round selection will come down to Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch from Memphis, or Connor Cook from Michigan State. It’s also possible that Cook could slip into the second round, but a team in need of a new quarterback may not want to risk missing one of the top four in this draft.
Despite various Dallas Cowboys mock draft rumors and stories linking the team to quarterbacks Robert Griffin III and Johnny Manziel, owner Jerry Jones still owes Tony Romo a lot of money. Romo is in the midst of a six-year, $108 million contract that includes $55 million in guaranteed money. This means that the Cowboys will have to pay him a lot of money for a few more years before he doesn’t affect the salary cap in an immense fashion. Romo will be 35 yards old for the 2016 NFL season, with a lot of bonus money coming to him through restructuring of his deal.
The salary cap hit for Romo is just over $20.8 million for 2016, with a dead cap number of just under $32 million attached to him. It ranks among the most expensive contracts in the NFL and shows just how much Jerry Jones wanted to keep Romo in Dallas for his entire career. The Romo deal continues until the 2019 NFL season, but by that point most of his guaranteed money is going to be off the table.
Cowboys players that will become unrestricted free agents this offseason include cornerback Morris Claiborne, defensive ends Greg Hardy, and Jeremy Mincey, center Mackenzy Bernadeau, linebacker Rolando McClain, and quarterback Matt Cassel. With an estimated 2016 salary cap of $154 million and nearly $147 in current active contracts, the Cowboys will have to do a lot in the offseason to make sure they don’t overspend. That could include releasing several players with non-guaranteed contracts.
There are going to be many Dallas Cowboys mock draft rumors in the coming weeks, especially with the team slated to have one of the top picks in the 2016 NFL Draft. Will the Cowboys and Jerry Jones invest the future of the franchise in North Dakota State product Carson Wentz?
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