Dallas Cowboys Rumors: With Romo’s Health Uncertain, Cowboys Could Draft A Quarterback In The First Round
With the 2016 NFL draft less than two months away, rumors are heating up regarding the Dallas Cowboys and their plans for the No. 4 overall pick. While the Cowboys have been rumored to be interested in drafting a quarterback in the first round for the past few months, owner Jerry Jones recently denied the reports. Regardless, Tony Romo’s health is once again a question mark, and the team could very well be looking at drafting his eventual replacement.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Cowboys have been linked to California Golden Bears quarterback Jared Goff and North Dakota State Bison quarterback Carson Wentz. While Goff was originally the projected favorite to be the top quarterback taken, recent mock drafts are now favoring Wentz. Regardless of which quarterback is taken first, the Cowboys are going to be in the position to draft one of them with the No. 4 pick.
#Cowboys News & Notes: Is Jerry Bluffing About Not Taking A Quarterback At Four? https://t.co/fmep6K0xo2 pic.twitter.com/fkJADTKWh9
— Blogging The Boys (@BloggingTheBoys) March 4, 2016
With the No. 1 pick, the Tennessee Titans already have their quarterback in Marcus Mariota. With the No. 2 pick, the Cleveland Browns are likely to take either Goff or Wentz. With the No. 3 pick, the San Diego Chargers are fine with Philip Rivers. That leaves the Cowboys at No. 4 with their pick of Goff or Wentz.
As Blogging The Boys reports, Jones has recently stated that the team will not take a quarterback in the opening round. In the past, Jones has stated that he expects Romo to be the Cowboys starting quarterback for at least another five years. While Romo is still an elite quarterback, when healthy, his injuries are starting to become a concern. Regardless of the Injuries, Jones apparently believes the team does not need to use a high draft pick on a quarterback.
“Jerry told me recently that he will unequivocally not take a quarterback at No. 4, where the Cowboys draft this year. I believe him. It makes sense if you think Romo will make a full recovery from offseason surgery, will be your starter for at least three more years, and your team has a window of opportunity that will remain open by filling more glaring needs with the top pick in the draft.”
Whether or not Jones is telling the truth remains to be seen, but the Cowboys are going to have to address the quarterback position in the near future. Even if Romo manages to come back healthy this year, the team does not have a viable backup quarterback. After finishing with a 4-12 record last season in the awful NFC East, this should be more obvious than ever to Jones.
As Blogging The Boys also notes, Jones would be unlikely to announce his true intentions before the draft anyway.
“There are three draft slots ahead of Dallas’ that will determine the player pool from which they will select the newest Cowboy. Publicly confirming that quarterback is a serious consideration for your club would be a indicator to other teams also in need of a quarterback that they’d need to jump ahead of you in the draft in order to secure one.”
ABC News reports that Romo is set to miss 6-8 weeks after his upcoming surgery next week. He will undergo the Mumford procedure, which means his clavicle will be shaved down. Romo has had problems with this shoulder in the past, so it is a huge concern that he is still having issues at almost 36-years-old.
ICYMI: #Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones told Gil Brandt he's NOT taking a QB at four. Here's what we think about that. https://t.co/1JpwJSE8Ar
— KD Drummond (@KDDrummondNFL) March 3, 2016
Since Jones and the Cowboys will not be able to see Romo throw before the upcoming NFL draft, it would be wise of them to have some sort of plan to address the quarterback position. While drafting Goff or Wentz with the No. 4 pick would make the biggest splash, signing a competent veteran to backup Romo is also vital. In such a weak division, the Cowboys could still be competitive with a solid backup in the event that Romo has to miss time again this year.
With Tony Romo’s health uncertain, rumors are going to continue to come out linking the Dallas Cowboys to one of the top college quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft. While owner Jerry Jones denies the reports, do not be surprised if the team takes Goff or Wentz.
[Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images]
