The Cowboys have a lot of needs headed into this month’s draft, but the most important position on the field is pretty low on the list. Given their current situation at quarterback, it is unlikely that Dallas will draft one in 2018.
While there is plenty of debate swirling around the merits of Dak Prescott right now, few would suggest that Dallas should draft a QB high this year. And with Cooper Rush as the intriguing backup, the Cowboys could feel fine about not adding any new talent at the position this year.
Yes, Prescott had a sophomore slump in 2017. But the bar was set very high with one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history. With Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension issues in the past and some new firepower hopefully coming to the receiving group, Dak deserves the opportunity to prove what kind of player he truly is.
Some would argue that drafting a quarterback anywhere above the later rounds could shake Prescott’s confidence. I’ve never subscribed to that logic; playing QB in the NFL is all about pressure. If a guy can’t handle that, then he probably isn’t going to be much of a player anyway.
The more sound argument for not taking another QB is the use of resources. If you’re committed to seeing things through with Dak, then why not use those picks to add more talent around him or on defense? Bolster the team so that some of the issues we saw last year, like a lack of offensive line depth, don’t come back to bite us again.
Now, if the Cowboys wanted to spend a late-round pick on a QB to compete with Cooper Rush, then that’s another story. They’re going to need some more guys in training camp and preseason anyway, and those later picks are generally just a little extra security for acquiring players you don’t want to have to bid on as undrafted free agents.
Furthermore, there’s nothing that says Rush definitely has staying power. We’ve seen exciting undrafted rookie QBs in the past, such as Alex Tanney or Dustin Vaughan, who looked like keepers but the team didn’t try hard to hold on to.
That said, Cooper does seem a cut above those guys. Dallas was confident enough to make him the number-two QB last year and dump the more experienced Kellen Moore.
There’s also solid logic for continuing to keep a pipeline of quarterback talent flowing in your organization. Just look at the draft picks the New England Patriots have landed over time trading away their young backups.
So no, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Cowboys to draft another quarterback this year. In fact, they could even justify doing it in the middle rounds if someone they really like falls.
But as far as actual need goes, Dallas would be fine to stick with Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush as their top two and pick up some undrafted camp bodies to finish out the summer. If they draft a quarterback, it should only be out of luxury.
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