The coronavirus has pretty much put our nation and several nations around the world in a holding pattern until this pandemic can be sorted out. Sadly, it’s put an end to just about all sporting events and even caused the XFL to prematurely end their season.
The XFL seemed to be just picking up steam when the coronavirus decided to rear its ugly head and shut it down, but there may be a silver lining. Former XFL players can now sign with any NFL organization. Will the Dallas Cowboys take advantage of this?
Personally, I’d be pretty surprised if the Dallas Cowboys showed any interest in any of the former XFL players. But for the fun of it let’s take a look at a handful of them they should consider signing.
P.J. Walker, QB, Houston Roughnecks
If anybody was becoming the face of the XFL, it was probably P.J. Walker. He was absolutely dominating and was leading the league in passing yards (1,338) and touchdowns (15). He showed off his arm and mobility on a weekly basis and had the second-highest QB rating (104.4) before things were cut short. He’s already rumored to have drawn interest from the Seahawks, Cardinals, and Broncos. That kind of interest could keep the Dallas Cowboys from pursuing the former Roughneck.
Cam Phillips, WR, Houston Roughnecks
If P.J. Walker wasn’t the MVP of the XFL, then his teammate Cam Phillips probably was. This QB/WR duo are huge reason why the Houston Roughnecks were the only undefeated team in the XFL. Phillips was named the XFL’s “Player of the Week” three out of a possible five times and lead all receivers in every single category. He finished with 31 receptions, 455 yards and 9 touchdowns. He proved to be a very valuable deep threat in the XFL, which should be of interest of several teams around the league, including the Dallas Cowboys.
Donald Parham, TE, Dallas Renegades
My fellow Staff Writer Kevin Brady had the foresight to write about the Dallas Cowboys potentially showing an interest in Tight End Donald Parham nearly a month ago, and he’s right. The Cowboys absolutely need more depth at TE and Parham has to potential to be just that, possibly more. At 6’8″, 237 most of his success became as a passing threat (24 receptions, 307 yards, 4 touchdowns), but so is Blake Jarwin and he just received a contract extension from Dallas. The Cowboys do need depth, so it wouldn’t be all that surprising if they found it in their own backyard in the Parham
Jordan Ta’amu, QB, St. Louis BattleHawks
P.J. Walker may have received the majority of the fanfare with his play in the XFL, but Jordan Ta’amu probably deserved just as much. At just 22 years old, Ta’amu proved to be the dual threat QB many believed him to be coming out of Ole Miss. He finished with the highest completion percentage in the league (72.4) and lead all quarterbacks in rushing (217 yards) with an impressive 5.29 yards per carry. He also finished with the third -most passing yards (1,050) and the third-highest QB rating (101.3). He could give Cooper Rush a run for his money to be the Cowboys QB2.
Storm Norton, OT, Los Angeles Wildcats
Storm Norton bounced around with several teams in the league since 2017 and played in one game with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018, but was never able to really find a home in the NFL. He ended up being the first offensive lineman drafted in the XFL and proved himself worthy of the selection as Josh Johnson’s blindside protector with the Wildcats. At 6’8″, 305 pounds and just 25 years old he could receive another shot under the bright lights of the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys need a new swing tackle after deciding not to pick up Cameron Flemings club option and Norton could be the solution.
