Yesterday, fellow staff writer Brian Martin posed a question which Cowboys fans have wondered for many of the previous seasons.
Do the Cowboys have to worry about their backup quarterback situation?
After living through the Tony Romo-era, our immediate to that question tends to be a resounding “yes.” Of course the Cowboys should shore up their QB2 slot, especially considering that he is just one play away from having the team's most important starting role.
But as it currently sits, a rather unproven and under-qualified Kellen Moore is the favorite to be the Cowboys' week one backup quarterback. While Moore has a rabid following and passionate fan base, he is yet to really perform to the standards his fans have set for him on Sundays.
Sure, he had a solid outing in garbage time against the Washington Redskins in 2015, but his game-time against the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets during previous weeks was certainly lackluster.
I think it is fair to say the Cowboys should at least be looking for a new backup quarterback, preferably a veteran presence who has proven he can operate an offense at the professional level.
Currently, the most proven quarterback available would be former San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick. I know he has become sort of a controversial figure in some circles, but the fact is that he can still play at a relatively high level. And, as a backup to Dak Prescott, he would the be perfect fit.
Another route the Cowboys could look towards is former Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns QB Robert Griffin III. Similar to Kaepernick, he has experience running a professional offense, and has had good success doing so. Despite poor team results for both quarterbacks in 2016, each performed the best they had in years individually.
I know these names don't necessarily excite you, but they would be able to serve the QB2 role in Dallas perfectly. Ideally, they wouldn't ever even have to play a snap for the Cowboys, but if needed, they could be plug and play guys with a ton of offensive talent surrounding them.
The point of this article isn't to give a comprehensive list of potential free agent quarterbacks, however. Instead, I wanted to give a response to Brian Martin's question on here yesterday.
I think that backup quarterback is arguably a top 3 need remaining for this roster. Similar to their right tackle need, however, it is not nearly as dire as was the cornerback position prior to the NFL Draft.
While this roster is built better than it ever has been to withstand an injury to its starting quarterback, the last thing you want is a revolving door at backup quarterback like the Cowboys had in 2015.
Even on draft day I was clamoring for the Cowboys to take another young quarterback later on in day three. As Miami Hurricanes QB Brad Kaaya continued to fall, I hoped the Cowboys would take a look in round six and potentially find a chess piece to move through trade later on.
The Cowboys can afford to go into the season with Kellen Moore as their backup quarterback. I, personally, would like to see them bring in some competition for the young quarterback though, and learn from their past roster building mistakes.
