As Cowboys fans anxiously await the Cowboys' 2016 training camp, getting underway from Oxnard, CA at the end of this month, we find ourselves in a familiar situation from the 4-win 2015 season this team just endured. The backup quarterback position behind Tony Romo is still mired in uncertainty. It's a glaring hole to remind the coaching staff how last season went so horribly wrong.
Doing his absolute best to help stabilize the backup QB position in Dallas is second-year player Jameill Showers. Still such an unknown when it comes to his NFL ability, Showers was signed out of UTEP as an undrafted free agent last season.
Immediately becoming a fan favorite player in the preseason thanks to his versatility to play on special teams, his passing statistics through those four games were as follows:
| Wk | Opp | Comp | Att | Yds | TDs | INTs |
| 1 | @ San Diego Chargers | 5 | 11 | 40 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | @San Francisco 49ers | 8 | 17 | 80 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | vs. Minnesota Vikings | 2 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | vs. Houston Texans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL: | 3 games | 15 | 32 | 125 | 1 | 1 |
Obviously, there's room for improvement for any quarterback that completes less than 50% of his passes, but the Dallas Cowboys understood the long road that would await Showers when they brought him in. Jameill Showers was able to make himself valuable on the team's practice squad in 2015, but only in serving as an athletic body capable of playing multiple positions for the “scout team” while developing his passing skills.
Jameill Showers' most recent practice opportunities came during OTAs and mini-camp, where he made the most of them, focusing all of his efforts at QB. While Showers is a very long way from proving that he can keep the Cowboys' offense efficient without Tony Romo under center, the same could be said about his competitors on the roster – Kellen Moore and rookie Dak Prescott.
With Prescott's roster spot secure as a rookie, the true training camp QB competition is going to be between Kellen Moore and Jameill Showers. This should turn out to be a battle that will last all the way through the preseason, and be one that we revisit multiple times.
For Showers to further his career with the Dallas Cowboys and replace Kellen Moore, he is going to have to quickly grasp as much of the mental aspects in Scott Linehan's offense as possible. This is one area that Kellen Moore has an advantage, although he struggles physically to actually execute these plays on the field.
Jameill Showers may have to face this uphill battle without the luxury of an abundance of preseason snaps, as the Cowboys could quickly determine that he is better fit to again join the practice squad. If this is the case, the Cowboys won't want to give other teams the confidence to sign Showers off of waivers before he can be added to Dallas' practice squad.
Where Jameill Showers has a chance to stand out is with his legs.
A quarterback that can create extra time for himself, similarly to Tony Romo, is incredibly valuable for an offense that features weapons like Dez Bryant, Ezekiel Elliott, Cole Beasley, and Terrance Williams. Jameill Showers has a chance to be this guy for the Cowboys, rushing for 312 yards and 4 touchdowns in his final collegiate season.
Jameill Showers will continue to receive plenty of support this summer from Cowboys Nation, but the support from the coaching staff is only going to come if he continues to take significant strides as a complete quarterback. If he can do so, enough to beat out Kellen Moore, then the team will have to feel a little bit better about their plans in place in the event of another Tony Romo injury.
What do you think the future holds for QB Jameill Showers?
Let us know! Comment below to start the conversation!
With this article, my “Cowboys Sophomores” series here on Inside The Star has come to an end. If you missed any player profiles, click here to browse the archives! Share your thoughts on the overall series by emailing me at sean.martin@insidethestar.com or tweeting to @ShoreSportsNJ.
