As we currently sit, there are 24 days until NFL Free Agency opens for all 32 teams. While the Dallas Cowboys will be busy trying to shuffle through which of their 23 free agents they want to re-sign, I wanted to talk about one position they need to prioritize more than others.
And that’s their backup quarterback position.
With quarterback Cooper Rush entering free agency, the Cowboys would have Quarterback Will Grier behind Dak Prescott if the season were to start today.
Grier, a four-year NFL player, isn’t a bad option to have, as he showed some promise in the preseason. But are you going to feel good with him as the starter if Prescott were to miss any games?
Probably not.
While people could say that their dilemma could be solved if they were to re-sign Rush. My rebuttal is that he’s likely donning different uniform threads in 2023.
With now-former Cowboys Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore in Los Angeles with the Chargers – it wouldn’t be surprising to see them go after Rush to help Quarterback Justin Herbert with the new-look expected Chargers offense.
Plus, if they don’t end up signing Rush, other teams will likely have him on their radars, as they saw him perform well and win several games in his collective starts.
And lastly, the front office has a history of not paying their players. Add that with Rush is going to cash in on a big payday from someone – it wouldn’t surprise me if they let him walk.
So, with that in mind, check out two quarterbacks the team should have on their radar during this year’s free agency. Additionally, with the offense transitioning to a West-Coast scheme, these two guys would fit right since they have shown to get the ball out quickly and efficiently on short throws.
BAKER MAYFIELD
Now before people get angry with this selection, hear me out. We have all witnessed the rise and fall of Quarterback Baker Mayfield during his five-year career.
The former number-one pick was once praised for his electric play during his time with the Cleveland Browns, but once they pushed him out, he bounced from the Carolina Panthers to then the Los Angeles Rams.
Now a free agent, Mayfield will be looking for a new home, and you can bet he’s hoping it’s a starting gig somewhere. But would he start here in Dallas?
Who knows. And to clarify, I’m not trying to stir up a QB controversy. But a Mayfield addition would not only make the QB room stronger. It would add some competition under Prescott.
Plus, he’s two years younger than Rush, and I feel better about Mayfield out there on the field if something were to happen to Prescott. Oh, and I almost forgot, there could be a chance that a Mayfield-CeeDee Lamb reunion occurs.
Gardner Minshew
Before we get started, I have to admit Minshew has always been a favorite of mine because of his swagger. It also helps that he’s not a bad quarterback, and it was surprising that other teams who needed a starting QB weren’t trying to pry him away from the Eagles.
(Maybe they were, I don’t know.)
But looking at Minshew, you have a guy who’s another former starter for his team, and he showed that he could win games. This year you saw Minshew work his way up and down the field on the tenacious Cowboys defense – and everyone can and should admit that he almost pulled off a victory.
Now a free agent, it wouldn’t surprise me if QB-needy teams went after him to either serve as a bridge quarterback for a rookie or make them their full-time starter.
On the flip side, teams who want high-quality backup quarterback services (aka the Boys) saw how he performed when his name was called, and that could mean he could get a nice pay increase from the $2.5M that the Eagles were paying him.
While Spotrac doesn’t have his market value set, I would have to imagine that his expected value has to be around the range of Mayfield and QB Sam Darnold, who are former starters and have their values set at $6.5M and $5.1M.
Minshew or Mayfield wouldn’t be bad options for the Cowboys to consider. But if they didn’t want to spend big money on a guy – they could look toward the draft.
A name people have connected to the Boys has been TCU QB Max Duggan, who had an electric season for the Horned Frogs. Ideally, you could get him on Day 3. But recently, there was a report that the Cowboys are intrigued by Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud, who’s being mocked as the top quarterback.
So, who knows what will happen with the Cowboys this offseason…
