Cowboys Next 'Dak Move? His QB Backup; NFL Free Agency
FRISCO - It’s great that the Dallas Cowboys have lined up Dak Prescott as their starter for the next four years.
They should be as lucky to line up his backup.
It won’t be Andy Dalton. He exited stage right earlier his week. Dalton wanted to start, and the Chicago Bears told him that he would be the starter. Hard to blame the guy at this point in his career for jumping at that.
But it does leave a void behind Prescott, and the Cowboys need to fill it. For those that think they don’t, well, were you conscious last season?
The Cowboys were awful for a stretch in the immediate term after Prescott’s gruesome season-ending injury. Yes, Dalton didn’t have a ‘great’ season in Prescott’s place. He finished 4-5 with 2,170 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. His first three games were uneven, and then he missed two games due to COVID-19.
After that, Dalton was consistent. He threw two or more touchdown passes in five of his last seven games, and the Cowboys won three of their last four games.
First question — does that backup exist on the roster? The Cowboys have Garrett Gilbert, Ben DiNucci and Cooper Rush under contract. Gilbert and DiNucci both got a shot last year.
DiNucci started one game, throwing for 219 yards on 23-of-43 passing. Gilbert started one game, throwing for 243 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 21-of-38 passing.
Forget the opponents. In one-game auditions, DiNucci was poor and Gilbert played solidly. By then the Cowboys were beat up in other places, too, including the offensive line. And the defense still wasn’t quite playing at the level it was in December.
So are either one of them the answer behind Prescott? Or Rush? Or is there an option outside the building?
The first week of free agency snapped up some potentially helpful options, not the least of which was Dalton. Ryan Fitzpatrick, who always seems to get things done, ended up in Washington. Mitch Trubisky shuffled off to Buffalo (Fish wonders below if Dallas was "asleep at the wheel'' on that one), while Jacoby Brissett ended up in Miami. Tyrod Taylor found his way to Houston. ... where depending on what happens with Deshaun Watson, he could end up the Texans' starter.
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The list of remaining options? Alex Smith tops the list, and while he was absolutely the feel-good story of 2020, he’s now 37. He might be a good fit for their playbook. But do you want to back up a player with a rebuilt ankle with a player who has a rebuilt leg?
Then it’s a hodge-podge of vets like Chase Daniel, A.J. McCarron, Colt McCoy, Matt Barkley, Joe Flacco. Robert Griffin III and Nick Mullens come to mind. To me, Alex Smith still tops the list.
No one is a lead-pipe-lock option at this point. My feeling is that the Cowboys believe Gilbert could do the job in a pinch, and they’re banking that Prescott will stay healthy in 2021. The latter point shouldn’t be an assumption on Dallas’ part. Once a player gets hurt, in my opinion, they’re now an injury risk for good, especially where the injury occurred. I hope I'm wrong, but ... have you forgotten the persistent back issues of Troy Aikman and Tony Romo?
It’s an important job, backing up Prescott. The Cowboys lucked out last year being able to lure Dalton for a year. He did the career rehab thing and got a starting job in Chicago.
There isn’t a quarterback that fits that bill this offseason, which is why I think Gilbert and DiNucci might spend the offseason slugging it out to back up Dak, with Gilbert landing the No. 2 spot and DiNucci behind him ... and we’ll spend the season hoping Dak doesn’t get hurt.
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