The Dallas Cowboys need to start looking for their next franchise quarterback. This is not to say that the team doesn’t believe in Tony Romo. A team never knows when they will need a quarterback. Much like the situation a few years ago when Romo went down with a broken clavicle.
When Aaron Rodgers was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2004, no one thought he would be challenging Brett Favre for the starting job. He came onto the team to sit and learn. The only other situation close to this was when Matt Schaub was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons to back up Michael Vick. Prior to Vick going to prison, Schaub was dealt to the Houston Texans to take over as their franchise quarterback.
This seems to be the type of situation that doesn’t happen anymore in the NFL. Phillip Rivers, Eli Manning, Andrew Luck and countless others are drafted to start immediately. However, I think the best situation for the Cowboys would be to draft a quarterback and sit him for the next few seasons.
Kyle Orton is never going to take snaps away from Tony Romo, and I don’t believe he can play at a high enough level for a situation where he is called upon to lead this team to a victory. Orton is just an insurance policy but that salary could be used in other areas to help this team.
Here are the list of quarterbacks that the Cowboys take a look at.
Derek Carr, Fresno State Career Stats: 11,181 yards 95 touchdowns 20 interceptions
Derek is known most for being David’s little brother, but after watching over the last three years he is a better quarterback. Maybe David should be referred to as Derek’s older brother.
Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M Career Stats: 6,573 passing yards 52 touchdowns 17 interceptions
Manziel is a dynamic quarterback who plays very similar to Romo, as he uses his feet a lot to set up plays downfield. The defending Heisman Trophy winner is most likely played his last college game at Kyle Field and deserves a look.
Zack Mettenberger, Louisiana State Career Stats: 5,434 passing yards 33 touchdowns 14 interceptions
Mettenberger is the prototypical size you want in a quarterback at 6’5″ and he has a strong arm. He makes questionable decisions in the passing game. He would benefit from sitting and learning from a veteran quarterback.
These are just the first round eligible targets that the Cowboys could consider if one of their need positions doesn’t have a top prospect available. There is no time like now to look for a quarterback.
