The Cowboys suffered through a lost season in 2015, due largely to a slew of injuries, most notably to WR Dez Bryant and QB Tony Romo. The injuries to Romo were particularly worrisome; he suffered a broken collarbone twice, and at 35 years old, doesn’t have much longer as an elite passer.
The Cowboys must begin searching for answers beyond Romo, and there’s one name that is linked to the Cowboys often. Johnny Manziel, a Texas native and former Heisman winner at Texas A&M, is reportedly doing all he can to force his way to Dallas, per Peter King.
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JFF3: … Browns are so done with the guy. I will be stunned if he ever plays another snap for Cleveland. He wants to go to Dallas.
— Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) January 4, 2016
Here are Jerry Jones’ options in planning for Romo’s inevitable end.
Johnny Manziel
He’s the talk of the town right now, so they’ll begin here. Bringing in Manziel would be akin to the Jets’ decision to trade for Tim Tebow. Manziel is unstable at best, and if the alcohol rumors are true, he needs rehabilitation, and not to come back home where he knows all the watering holes.
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On top of his off-field concerns, which are many, Manziel has still not proven he is a starting-caliber quarterback. He has shown flashes, like when he rushed for 108 yards vs. the Chiefs, but he’s been inconsistent with his accuracy and continues to be plagued by bad decisions. That’s not what this team needs, while it still takes criticism for employing Greg Hardy, and is always minutes away from Bryant’s next blowup.
Robert Griffin III
Wishful thinking or insider information? Either way, I wasn't expecting to see Dallas RGIII jerseys today. pic.twitter.com/mvCwNzyxPS
— Homer McFanboy (@HomerMcFanboy) January 3, 2016
Now this is intriguing. RGIII – remember him, the 2012 Rookie of the Year? – has literally done nothing in 2015. He hasn’t even been active, sitting behind Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy while the Redskins made the playoffs, but there remains a world of potential with him.
Tyrod Taylor of the Bills has become the league’s fastest QB, but the second RGIII is activated that title is his. He rushed for 815 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, while throwing for 20 scores and getting picked off just five times.
The league did catch up to him and the Redskins’ reliance on the read-option, but he is still a talented player with an extremely high ceiling. Griffin also starred in Texas as a former Heisman winner when he played for Baylor, and the pressure wouldn’t immediately be on him to run the show. But should Romo get hurt again, Dallas fans would rather see RGIII than Matt Cassel or Kellen Moore ever again.
The Draft
The 2015 Draft isn’t loaded with talent at QB. The top players –Jared Goff (California), Paxton Lynch (Memphis) and Connor Cook (Michigan State) are all considered reaches at the top of the draft, with Goff having the best chance to go early. Dallas could take Goff and groom him behind Romo; it worked nicely for Aaron Rodgers to learn the ropes behind Brett Favre. But they’d have to invest a first-rounder in him when there are major holes to be filled all over the defense and at wide receiver (excluding Bryant).
The Cowboys can also try to hit a home run after Round 1 with Ohio State prospect Cardale Jones, or TCU QB Trevone Boykin. The floor with those types of prospects is much lower, but so is the necessary investment.
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