Just when it appeared the Cowboys were well manned at the quarterback position, Tony Romo went down with yet another back injury. It is so serious that Romo potentially could remain sidelined for half the season or longer.
The Cowboys have what appears to be an excellent backup in Dak Prescott. But, should something happen to the rookie, the team would be at severe risk of putting together another miserable campaign.
It is imperative that the Cowboys add depth beyond Prescott and second-year quarterback Jameill Showers. Thus, the following veterans should be considered.
Mark Sanchez
The Broncos just named Trevor Siemian the starting quarterback for the 2016 season and are reportedly attempting to trade Sanchez.
If no trade is struck, he could become a free agent when the Broncos trim down to their final 53-man roster. Sanchez is certainly no Romo, but he would be adequate as a backup behind Prescott.
While he struggled with some with turnovers in the preseason, Sanchez still managed to complete 20-of-30 passes and throw for 219 yards and one touchdown in his limited time.
Furthermore, over the course of his 13 games played in the last two years with the Philadelphia Eagles, Sanchez completed an average of 64.3 percent of his passes. This is much improved from the 55.1 percent he averaged during his four-year tenure with the New York Jets.
At the least, Sanchez would have a positive attitude and be willing to work in whatever role is designated to him.
Michael Vick
The 36 year-old free agent has made it known that he would still like to work in the NFL if an opportunity was extended.
“I still feel like I could play and there is a lot left in the tank. … I don’t want it to end the way it ended the last couple years, per Jordan Raanan of nj.com.”
With that, the Cowboys could obtain Vick on the cheap for a one-year deal while the whole Romo thing sorts itself out.
Vick last played with the Pittsburgh Steelers and performed adequately until he sustained a hamstring injury. Over the course of five games, Vick completed 60.6 percent of his passes. In three starts, he managed two wins.
While Vick might not see field time, he would at least provide for some peace of mind for the Cowboys in Romo’s absence.
Josh Freeman
It was not long ago that Freeman’s agent reached out to Dallas. At that time, the Cowboys did not need a quarterback.
Now, they are in dire need of somebody behind Prescott. With the free agent pool shallow on quarterbacks, the Cowboys might revisit the idea of adding the 28 year-old veteran to the roster.
In his very limited time with the Indianapolis Colts in 2015, Freeman actually looked fresh. He passed for 149 yards and scored one touchdown in the Colts’ final game of the season.
After all, Freeman was a first-round pick for good reason. And, he would surely embrace another opportunity to play with a positive mind-set.
Josh McCown
Earlier in August, it was reported that the asking price to acquire McCown from the Browns was too high for the Cowboys.
Now that the Cowboys’ world has been turned upside down, they might be willing to do what it takes to wheel and deal McCown away from the Browns.
Being that he is one of the most seasoned backup quarterbacks in the league, the vet would be great addition to have on hand. We can somewhat attribute his poor win record over the last two years to the fact that he worked with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014 and Browns in 2015.
In his final season with the Chicago Bears in 2013, McCown completed 66.5 percent of his passes and threw 13 touchdowns compared to only one interception in eight starts.
Surely, if McCown had a chance to work with Dallas’ offensive and excellent offensive line he would perform just fine.
Tim Tebow
It was not long ago that Tebow said if the right NFL opportunity came knocking, he would be open to a return.
What better of a team to continue his career than with the Cowboys? Currently, Tebow is pursuing a career in professional baseball. Although, if the Boys’ reached out to him, Tebow might just change his mindset.
It was only a year ago that Tebow auditioned for a starting role with the Philadelphia Eagles. He actually wasn’t terrible and even threw for a touchdown in the team’s final preseason game. Perhaps if the Eagles had not been stacked with four quarterbacks at the time, Tebow might have made the final cut.
If anything, we should remember that Tebow led the Denver Broncos through two series of playoff games during his final season with the team in 2011.
He would certainly come on the cheap and be an immediate role model for the Cowboys locker room.
Plus, Tebow carries a fan base larger than many current starting NFL quarterbacks. Jerry Jones Cowboys’ franchise would only stand to reap the monetary gold in that regard.
Johnny Manziel
Speaking of making the Cowboys richer than they already are, imagine the hype train if Manziel was brought aboard.
Jones has publicly made it known that the Cowboys are not interested in the embattled and troubled ex-Browns quarterback. Though, can we really trust all the media murmurings? After all, the Cowboys contemplated drafting Manziel in 2014.
Jones even called Manziel a “great one” when he talked about selecting another quarterback in the 2016 NFL Draft.
And despite what he’s been up to of late, Manziel has made it known that he would love an opportunity to play in Dallas.
How heroic would the Cowboys be if they signed Manziel and were responsible for him getting his life and career back on track?
Stranger things have happened.