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Mosley: As free-agent QBs sign elsewhere, Jerry's blind loyalty to Romo could doom Cowboys again
By Matt Mosley , Special Contributor Contact Matt Mosley on Twitter: @mattmosley
The one thing about refusing to participate in free agency until it officially begins is that you can't get whacked by the NFL for tampering, like the Kansas City Chiefs. The Dallas Cowboys have an anti-tampering approach, choosing to let the big-ticket items fly off the shelves before engaging in the process.
They've re-signed Rolando McClain and cornerback Josh Thomas. They've also brought in former Eagles starting defensive tackle Cedric Thornton, whose one sack last season was Tony Romo. I remember Thomas as a fifth-round pick out of Buffalo in 2011. The Cowboys tried to sneak him through to the practice squad, but the Baltimore Ravens signed him to their 45-man roster. Then they tried the same thing as the Cowboys, only to have the Carolina Panthers pounce. Now he's back to fight for a spot in a much-maligned secondary that has been allergic to takeaways.
The Cowboys have barely dipped their toes in the free-agency waters, while the Giants and Eagles have been extremely active. I think the Giants will be a much better defensive team with the additions of edge rusher Olivier Vernon, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and tackle Damon Harrison. The organization hasn't had a truly reliable cornerback since Corey Webster. Folks are fixated by Vernon only having 7.5 sacks last season, but scouts say he was dominant in the second half of the season. Former Cowboys defensive end Anthony Spencer had a similar half-season, but injuries derailed his career.
I thought Eagles vice president of football operations Howie Roseman did a nice job dumping the large salaries of Byron Maxwell and DeMarco Murray. I didn't think the addition of safety Byron McLeod for $37.5 million made a lot of sense. And I'm wondering if the Rams have anyone left to play in the secondary this season.
Where the Cowboys sat on their hands was at quarterback. If there's one spot on the roster they should overpay, it's backup quarterback. I'm not sure how you can watch Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel lose all those games and then decide to go after someone like 32-year-old Matt Moore. The Eagles and Redskins secured their backup spots with Chase Daniel and Colt McCoy. The Houston Texans dropped about $37 million guaranteed on Brock Osweiler to be their starter. The Cowboys just watched their starting quarterback have a procedure to stabilize the collarbone that he broke twice last season.
Maybe Jerry Jones will surprise us all and take a quarterback in the first or second round, but that's not how he's talking. It looks more and more like Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa will end up as the Cowboys' first-round pick. Jones appears to be in denial about Romo's career, which is why he keeps saying Tony has 4-5 years left. No one in this organization seems to be encouraging Jones to take either Jared Goff or Carson Wentz with that No. 4 pick. And even if the Cowboys thought Wentz was worthy of that pick, Jones would worry about Romo's reaction.
Jones isn't going to draft a player that high and then let him sit for three years. Everyone loves bringing up Aaron Rodgers, but he slipped to No. 24 in that draft. And someone should correct Jerry when he keeps talking about how Rodgers was mentored by Favre. The two had an icy relationship at the start.
Starting quarterbacks don't always embrace the quarterbacks who will soon replace them. Donovan McNabb was incensed when the Eagles drafted Kevin Kolb in the second round. He actually treated Kolb well, but he hated the move. It wouldn't surprise me if Jones is seeking Romo's advice on what to do at quarterback. And I can assure you Romo isn't encouraging him to take one in the first two rounds.
Knowing Jerry wasn't dying to draft a quarterback, the Cowboys needed to be more proactive in finding a quality backup. Moore was a nice find for Dallas in 2007. But he's not a huge upgrade from Weeden or Cassel in 2016. Or maybe even Kellen Moore.
Jones is blinded by his loyalty to Romo, and that could lay the groundwork for another failed season.
By Matt Mosley , Special Contributor Contact Matt Mosley on Twitter: @mattmosley
The one thing about refusing to participate in free agency until it officially begins is that you can't get whacked by the NFL for tampering, like the Kansas City Chiefs. The Dallas Cowboys have an anti-tampering approach, choosing to let the big-ticket items fly off the shelves before engaging in the process.
They've re-signed Rolando McClain and cornerback Josh Thomas. They've also brought in former Eagles starting defensive tackle Cedric Thornton, whose one sack last season was Tony Romo. I remember Thomas as a fifth-round pick out of Buffalo in 2011. The Cowboys tried to sneak him through to the practice squad, but the Baltimore Ravens signed him to their 45-man roster. Then they tried the same thing as the Cowboys, only to have the Carolina Panthers pounce. Now he's back to fight for a spot in a much-maligned secondary that has been allergic to takeaways.
The Cowboys have barely dipped their toes in the free-agency waters, while the Giants and Eagles have been extremely active. I think the Giants will be a much better defensive team with the additions of edge rusher Olivier Vernon, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and tackle Damon Harrison. The organization hasn't had a truly reliable cornerback since Corey Webster. Folks are fixated by Vernon only having 7.5 sacks last season, but scouts say he was dominant in the second half of the season. Former Cowboys defensive end Anthony Spencer had a similar half-season, but injuries derailed his career.
I thought Eagles vice president of football operations Howie Roseman did a nice job dumping the large salaries of Byron Maxwell and DeMarco Murray. I didn't think the addition of safety Byron McLeod for $37.5 million made a lot of sense. And I'm wondering if the Rams have anyone left to play in the secondary this season.
Where the Cowboys sat on their hands was at quarterback. If there's one spot on the roster they should overpay, it's backup quarterback. I'm not sure how you can watch Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel lose all those games and then decide to go after someone like 32-year-old Matt Moore. The Eagles and Redskins secured their backup spots with Chase Daniel and Colt McCoy. The Houston Texans dropped about $37 million guaranteed on Brock Osweiler to be their starter. The Cowboys just watched their starting quarterback have a procedure to stabilize the collarbone that he broke twice last season.
Maybe Jerry Jones will surprise us all and take a quarterback in the first or second round, but that's not how he's talking. It looks more and more like Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa will end up as the Cowboys' first-round pick. Jones appears to be in denial about Romo's career, which is why he keeps saying Tony has 4-5 years left. No one in this organization seems to be encouraging Jones to take either Jared Goff or Carson Wentz with that No. 4 pick. And even if the Cowboys thought Wentz was worthy of that pick, Jones would worry about Romo's reaction.
Jones isn't going to draft a player that high and then let him sit for three years. Everyone loves bringing up Aaron Rodgers, but he slipped to No. 24 in that draft. And someone should correct Jerry when he keeps talking about how Rodgers was mentored by Favre. The two had an icy relationship at the start.
Starting quarterbacks don't always embrace the quarterbacks who will soon replace them. Donovan McNabb was incensed when the Eagles drafted Kevin Kolb in the second round. He actually treated Kolb well, but he hated the move. It wouldn't surprise me if Jones is seeking Romo's advice on what to do at quarterback. And I can assure you Romo isn't encouraging him to take one in the first two rounds.
Knowing Jerry wasn't dying to draft a quarterback, the Cowboys needed to be more proactive in finding a quality backup. Moore was a nice find for Dallas in 2007. But he's not a huge upgrade from Weeden or Cassel in 2016. Or maybe even Kellen Moore.
Jones is blinded by his loyalty to Romo, and that could lay the groundwork for another failed season.
