Cowboys scheduled to have six QBs visit Valley Ranch

[Mr Cowboy]

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  Todd ArcherESPN Staff Writer

IRVING, Texas -- While owner and general manager Jerry Jones said every decision the Dallas Cowboys will make in the draft will be with the idea that Tony Romo will be their quarterback for the next 4-5 years, it is not stopping the team from doing all of the legwork on the most important position.

Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch will visit Valley Ranch this week but they have already been linked to the Cowboys through the Senior Bowl, where they coached Wentz, or private workouts.

The Cowboys will also have Christian Hackenberg, Connor Cook and Jacoby Brissett at their facility for pre-draft visits.

The Cowboys have not filled their backup quarterback spot in free agency and currently have Kellen Moore and Jameill Showers behind Romo on the roster.


Hackenberg, Cook and Brissett would be options beyond the first round. The Cowboys had a private workout with Hackenberg recently.

Hackenberg had the look of a possible No. 1 overall pick as a freshman when he played for Bill O’Brien. His career took a downturn after O’Brien left for the Houston Texans. Hackenberg’s skills did not seem to mesh with the system used by new coach James Franklin.

In 2013, Hackenberg had 20 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions. In 2014 he had 12 touchdowns and 15 interceptions and he had 16 touchdowns and six picks in 2015 but completed just 53 percent of his passes.

Cook was a three-year starter at Michigan State and finished with 70 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. He has played in plenty of big games but is he a long-term solution? Brissett had 43 touchdowns and 11 picks in his two full seasons as the starter at NC State. He has prototypical size (6-foot-4, 235) but did not take many chances down the field. The Cowboys coaches met with him at the Senior Bowl.