Kellen Moore and his pedigree

[Stash]

The question is.

What options were out there over the course of the last two years to significantly upgrade our backup QB position? All I ask is, be reasonable, Chase Daniels was never an option and neither was a player that resigned with their own team. Players signing with teams to compete for a starting spot (Griffin, Fitzpatrick etc.) were not an option. The only option that has been presented in this thread would be Hoyer who is also a flawed, UDFA that has been average at best in the lineup.

Quality backups don't hit the market. They either resign with their own team or they sign somewhere for more money than we would've paid to compete for a starting spot.

If this team made a serious effort, they could have upgraded the position. Colt McCoy would be an upgrade but Dallas wasn't willing to pay the necessary money.

They followed that up by low-balling Matt Moore so badly that he ran back to Miami.

And then they did nothing. Threw up their hands and told anyone who'd listen that "We tried!"

Its funny, in the past, the Cowboys were one of the teams that would repeatedly pay a veteran backup quarterback a sizeable salary, and fans praised them for it. Until Kitna, or Brad Johnson, or Kyle Orton, or Brandon Weeden, or Matt Cassel actually took the field.

And then, when the terrible results inevitably came, fans quickly turned on the players and they became a waste of money.

And now, after an entire season was lost because they wasted two years on Dustin Vaughan and had no plan other than Romo winning games for them, they've apparently learned nothing and yet another season rests entirely on Romo's health.

 

[Arkyvarminter]

Just my opinion but I can't see Prescott being any worse than Moore out there...at least he can move around and buy time...

 

[robjay04]

If this team made a serious effort, they could have upgraded the position. Colt McCoy would be an upgrade but Dallas wasn't willing to pay the necessary money.

They followed that up by low-balling Matt Moore so badly that he ran back to Miami.

And then they did nothing. Threw up their hands and told anyone who'd listen that "We tried!"

Its funny, in the past, the Cowboys were one of the teams that would repeatedly pay a veteran backup quarterback a sizeable salary, and fans praised them for it. Until Kitna, or Brad Johnson, or Kyle Orton, or Brandon Weeden, or Matt Cassel actually took the field.

And then, when the terrible results inevitably came, fans quickly turned on the players and they became a waste of money.

And now, after an entire season was lost because they wasted two years on Dustin Vaughan and had no plan other than Romo winning games for them, they've apparently learned nothing and yet another season rests entirely on Romo's health.

Colt McCoy is really unproven and did he even come in for a visit? I believe he resigned with the Commanders before free agency even opened up. That is not a realistic option considering he never really shown a willingness to hit the open market. I am also questionable of a young player that is willing to accept a backup spot.

Matt Moore, an UDFA, who hasn't played meaningful snaps since 2011, is not a sure thing upgrade either. Sure, he could've been brought in to compete but he chose to resign with his own team. Moore probably just wanted to see what Dallas would pay him, we made an offer, Miami matched it so he stayed with Miami. Regardless if you feel he is an upgrade, Moore isn't good enough to overpay for.

I am under the belief that we really don't truly know what we have with Moore. He could stink it up, he could be a pleasant surprise. He hasn't really got a fair shake, he shown some good things and he shown some bad things playing in less than ideal conditions. Regardless, there were not a lot of realistic options in free agency to upgrade the position. Most QB's that are willing to accept a backup job choose to resign with their own team, there is a comfort level there with knowing the staff, receivers and playbook. If the QB has any market at all, they will sign somewhere to compete to start. In the case of Matt Moore and Colt McCoy, they did not have a market because they are not very good so they resigned with their own team.

 

[conner01]

Better. He's been in the league for several years now. He wasn't some rookie. Far from it.

He's wasn't a rookie but last year was his first and only nfl passes. Moore needs to improve to be a viable nfl backup, but I didn't see any real options to replace him. And with the few reps he got last year and a full camp hopefully can improve. Just can't see judging a guys career after 100 passes

 

[Stash]

Colt McCoy is really unproven and did he even come in for a visit? I believe he resigned with the Commanders before free agency even opened up. That is not a realistic option considering he never really shown a willingness to hit the open market.

He was identified as a free agency target. If the Cowbiys wanted to make a viable offer, they could have. Heck, the guy was in town sitting with Romo and Witten at a basketball game. If they wanted to sign him, they could have.

I am also questionable of a young player that is willing to accept a backup spot.

Your reaching is becoming crystal clear.

Matt Moore, an UDFA, who hasn't played meaningful snaps since 2011, is not a sure thing upgrade either. Sure, he could've been brought in to compete but he chose to resign with his own team. Moore probably just wanted to see what Dallas would pay him, we made an offer, Miami matched it so he stayed with Miami. Regardless if you feel he is an upgrade, Moore isn't good enough to overpay for.

He's proven. He's been good enough to stay in this league for over 9 years. Kellen Moore got two starts for a desparate team out of the running, that had no answers.

I am under the belief that we really don't truly know what we have with Moore. He could stink it up, he could be a pleasant surprise. He hasn't really got a fair shake, he shown some good things and he shown some bad things playing in less than ideal conditions. Regardless, there were not a lot of realistic options in free agency to upgrade the position. Most QB's that are willing to accept a backup job choose to resign with their own team, there is a comfort level there with knowing the staff, receivers and playbook. If the QB has any market at all, they will sign somewhere to compete to start. In the case of Matt Moore and Colt McCoy, they did not have a market because they are not very good so they resigned with their own team.

You can tell yourself whatever you'd like to. But that doesn't mean anyone else has to buy it. This team had numerous opportunities to upgrade their backup quest ask position and they failed to do it. They learned nothing from the 2015 season, and if Romo goes down again, so will this team.

There were several options available, all of which would have been an upgrade over the 'runt of the litter' Kellen Moore. The Cowboys were either too cheap or too dumb to pursue them and are now in the same boat they have been. Romo or bust.

Despite people wanting to believe that Dallas has somehow found a 'diamond in the rough' that everyone else missed for 4 years.

 

[Stash]

He's wasn't a rookie but last year was his first and only nfl passes. Moore needs to improve to be a viable nfl backup, but I didn't see any real options to replace him. And with the few reps he got last year and a full camp hopefully can improve. Just can't see judging a guys career after 100 passes

It's 4 years in the league. Sugar coat whatever else you want to. There was a reason last year was "his first and only NFL passes", he's simply not good enough. Even during last year's debacle, this team turned to him as a last resort, after all other options had failed. That speaks volumes.

But now, we're trying to put a shine on the last resort...

 

[jnday]

Better. He's been in the league for several years now. He wasn't some rookie. Far from it.

Yeah, it is not like he is a rookie. He should be at his best at this point of his career.

 

[jnday]

He was identified as a free agency target. If the Cowbiys wanted to make a viable offer, they could have. Heck, the guy was in town sitting with Romo and Witten at a basketball game. If they wanted to sign him, they could have.



Your reaching is becoming crystal clear.



He's proven. He's been good enough to stay in this league for over 9 years. Kellen Moore got two starts for a desparate team out of the running, that had no answers.



You can tell yourself whatever you'd like to. But that doesn't mean anyone else has to buy it. This team had numerous opportunities to upgrade their backup quest ask position and they failed to do it. They learned nothing from the 2015 season, and if Romo goes down again, so will this team.

There were several options available, all of which would have been an upgrade over the 'runt of the litter' Kellen Moore. The Cowboys were either too cheap or too dumb to pursue them and are now in the same boat they have been. Romo or bust.

Despite people wanting to believe that Dallas has somehow found a 'diamond in the rough' that everyone else missed for 4 years.

I will go with a combination of cheap and dumb. Romo is a very good QB, but the offense is too dependent on him and his ability to extend plays. I honestly don't know what they are going to do when Romo retires. The offense will be beyond lost. There is no QB , not named Romo, that can win with the way the current offense is set up.

 

[Stash]

Yeah, it is not like he is a rookie. He should be at his best at this point of his career.

In addition, he's had years of familiarity with Linehan, a distinct advantage over everyone else.

What I saw was a guy who tried to seize his opportunity and threw caution (and footballs!) to the wind. He saw his shot, and he took it. And while I respect that he didn't play scared like Weeden and Cassel did, he was obviously careless with the football, and averaged over two turnovers a game.

And those trying to polish him up want to give him credit for big yardage against a prevent defense in a game that was never competitive want to try to downplay his numerous mistakes at the same time. He wasn't good, he just took more chances than the vets who were afraid or coached not to.

 

[jnday]

If this team made a serious effort, they could have upgraded the position. Colt McCoy would be an upgrade but Dallas wasn't willing to pay the necessary money.

They followed that up by low-balling Matt Moore so badly that he ran back to Miami.

And then they did nothing. Threw up their hands and told anyone who'd listen that "We tried!"

Its funny, in the past, the Cowboys were one of the teams that would repeatedly pay a veteran backup quarterback a sizeable salary, and fans praised them for it. Until Kitna, or Brad Johnson, or Kyle Orton, or Brandon Weeden, or Matt Cassel actually took the field.

And then, when the terrible results inevitably came, fans quickly turned on the players and they became a waste of money.

And now, after an entire season was lost because they wasted two years on Dustin Vaughan and had no plan other than Romo winning games for them, they've apparently learned nothing and yet another season rests entirely on Romo's health.

They could have had their pick of the top QB in this draft if they was really motivated to get one. The current excuse is that one didn't drop to their draft position. Jerry said that we would/'be, could've, should've had a QB. I have a feeling that this draft and offseason will haunt this team for the next couple of decades.

 

[Stash]

I will go with a combination of cheap and dumb. Romo is a very good QB, but the offense is too dependent on him and his ability to extend plays. I honestly don't know what they are going to do when Romo retires. The offense will be beyond lost. There is no QB , not named Romo, that can win with the way the current offense is set up.

It bothers me that people will continue to blame player after player after player after player for the failures at quarterback, and never consider the fact that maybe it's not just all of them, but perhaps a flawed structure staffed with poor coaches that aren't a help to them, but a hindrance.

 

[Doomsday101]

I like Moore but I feel he is limited much like Colt McCoy, both I feel are smart guys when it comes to the x and o's but do not have great arms to squeeze the ball into tight spaces or make the throw on deep outs.

 

[Chuck 54]

I don't see how anyone can judge any of the backup QB's we ran out there last year.

The defense sucked.
The receivers, including Dez sucked.
Defenses stacked the box early in the season; then they backed off because even a good running game wasn't going to beat them.

Personally, I thought Cassel was the absolute worst of the 3.
I thought Weeden got a raw deal after putting up enough points to win in 2 of 3 games if the defense had shown up...wouldn't be a bad career backup.
Moore seemed to know the offense the best and be the most decisive, getting the most receivers involved...his biggest issue was poor decisions that led to turnovers.

With a slightly improved defense, a full compliment of receivers, and more experience, I think Moore could be a career backup as well, nothing more.

 

[robjay04]

He was identified as a free agency target. If the Cowbiys wanted to make a viable offer, they could have. Heck, the guy was in town sitting with Romo and Witten at a basketball game. If they wanted to sign him, they could have.



Your reaching is becoming crystal clear.



He's proven. He's been good enough to stay in this league for over 9 years. Kellen Moore got two starts for a desparate team out of the running, that had no answers.



You can tell yourself whatever you'd like to. But that doesn't mean anyone else has to buy it. This team had numerous opportunities to upgrade their backup quest ask position and they failed to do it. They learned nothing from the 2015 season, and if Romo goes down again, so will this team.

There were several options available, all of which would have been an upgrade over the 'runt of the litter' Kellen Moore. The Cowboys were either too cheap or too dumb to pursue them and are now in the same boat they have been. Romo or bust.

Despite people wanting to believe that Dallas has somehow found a 'diamond in the rough' that everyone else missed for 4 years.

Matt Moore is less proven than Matt Cassell.

You are the one reaching to prove your point. I asked for a realistic upgrade featuring a QB that DID NOT resign with their own team or DID NOT sign with another team to compete to start. I can kind of give you Moore since he came in for a visit but at the end of the day, we don't know how serious he really was about leaving Miami. Considering he was average when he did play and hasn't seen any real action in four years, he scares me as well. At the end of the day, his pedigree is pretty much the same as Kellen Moore, he just had a chance to play with a team around him.

McCoy? He never even hit the market. It is insignificant that he was at a basketball game with Romo. By all accounts, he is a loyal guy and chose to stay with the familiar situation in Washington, he didn't even attempt to find another home.

The point of the argument is to name a player that didn't resign with their own team or sign somewhere to compete to start. You can't do that since you just brought up two players that resigned with their own team so you are just helping validate my point that quality players that are okay with being a backup rarely ever switch teams unless it's for big money and a chance to play.

 

[Chuck 54]

Jason Garrett was Aikman's only backup for the last half of his career.

Let that sink in...he never even sniffed being a starter anywhere, but we didn't care. Occasionally he threw a big bomb and won a game; other times the play-calling and team won for him; and sometimes we lost, but we didn't care because the team was that good. Had we ever lost Aikman for as long as we lost Romo last year, I'm sure it wouldn't have been pretty.

 

[Stash]

Matt Moore is less proven than Matt Cassell.

You are the one reaching to prove your point. I asked for a realistic upgrade featuring a QB that DID NOT resign with their own team or DID NOT sign with another team to compete to start. I can kind of give you Moore since he came in for a visit but at the end of the day, we don't know how serious he really was about leaving Miami. Considering he was average when he did play and hasn't seen any real action in four years, he scares me as well. At the end of the day, his pedigree is pretty much the same as Kellen Moore, he just had a chance to play with a team around him.

You asked for upgrades and I provided them. Colt McCoy, Matt Moore, and Brian Hoyer are all far better options. But in your attempts to polish this turd, you try to poke holes in all of them, and fail. All of them have played well in this league, something Kellen Moore has yet to do after 4 years.

McCoy? He never even hit the market. It is insignificant that he was at a basketball game with Romo. By all accounts, he is a loyal guy and chose to stay with the familiar situation in Washington, he didn't even attempt to find another home.

He didn't need to. Washington offered him a great deal to stay while Dallas thought they'd get by on the cheap, and failed. But if the Cowboys offered a better deal, the Texas boy would have gladly returned home. They didn't, and he stayed in Washington. Then they tried to lowball Moore too and he went back to Miami.

The point of the argument is to name a player that didn't resign with their own team or sign somewhere to compete to start. You can't do that since you just brought up two players that resigned with their own team so you are just helping validate my point that quality players that are okay with being a backup rarely ever switch teams unless it's for big money and a chance to play.

Your "point" is an awful attempt to paint a picture where the Cowboys 'had no choice' but to stick with Kellen Moore and nobody else was better. There's nothing "valid" about it. You're trying to convince yourself and anybody willing to listen. No sale.

There were several upgrades to be had and the Cowboys failed to do so.

 

[gimmesix]

I understand your point, but I think last year's plummet had more to do with how awful the backups were; not so much as the team is "Romo dependent". I think if they went with Kellen Moore from the time Romo got hurt, he would have grown into his post. Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel were never going to lead this team to where they wanted to go. Moore knows the system better. I believe Moore would have led the Cowboys to at least a few more wins.

Having said that, yes, Romo is the key. But many teams are over-reliant on their starter. We saw the 2014 Cardinals fall apart without Carson Palmer. The 2013 Packers went 2-4-1 without Aaron Rodgers. It's a quarterback driven league, so it's hard to fault the Cowboys for losing without the most important player on the team (and Dez for a long stretch, too).

I think it was a combination of the backups, Bryant being out (and still not well when he came back) and the defense not being able to hold leads.

However, we are Romo dependent in that other teams can be propelled to at least some victories by their defense in combination with a a few other offensive playmakers carrying the load. (Again, our main other offensive playmaker being hurt didn't help us in that regard.)

What last year should have showed us as fans is what many of us already knew ... that Romo is the primary reason this team has been average under Garrett rather than much worse than average. Romo can essentially get us to 8-8 by himself and if another component steps up, like the run game did in 2014, we can at least get to the playoffs.

With Elliott, I think we're back to where we were in 2014 if Romo is healthy.

 

[robjay04]

You asked for upgrades and I provided them. Colt McCoy, Matt Moore, and Brian Hoyer are all far better options. But in your attempts to polish this turd, you try to poke holes in all of them, and fail. All of them have played well in this league, something Kellen Moore has yet to do after 4 years.



He didn't need to. Washington offered him a great deal to stay while Dallas thought they'd get by on the cheap, and failed. But if the Cowboys offered a better deal, the Texas boy would have gladly returned home. They didn't, and he stayed in Washington. Then they tried to lowball Moore too and he went back to Miami.



Your "point" is an awful attempt to paint a picture where the Cowboys 'had no choice' but to stick with Kellen Moore and nobody else was better. There's nothing "valid" about it. You're trying to convince yourself and anybody willing to listen. No sale.

There were several upgrades to be had and the Cowboys failed to do so.

How exactly do we offer a deal to McCoy when he didn't even hit the market or come in for a visit?

Okay though, I get it...your idea of an "upgrade" is a QB with a career 7-18 record that has been a bust in this league (his last start was a game where he threw two interceptions and got shut out) and a QB that hasn't thrown a meaningful pass in 4 years. But hey, McCoy did look pretty good against an awful Indy defense.

If that's the only "upgrades" you have, you have further validated my point that the backup QB position in the NFL is one of the most shallow positions in sports.

 

[DBOY3141]

If this team made a serious effort, they could have upgraded the position. Colt McCoy would be an upgrade but Dallas wasn't willing to pay the necessary money.

They followed that up by low-balling Matt Moore so badly that he ran back to Miami.

And then they did nothing. Threw up their hands and told anyone who'd listen that "We tried!"

Its funny, in the past, the Cowboys were one of the teams that would repeatedly pay a veteran backup quarterback a sizeable salary, and fans praised them for it. Until Kitna, or Brad Johnson, or Kyle Orton, or Brandon Weeden, or Matt Cassel actually took the field.

And then, when the terrible results inevitably came, fans quickly turned on the players and they became a waste of money.

And now, after an entire season was lost because they wasted two years on Dustin Vaughan and had no plan other than Romo winning games for them, they've apparently learned nothing and yet another season rests entirely on Romo's health.

Didn't McCoy resign with Washington prior to the start of FA this year?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Didn't realize McCoy's contract was this much...

"Colt McCoy signed a 3 year, $9,000,000 contract with the Washington Commanders."