Mosley: Time for Cowboys to draft Tony Romo's successor

[Alexander]

Time for Cowboys to draft Tony Romo's successor
Matt Mosley
FOX Sports
JAN 02, 2014 4:10p ET

Updated JAN 03, 2014 1:17a ET
Editor's note: This is the first installment of Mosley's 3-part series looking at the future of the Dallas Cowboys.
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- I traveled to the Valley of the Sun to watch my alma mater play in its first BCS bowl game. But early in Wednesday's Fiesta Bowl matchup, I became enamored with the play of University of Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles.
While the world celebrated the life and times of Johnny Football, Bortles quietly pieced together an outstanding run at UCF. And on Wednesday, he completely dismantled a defense that helped Baylor win its first Big 12 title. Yes, he threw a couple interceptions in the first half, but Bortles never seemed fazed by those mistakes. He completed 20-of-31 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns. And he added 93 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
He consistently kept plays alive with his feet and then delivered passes with devastating accuracy. Bortles is shooting up draft boards as we speak, but that shouldn't keep American's (.500) Team from taking a run at him. It's time for the Cowboys to draft Tony Romo's successor. I'm not saying Romo's career is over. But Troy Aikman can tell you a thing or two about trying to return from back injuries. The Cowboys have made an enormous financial investment in Romo, but that shouldn't preclude them from thinking about the future.
This organization hasn't even considered drafting a legitimate quarterback during the Romo era, unless you count a longshot project such as former fourth-round pick Stephen McGee. Maybe it's too strong to say the Cowboys are scared of hurting Romo's feelings, but it has felt that way of times. The Eagles drafted Kevin Kolb in the second round in 2008 even though Donovan McNabb was still performing at a high level. Kolb didn't pan out as the starter, but he did eventually score the Eagles a first-round pick. And the Eagles didn't hesitate to draft Nick Foles when Michael Vick was entrenched as the starter. Now, it looks like Foles has a stranglehold on the starting job moving forward.
Jerry Jones seems uncomfortable even broaching the subject of drafting Romo's successor. He's already shot down any talk of selecting a quarterback in the first round. Some have suggested that might be a smokescreen, but I think it's an owner who doesn't want to hedge his $50 million bet on Romo. This is a quarterback who has now had two surgeries on his back in the past seven months. I know having a cyst removed is completely different thing than a herniated disk, but that first surgery did force Romo to miss a lot of time last offseason.
http://msn.foxsports.com/southwest/story/time-for-cowboys-to-draft-tony-romo-s-successor-010214

 

[JBS]

Manziel. He's a perfect fit for this franchise.

His attitude. His style of play. His personality.

All of it screams Dallas Cowboys.

 

[CaptainCreed]

It is likely the right idea but I do not believe Jerry will do it this year.

Just gave Tony 55 million guaranteed and is hell ridden in proving everyone he always makes the right decisions as GM.

Kyle Orton is in the last year of his deal with full money guaranteed. The team did not want to have 3 QBs on the roster last year because of so many injuries and holes. I believe they try to wait til next year to make their move unless Tony's back is worse than we know which is definitely possible.

 

[perrykemp]

This passage from the article sums it up for me:

"The Green Bay Packers didn't worry about Brett Favre's feelings when they spent a first-round pick on Aaron Rodgers. The young quarterback had to sit behind Favre for a few seasons, but he's now turned into one of the top three or four quarterbacks in the NFL. Jones has a lot of regret over not being able to capitalize on Romo's immense talent. But there's really no place for those types of feelings in the cutthroat world of the NFL. If Romo fully recovers from back surgery, he could remain a top-flight quarterback for another season or two. But as the Cowboys should've learned from the end of Aikman's career, you need to be proactive at such an important position."​

 

[Alexander]

Manziel. He's a perfect fit for this franchise.

His attitude. His style of play. His personality.

All of it screams Dallas Cowboys.

He does remind me a lot of a young Romo.

But is very hard to be a QB in Dallas, unquestionably harder than it is anywhere else.

Not sure if Manziel's personality type is the best fit. He is a celebrity QB and is not exactly the most mature kid.

 

[Alexander]

This passage from the article sums it up for me:

"The Green Bay Packers didn't worry about Brett Favre's feelings when they spent a first-round pick on Aaron Rodgers. The young quarterback had to sit behind Favre for a few seasons, but he's now turned into one of the top three or four quarterbacks in the NFL. Jones has a lot of regret over not being able to capitalize on Romo's immense talent. But there's really no place for those types of feelings in the cutthroat world of the NFL. If Romo fully recovers from back surgery, he could remain a top-flight quarterback for another season or two. But as the Cowboys should've learned from the end of Aikman's career, you need to be proactive at such an important position."​

This is Jones' biggest weakness as a GM. There is no room for personal sentiment in that role. All players should be viewed as replaceable at any time.

 

[JBS]

Just to be clear. I don't see any way whatsoever that Manziel would be successful under Garrett. But I don't imagine Garrett being around much longer either.

 

[Risen Star]

He does remind me a lot of a young Romo.

But is very hard to be a QB in Dallas, unquestionably harder than it is anywhere else.

Not sure if Manziel's personality type is the best fit. He is a celebrity QB and is not exactly the most mature kid.

The difference is Romo actually has an NFL arm and throwing motion.

If you take throwing the ball out of the equation, Manziel is a similar QB to Romo.

 

[Risen Star]

This is Jones' biggest weakness as a GM. There is no room for personal sentiment in that role. All players should be viewed as replaceable at any time.

I think his biggest weakness is just a general lack of respect for the position of GM and of course his complete inability to evaluate talent.

 

[Alexander]

The difference is Romo actually has an NFL arm and throwing motion.

If you take throwing the ball out of the equation, Manziel is a similar QB to Romo.

I was referring more to the style of football, the risk-taking, gunslinger and so on. Of course Manziel's mechanics and size are different.

 

[Risen Star]

I was referring more to the style of football, the risk-taking, gunslinger and so on. Of course Manziel's mechanics and size are different.

Would you take him in the first round?

 

[Alexander]

Would you take him in the first round?

If I had two picks, probably. He is a risk. I do not see him as any less of a risk than Bridgewater, albeit for different reasons.

There are "safer" choices that could be made, like Bortles and Carr. It is a hard position to draft and it that is why you take a quarterback repeatedly, as much as you can until you can hit on one.

You cannot just decide "it's time" and take one thinking it is going to work out.

 

[DanteEXT]

I hope they don't use the 1st round on a QB. They have so many other known holes, especially on defense, that pick needs to be used for. Yes, I know Romo had surgery and there is legitimate concern. But I truly believe he is the QB for at least 3 more years (5 really if you go by the contract and when the least damage from releasing him would be I think). Earliest I would look at would be the 3rd this year.

 

[Alexander]

I hope they don't use the 1st round on a QB. They have so many other known holes, especially on defense, that pick needs to be used for. Yes, I know Romo had surgery and there is legitimate concern. But I truly believe he is the QB for at least 3 more years (5 really if you go by the contract and when the least damage from releasing him would be I think). Earliest I would look at would be the 3rd this year.

And there will be holes next year. And the year after. While yes, technically it is not the best time to take the QB in the first, it has to be at the back of our minds with every pick.

We are no longer "set" at the position with Romo, although I can all but guarantee you that Jones still thinks this way.

We are at the same crossroads the Packers were with Favre and they took an opportunity when it presented itself. That is the correct mindset.

And you cannot just assign "rounds" to where you start thinking about it seriously. That is what we did with McGee. He went where he "should have" gone, but he could not play.

Teams will be reaching for QBs more and more. We have seen that with people like Ponder and Manuel going in the first round when it is pretty clear they had no business going where they went. You just have to be opportunistic and never think things are right.

Russell Wilson was a headscratcher since the Seahawks just paid a steep price for Flynn. Kaepernick was coming in just as Alex Smith seemed to be getting it.

You just cannot wait thinking you can get someone unless you tank or trade away the draft for people like Griffin.

 

[Risen Star]

If I had two picks, probably. He is a risk. I do not see him as any less of a risk than Bridgewater, albeit for different reasons.

There are "safer" choices that could be made, like Bortles and Carr. It is a hard position to draft and it that is why you take a quarterback repeatedly, as much as you can until you can hit on one.

You cannot just decide "it's time" and take one thinking it is going to work out.

You have to take into account the hype that comes with him. It would be an instant QB controversy. Even though Manziel, IMO, will never be close to the pro QB Tony Romo has been over his career.

I don't know. I would never take a QB high in the draft that has to learn how to throw the football on an NFL level.

I would hate the pick.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Manziel's arms look small even for him. I wonder how much effect that has on throwing at the NFL level.

 

[Alexander]

You have to take into account the hype that comes with him. It would be an instant QB controversy. Even though Manziel, IMO, will never be close to the pro QB Tony Romo has been over his career.

I don't know. I would never take a QB high in the draft that has to learn how to throw the football on an NFL level.

I would hate the pick.

It would sell out every exhibition game, that is for sure. And the idea of "Johnny Football" playing for "America's Team" would be an unbelievable hype machine. It is almost frightening to imagine.

I still think the player is exciting though. He has grown a lot on me, but I am sure that is because I do not have any emotional investment in him or Texas A&M.

 

[AbeBeta]

We'all get Larry Allen syndrome here. We got Romo Udfa (although we had him slotted as a late rounder). We won't use a first here for years

 

[Boyzmamacita]

We are at the same crossroads the Packers were with Favre and they took an opportunity when it presented itself. That is the correct mindset.

Yes, but we still have to make the right choice. I'm not real confident in our FO when it comes to drafting quarterbacks because quite frankly we don't have much experience at it.

 

[visionary]

if bortles, carr, or hundley drop out of the top 10, i would not have a problem with us trying to get one of them

dont want manziel anywhere near jerry and the cowboys

DL can be fixed via FA and later picks