The Dallas Cowboys might need to weigh their options after seeing quarterback Andy Dalton go down with a concussion in Sunday's 25-3 loss to The Washington Football Team. If Dallas is looking to hit the market for a temporary fix, who might they think about signing?
The Cowboys have already endured a tough season with regards to the injury bug. Starting QB Dak Prescott suffered a compound ankle fracture in a game against the New York Giants earlier this month and is expected to miss the remainder of this season.
Dalton, who took a shot to the head in Sunday's game, is yet another hit to the team's depth at quarterback.
Andy Dalton took a nasty hit to the head pic.twitter.com/Yg913OGotr
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 25, 2020
“S—, we've just got to play better,” Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott said after Sunday's 25-3 loss to the Washington Football Team, via ESPN.
In this piece, we'll take a look at a few players the Cowboys should consider bringing in at quarterback in light of their need at the position.
3. Josh McCown
McCown is an interesting target and one that could be obtained. He's currently serving as the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad, where he's earning a reported $12,000 a week.
Carson Wentz is soaring for the Eagles, and the team seems to like the development of rookie Jalen Hurtz. Would Philly consider a deal that would send McCown to the Cowboys? And furthermore, what would it take? Dallas has draft capital, which could sweeten the proverbial pot, but the team will need to consider its future as well. A fifth round pick, perhaps?
McCown has played in 102 games over the course of his career, racking up 17,731 yards on a 60.2 percent completion rate to go with 98 touchdowns and 82 interceptions.
2. Tyrod Taylor
Taylor is another target that the Cowboys could look to acquire. The Chargers love the way he plays, but the rise of Justin Herbert leaves Tyrod's future with the team in question. Furthermore, fifth-round pick Easton Stick is coming up behind Herbert.
Taylor is set to be a free agent after this season, which means the Cowboys wouldn't need to offer a long-term commitment (though they could). He's a mobile quarterback who's proven that he can lead an NFL team. Whether Dalton comes back sooner or later, Tyrod would be a sound insurance policy. However, it would likely take a fourth or fifth-round pick to pull off such a deal.
If the Chargers really want to show their respects to Taylor, they might consider trading him to a team where he would get more playing time. Heck, he may even challenge Dalton for the job in Dallas.
1. Ryan Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick may be the most obvious target for the Cowboys at the quarterback position, as he has shown to be a competent starter and a leader in the locker room.
On a personal level, Fitzmagic will likely be looking for another shot as a starter. The Miami Dolphins recently sent the 37-year-old to a second string position in favor of rookie Tua Tagovailoa. And furthermore, Fitzpatrick is an emending free agent, which might be appealing to the Cowboys in the short-term. After all, Dak will be coming back at some point.
Dalton will be coming back as well, but it's not clear when. Until then, it could be rookie QB Ben DiNucci starting for Dallas, which is not an ideal situation for a team that is already struggling. Most reports indicate that Dalton will recover, though the fact that he's in concussion protocol means his status for this Sunday's game is in question. It might behoove the Cowboys to add Fitzpatrick as a competitive backup option.
So far this season, Fitzpatrick has racked up 1,535 yards to go with 10 touchdowns. He does have seven interceptions, but his 70.1 percent completion rate looks nice on paper.
Fitzpatrick has a knack for igniting a spark. Could he do it for the Cowboys? Like Taylor, it would probably take a fourth or fifth-round pick to pull off such a deal.
With a 2-5 record, the Cowboys have a lot of work to do. Injuries have played a role in their sluggish start, to be sure. Still, they are 2nd in the NFC East — a division that has been an overall dumpster fire through the start of this season. For reference, the Philadelphia Eagles are leading this division with a 2-4-1 record, which equates to a .357 winning percentage.
“This is a process and obviously, we're not exactly where we want to be today,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy told ESPN. “We've been challenged with a lot of moving parts as far as a lot of different players playing. So, we'll continue to work and I do believe we will turn this in the right direction.”
Decisions will need to be made in Dallas. Let's see if the team takes an interest in any of these players.
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