The Dallas Cowboys don't want to be in the top five of the 2016 NFL Draft. That fact has nothing to do with the level of talent of the prospects set to be available to them once April rolls around, it's simply a reflection of the desire to finish every NFL season with a playoff berth and, of course ultimately, a Super Bowl victory. But with quarterback Tony Romo's collarbone injury in October came a procession of mediocre signal-callers unable to right the ship and keep the Cowboys rolling, landing them eventually in the NFC East basement.
So, whether they want it or not, the Cowboys now hold the fourth-overall pick come next spring. And while team owner Jerry Jones and son Stephen would probably like nothing more than to expend that selection on an instant impact player, it sure sounds like there's serious consideration being given to drafting a quarterback that can eventually take over Romo's role as the face of the franchise.
"That's obviously what you fight over," Stephen Jones said this week, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. "But when you look at what happened with Aaron Rodgers [learning behind Brett Favre], you look at Tony Romo sitting for three years ... you look at these guys who sit and watch for three years, and then they go on and have the success that they have. You can live with that."
Former Cowboys quarterback and NFL analyst Troy Aikman recently stated that he believes the Cowboys will go into next season with a new back-up behind Romo - either Johnny Manziel of the Cleveland Browns or Robert Griffin III of the Washington Redskins. Both players currently remain under contract with their respective teams, but for varying reasons are expected to land elsewhere this offseason.
That's certainly a route Jones & Co. could go, and it would presumably free them to then use that No. 4 pick on a top talent like defensive end Joey Bosa, linebacker Myles Jack, cornerback/safety Jalen Ramsey or wide receiver Laquon Treadwell. But picking up Manziel and RGIII also comes with its own set of potential issues, both on and off the field.
Manziel has proven time and again that he's not to be trusted or left to his own devices with any frequency. He likes to drink and dance and party and its clearly affected the product on the field, even if that product has improved. RGIII doesn't prevent quite the same social dilemma, but before managing to keep quiet this season, he was something of a malcontent in Washington, using backchannels to voice his displeasure on certain decisions the team was making and acting very much like a petulant child too used to having things go his way.
There are also questions, much like Manziel, of his willingness to really dig into an NFL playbook. Are these the kinds of players that will be happy to sit around for the next few seasons while Romo plays out the remainder of his hoped-for four NFL seasons?
Not likely.
Which means that if the Cowboys are serious about planning for life without Romo they may very well have to expend a high pick, whether No. 4, No. 34 or any of their other nine selections, to see a potential Romo replacement - not this year, not next year, but somewhere down the line - find his way into the Dallas fold.
"You can't put your head in the sand [with Romo's health]," said Jones. "He's certainly had some injuries. We have to be aware of that. If we do decide to pick a quarterback fairly high, Tony's a great example of how it can serve a young quarterback well to watch for two or three or four years, whatever that number is going to be. Obviously we think Tony is our best chance to go win a Super Bowl. We think he will be that guy for the next three or four years."
