#Cowboys are flying up to work out Oregon St. QB Sean Mannion tomorrow, source said. Could they draft a QB for the first time since 2009?
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 14, 2015
As we all know, one visit doesn't mean anything in the NFL. The Chicago Bears are hosting Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston for a visit even though he isn't expected to last past the first overall pick. Showing interest isn't the same as targeting a specific player. But it would make sense for the Dallas Cowboys to at least consider drafting a quarterback this year.
No one is trying to push Tony Romo out of the starting gig. After all, the guy is coming off a season in which he set career highs in completion percentage (69.9), passing touchdowns (34), QBR (82.7) and passer rating (113.2). But just because Romo is playing at a high level right now doesn't mean Jerry Jones and the Cowboys shouldn't be looking toward the future.
Romo will turn 35 years old later this month and has dealt with a litany of injuries over the past several seasons. The last time he played a full 16 games was in 2012 and there's no telling what could happen with his surgically repaired back. Adding another arm - whether it's to displace Brandon Weeden as the backup or to be groomed to eventually take over for Romo - is the smart play.
But is Mannion the right pick?
The young signal-caller completed 62.3 percent of his passes last season while throwing for 3,164 yards with 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He earned a 5.24 grade (out of 10) from NFL.com and a draft projection of a fifth or sixth rounder.
"His stats and tape weren't as good this year as last year, but he flashes NFL potential in every game you watch. I thought he did the same thing at the Senior Bowl practices," an NFC area scout told the site.
Overall, Mannion seems to be a natural thrower who is capable of being a quality game manager. However, he may not have the overall arm talent and ability to carry an offense.
Still, it's hard to do much worse than Weeden's 2014 QBR of 15.4 (out of 100).
