Dallas Cowboys: Why Kellen Moore is the best backup

The Dallas Cowboys have a few worries heading into the 2017 season but with Kellen Moore manning the QB2 post, signal caller shouldn’t be one of those worries.

The Dallas Cowboys raised some eyebrows when they neglected to address the backup quarterback situation this offseason. As of now, Dallas’ depth at the game’s most important position is comprised of one guy, Kellen Moore. It’s understandable this could be worrisome for a team like the Cowboys who hold legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.

But I challenge you to think of any team in the NFL that feels happy about their QB2…I’ll wait while you think…

The fact is, no one feels good about backup quarterback. The falloff between QB1 and QB2 is often times severe. And if the difference isn’t significant, it probably just indicates the starter isn’t very good.

As the backup quarterback, Kellen Moore’s primary responsibility is to assist Dak Prescott.

When you think about it, the last time the Dallas Cowboys felt good about their backup quarterback situation was in 2015 when they had Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassell on hand.

And I think we all know how that turned out.

Often times the only backup quarterback situations that excite are the ones with unproven developmental prospects. That has less to do with actual talent and ability and more to do baseless hope. That’s why I and many others in Cowboys Nation are excited about undrafted free agent, Cooper Rush. The odds are so significantly stacked against him, yet we don’t know he stinks therefore we dream of what could be.

Kellen Moore

Kellen Moore is never going to challenge for a starting job or win a game by himself. His tangible skills limit him from ever being a legitimate QB1. But what he lacks in potential he makes up for in other ways.

As the backup quarterback, Kellen Moore’s primary responsibility is to assist Dak Prescott. He does this on the sideline, in the film room, and throughout practices. Moore is an intelligent player with a firm grasp of Cowboys coordinator Scott Linehan’s offense.

Moore is like a private tutor to Prescott. He is part peer and part mentor. His 6’0 200lbs build and below average arm may limit what he can do physically, but his experience and overall knowledge make him an expert to be heard.

Worst Case Scenario

The worst case scenario for the Dallas Cowboys, and any other NFL team for that matter, is if the backup is pushed into the starting role. With only three starts to his name and more interceptions than touchdowns in his NFL career, Moore can hardly be considered a proven veteran bus driver. But then again these Dallas Cowboys aren’t your average “bus”.

The Dallas Cowboys are loaded offensively. Leaning on the most dominant running game in the NFL, the Cowboys are a run-first team with multiple mismatch options available in the passing game.

Dez Bryant can beat one-on-one coverage in his sleep, Cole Beasley is never not open, and Jason Witten is safety blanket of all safety blankets. Many of the names may be the same but this is not the 2015 Dallas Cowboys. An accurate passer like Moore could win with this roster.

Kellen Moore is a winner. That’s an important trait to have on a team like the Dallas Cowboys. Not too long ago Kellen Moore led Boise State to a 50-3 record. He passed for 14,667 yards throwing 143 touchdowns to just 28 interceptions. No one expects him to continue his 69.8 percent completion percentage or his 5:1 TD/INT ratio in the NFL but those are significant statistics to have on a team as loaded as the Cowboys.

What Could Have Been

Sure the Dallas Cowboys could have put us more at ease heading into this season by adding a well-known name to the quarterback stable. But how much would it have really helped?

Names like Robert Griffin III, Colin Kaepernick, and Ryan Fitzpatrick were all floated as possibilities by yours truly. But when honestly assessing, any new addition would fall short of their primary function of being a tutor, mentor, and assistant. If any outsider were brought in it would be Dak Prescott tutoring and showing them the ropes. They may be slightly better options should the unthinkable happen to Dak, but they’d be worthless otherwise.

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None of this even factors in the money aspect of adding a veteran presence to quarterback depth chart. According to overthecap.com, backup quarterbacks can cost you in excess of $4 million these days. That’s not only $4 million on a backup spot, but it’s money that could be used elsewhere.

Now the Dallas Cowboys currently enjoy the riches of their recent Tony Romo release. Some of those riches could easily be used on an additional arm capable of being the backup talent to go with Kellen Moore’s knowledge. If the Cowboys opted to keep three quarterbacks on the roster, adding another body makes sense.

Next: Nolan Carroll May Have Just Lost His Starting Spot

At the end of the day it doesn’t make much sense for the Dallas Cowboys to replace Kellen Moore. If they want to dedicate a third roster spot to quarterback then another signal caller is possible. But in the grand scheme of things, the Cowboys have plenty of other issues that are far more pressing than replacing Kellen Moore at QB2.

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