When should the Dallas Cowboys address QB2?

The Dallas Cowboys have been notoriously negligent of the QB2 position as of late. After signing veterans like Andy Dalton, Brandon Weeden, and Matt Cassel in previous seasons, last year they rolled in with practice squad-castoff Cooper Rush and this year it appears to be much of the same.

While Rush performed admirably in place of Dak Prescott last season, his ceiling is clearly limited and his relief ability will forever be in question. How and when should the Dallas Cowboys address this position is something that is undoubtedly being discussed today at The Star.

Should the Dallas Cowboys upgrade QB2 and if so, in what way?

The most important position in all of professional sports is the NFL quarterback. The impact this position makes in today’s pass-heavy NFL is severely underrated. NFL QBs make twice as much as stars at other positions but when you quantify the overall impact, they should really be getting paid three times as much. Based on wins above replacement (WAR), a team could have All-Pros at half a dozen positions and still not approach the level of contribution a franchise QB makes.

So, by that logic, the QB2 should be the most important back-up position on the team, right?

Maybe.

Back-ups at other positions typically contribute in a rotation. QB2 does not. So while a rotational DE brings value each and every game, QB2 only offers value if the worst case scenario just happened (QB1 goes down).

The quality of replacement also matters. Replacement level players aren’t valuable because they are replaceable. If your QB2 isn’t better than what you can find any given offseason, he’s not all that valuable at all.

The fee agent options on the market right now isn’t exactly a murder’s row of talent. Sure, there are more than a couple who would be upgrades to Cooper Rush, but at what cost? And besides, does anyone expect the Dallas Cowboys to survive a long-term absence by Dak? I don’t think so.

The Dallas Cowboys could always look to the NFL Draft to snag some QB depth. Ted Thompson famously said you should add a QB every draft cycle – that’s how important the position is in the NFL. But recent reporting indicates that’s going to be a wasted draft pick and you’re better off looking at other positions late in the draft than wasting one on a QB.

When should the Dallas Cowboys address the QB2 position? Maybe never. If the Dallas Cowboys have to lean on their QB2 for more than a game or two, they’re probably SOL, don’t you think?

If the right opportunity presents itself, by all means address the QB2 position. But the Dallas Cowboys have much more pressing needs right now and despite the immense importance of the QB position, you can’t replace a QB like Dak with someone off the street, so there’s no sense spending too much time worrying about it.

Want your voice heard? Join the Sports Dallas Fort-Worth team!

Write for us!

Do you disagree? Would you like to devote decent money and resources to the QB2 position? Explain it and let us know your thoughts….