What Jerry wants, Jerry does not always get. The Dallas Cowboys passed up on Johnny Manziel in the NFL, something that has been made into a feature story with ESPN, instead opting to trust Kyle Orton and Brandon Weeden to backup Tony Romo in 2014. However, Orton was lost in the offseason after considering retirement and Weeden has struggled. The Cowboys were reportedly interested in Ryan Mallett, but after the Houston Texans trade, they are back at square one.
According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, the Dallas Cowboys attempted to make a trade for Ryan Mallett as the team made their roster cuts over the weekend. The Cowboys have been quiet about the quarterback position. Romo is healthy and played some in the preseason, but will that last long? The quarterback has struggled with his share of injuries, making the backup a crucial role. Weeden might not get the job done.
While the Cowboys attempted to strike a deal with the Patriots, the Houston Texans won out. Mallett was a lock to be traded. His contract was expiring and the Patriots drafted Jimmy Garoppolo to take over for Tom Brady in the future, leaving Mallett's future hanging. The quarterback appeared to be the best fit for the Houston Texans given his previous work with Bill O'Brien. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tom Savage had been struggling during the preseason and Mallett's stock is as high as it will ever be.
So where do the Cowboys go from here? If Dallas is serious about acquiring a better backup for Romo, they have plenty of options. A slew of quarterbacks is now sitting on the free agent market after roster moves. Thad Lewis, Terrelle Pryor and Rex Grossman are just a few of those available. The Cowboys could also strike up a trade deal for either Christian Ponder or Mark Sanchez.
The Rams are also looking at quarterbacks and have their eyes on Sanchez. That would leave Ponder to the Cowboys and his guaranteed contract for Dallas. The Cowboys are not looking to take on that kind of guaranteed money and might opt to just look for towards the free agent market instead.
