Getty Ben DiNucci of the Dallas Cowboys.
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci has a new home after a successful stint in the XFL, inking a deal with the Denver Broncos.
DiNucci had attended the Broncos rookie minicamp on a tryout basis and made enough of an impression to stick around. Adam Schefter of ESPN first reported the news. DiNucci will join a quarterback room that includes starter Russell Wilson, Brett Rypien and Jarrett Guarantano.
Broncos are signing former XFL standout QB Ben Dinucci after his performance at the teams’s minicamp.
DiNucci appeared in three games with the Cowboys during the 2020 season, which included one start. He completed 23-of-43 passes for 219 yards in those games.
The XFL gave DiNucci a platform to showcase his skill set with the Seattle Sea Dragons. He was the league’s leading passer, collecting 2,671 yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. DiNucci also added 305 yards on the ground and three more scores.
DiNucci responded to the news with a simple tweet, using Broncos-colored heart emojis.
Cowboys Taking a Closer Look at Matthew McKay
The Cowboys’ quarterback situation is pretty clear, with Dak Prescott as the starter and Cooper Rush returning to be his backup. The team will also weigh their options with Will Grier, who is third on the depth chart but had a leg up in Rush last year in camp before an injury.
Dallas is taking a closer look at undrafted free agent quarterback Matthew McKay, who participated in the team’s rookie minicamp.
“The Cowboys will have QB Matthew McKay at their rookie minicamp later this week,” The Athletic’s Jon Machota tweeted on May 8. “He completed 61% of his passes last season at Elon for 2,690 yards, 21 TDs and 4 INTs. He also rushed for 458 yards and 3 TDs. He began his college career at North Carolina State.”
It’ll be an uphill battle for McKay to stick around. The Cowboys brought Rush back in large part because of what he did last year in relief of Prescott. Rush explored free agency but signed a two-year deal worth a max of $6 million with the Cowboys that included a $1.25 million signing bonus.
“The role obviously is great,” Rush told ESPN’s Todd Archer. “Then the team. You want to be on a good team, especially if you go in and play. You want guys on both sides of the ball to help you out. We have that in Dallas. And at the end of the day, we don’t have to move the whole family, all those things that are secondary. We love it in Dallas.”
Cowboys Continue to Back Dak Prescott as Long-Term Starter
Prescott is coming off a down year. He led the NFL in interceptions despite missing five games and turnovers were clearly an issue. However, Prescott did some good as well, passing for 2,860 yards and 23 touchdowns, despite the Cowboys lacking depth at wide receiver.
There’s been some scuttlebutt about his future in Dallas beyond this season but the Cowboys have been vocal that they see him as their long-term option.
“We’ve got to have a plan to ultimately extend Dak,” Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones told ESPN at the NFL Scouting Combine. “I’ve got all the faith in the world we can win this thing with Dak. Because we know him. We know what he’s about. His leadership skills are undeniable. Impeccable work ethic. He’s everything you want in a quarterback.”
Prescott has also been open that he’d like to stay with the Cowboys and get a deal done, although he’s not pushing the issue.