Getty Jerry, Stephen Jones
Ben DiNucci probably can’t wait for the clock to strike midnight. This year was horrible for everyone, but it was especially unkind to the Dallas Cowboys rookie quarterback.
Throw away the fact that he slipped all the way to the seventh round in April’s draft, and likely would have gone undrafted had Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy’s brother not been DiNucci’s eighth-grade basketball coach.
Consider the fact that DiNucci was calamitous when called into action following Dak Prescott’s season-ending injury — so calamitous (21-of-40 passing for 180 scoreless yards, with four sacks) that even the ultimate showman couldn’t spin it.
“I think that it was a lot for him. I think we certainly, as a team, paid the price to have him come in and under those circumstances. And that’s almost trite. It was frankly more than he could handle,” Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said last month.
And now top it off with a right (throwing arm) wrist injury DiNucci reportedly suffered Thursday, in what was the final regular-season practice for the 6-9 club. The issue is “nothing serious,” according to the Dallas Morning News, but it adds to the quotient of the 24-year-old’s sorrow.
Garrett Gilbert Elevated as Week 17 Backup
DiNucci, who fell from No. 2 to fourth-string, will end his inaugural NFL campaign injured and inactive while the Cowboys vie for a playoff berth as potential NFC East champions. Womp, womp.
Garrett Gilbert will serve as Andy Dalton’s backup for Sunday’s must-win finale against the New York Giants.
The 29-year-old journeyman most recently saw action in Week 9 during Dallas’ 24-19 loss to the then-undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers, a game which the Cowboys led 19-9 very early in the fourth quarter. Gilbert completed 21-of-38 passes for 243 yards, one touchdown and an interception in his first career start, though he’s not expected to be counted on in any significant capacity in Week 17 barring injury or potential blowout.
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Aikman Implores Cowboys to ‘Hand Out Money’ to Dak
If Troy Aikman had his druthers, Prescott would be a very rich man. Once more, the legendary Cowboys quarterback was asked about the current Cowboys signal-caller’s contract situation. And once more, Aikman called for Dallas to #PayDak.
“I think when you start handing out money and start talking about franchise quarterbacks, yes, the play on the field is where it begins, but there’s more that factors into that, more so than any other positions,” Aikman said Wednesday on 105.3 The Fan, via InsideTheStar.com.
“These guys that are quarterbacks are the face of your franchise. They’re the CEOs of your franchise. They have to be the ones who really establish the culture and the accountability within the football team. And if you don’t have the right guy in that role, then I think you’re really going to struggle as an organization. And Dak checks every box in my opinion. And, so, that’s why I’ve said for the last couple of years that I wouldn’t hesitate at all to pay him.”
Aikman has been a staunch supporter of Prescott, who failed to strike a long-term agreement with the Cowboys before July’s deadline, forcing the two-time Pro Bowler to play 2020 on his $31.4 million franchise tag. Prescott’s season ended in Week 5 after he suffered a right ankle compound fracture and dislocation.
The Cowboys and Prescott, an impending unrestricted free agent, will be permitted to resume negotiations on Jan. 4, provided the club does not qualify for the playoffs. Early indications point to the former again applying the franchise tender on the latter; the 2021 tag costs a projected $37.7 million.
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL