Getty Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy, owner Jerry Jones
The Dallas Cowboys are exploring their options to add another quarterback to the roster as Dak Prescott recovers from hand surgery. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted that a trade for Jimmy Garoppolo should be “option No. 1” for Dallas.
“There aren’t a lot of options here, but after asking around, I do expect the Cowboys to at least explore them,” Fowler explained during a September 12 “SportsCenter” appearance, via Bleacher Report’s Timothy Rapp. “They like Rush, but if they can find a clear-cut upgrade, they’ll at least tap into it.
“Now, Jimmy Garoppolo has to be option No. 1 because he’s been out there. And I’m told when the 49ers did the reworked deal with Garoppolo, they did so knowing that he can waive that no-trade clause if they find a situation league-wide that benefits him and can net them a draft pick. This is a perfect situation they’d be looking for, so that can be an option.
“[The] Pittsburgh Steelers also. Mason Rudolph is out there. He’s the third-string, but he performed well in the preseason, 5-4-1 as a starter. So, he’s got some pedigree; third-round pick. And James Washington, a wide receiver in Dallas that should be coming back soon, played with him at Oklahoma State when they connected for all of those touchdowns. So those are two guys that I’m looking for.”
Shanahan on Possible 49ers-Cowboys Trade: ‘We’ll Listen to Anybody on Anything’
Trading for Garoppolo is not without its complications as the veteran quarterback has a no-trade clause. Yet, starting for Dallas immediately may be a more appealing option than hoping he can unseat Trey Lance in San Francisco. Garoppolo signed a reasonable one-year, $7 million deal as part of a reworked contract with the San Francisco. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan left the door open for a potential trade with the Cowboys.
“Just like all players, we’ll listen to anybody on anything,” Shanahan told reporters on September 12. “That never changes for any player or coach. So, we’ll always listen to anybody.”
Jones: A Quarterback Trade Is Unlikely
The Cowboys appear poised to press their luck, hoping Prescott can return sooner rather than later. Dallas is not placing Prescott on injured reserve with hopes that he can return to the field in early October. During a September 13 interview on 105.3 The Fan’s “Shan and RJ,” Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones appeared to throw cold water on the idea of trading for a veteran.
“The people that are ready to play quarterback for us are the ones that played all preseason: Cooper Rush and Grier,” Jones explained. “They had a real competition, Grier got slowed there right at the end with a hamstring issue, but he should be through that now. So, we’ve gotten a lot of good snaps for those guys, both in our practice sessions as well as all the preseason games for the most part.
“Those guys know the offense well, have had a lot of reps in it, and consequently give us our best shot. It’s unlikely since we don’t have any potential trade pending – not pending, but in the mill — it’s unlikely that you’d have a veteran quarterback that could get back in here and be ready to play as well as those guys can play, even if you thought you might have a talent advantage.”