Getty Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy looks on during an NFL game.
The Dallas Cowboys have been linked to a variety of potential quarterback moves, but owner Jerry Jones threw cold water on the idea of the team making a major trade. In other words, Jones does not expect the Cowboys to make a deal for the San Francisco 49ers‘ Jimmy Garoppolo, noting Dallas does not have a trade “in the mill.”
“The people that are ready to play quarterback for us are the ones that played all preseason: Cooper Rush and [Will] Grier,” Jones explained during a September 13, 2022 interview on 105.3 The Fan’s “Shan and RJ,” “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.”
McCarthy on Adding a Quarterback: ‘We’re Working Through It’
Jones’ comments seem to contrast what Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy stated just one day earlier. This could be a result of the positive post-surgery report the team received on Prescott’s status. The Cowboys do not plan to place Prescott on injured reserve, as the team holds out hope that the star quarterback can return in early October. McCarthy noted that the Cowboys were “working through” potential quarterback additions and hinted that roster moves were coming.
“We’re working through it,” McCarthy said during his September 12 press conference. “Frankly, I just left [a meeting with] Jerry [Jones] and Will [McClay] and Stephen [Jones] have been working on it all morning. I’ve been in the meetings, I just left Will and Stephen. So, we’re having a number of discussions right now.
“We’ll look at those things [adding a veteran quarterback]. Like I answered earlier, we definitely anticipate making some roster moves, probably by [September 13].”
Are the Niners Attempting to Entice the Cowboys Into a Trade?
Meanwhile, the Niners made it clear that they are still open for business when it comes to Garoppolo. The veteran quarterback has a no-trade clause, but the Cowboys situation could be appealing given the team’s current vacancy. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan noted the team would “listen” to the Cowboys’ possible trade inquiries for Garoppolo.
“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.”
Yet, all signs point to the Cowboys leaning on Rush and Grier during Prescott’s absence. Dallas may still add another quarterback but Jones’ comments indicate it will likely be a player that will join the team’s practice squad.