Getty QB J.T. Barrett
Neither J.T. Barrett nor Brady Davis did enough to warrant a contract from the Dallas Cowboys.
According to beat reporter Clarence Hill, the team does not plan to sign a tryout quarterback following their “less than stellar showings” during rookie minicamp.
Barrett and Davis were the only signal-callers whom Dallas auditioned this past weekend as potential backup competition for Garrett Gilbert, Ben DiNucci, and Cooper Rush behind $160 million cornerstone Dak Prescott.
The Cowboys previously opted against adding former Broncos QB Jeff Driskel after bringing him in for a free-agent visit.
The latest Dallas Cowboys news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Cowboys newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on Cowboys Newsletter!
Background Info
By far, Barrett’s the bigger name of the two passers who worked at The Star. He was a former standout for Ohio State, a three-time Quarterback of the Year award winner who helped lead the program to a CFP National Championship. Barrett went undrafted in 2018 and, despite four separate practice-squad stints (twice in New Orleans), has yet to appear in an NFL regular-season game.
“It’s been definitely different,” Barrett said, per the Dallas Morning News. “I would say I’ve been at a couple of places. My longest stint was New Orleans when I first came on in 2018-19. Then a snapshot of camp in Seattle, went back to New Orleans in the 2019 season and towards the end of that season went to Pittsburgh for a week. Got signed on for the next season then COVID happened.”
Davis began his collegiate career at Memphis but his tenure was cut short by a 2016 knee injury. He briefly returned to the school the following year prior to transferring to Illinois State, where he threw for 3,514 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions across 21 starts. Like Barrett, he’s yet to handle a regular-season rep in the pros.
“Davis proved to be an on-schedule thrower with B-level arm strength,” reads his Draft Network scouting profile. “Awareness inside and outside of the pocket, he has enough mobility to win in both facets. A clean progression reader, he has the ability to get through multiple steps, but must learn to utilize his outlets more consistently. Durability remains one of the bigger concerns for Davis moving forward. … Developmental No. 3 QB that could spend significant time on the practice squad or in an outside league.”
Follow the Heavy on Cowboys Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
Rough Outings
“Less than stellar,” as stated, is a nice way of describing Barrett and Davis’ respective performances amid the three-day minicamp. Both quarterbacks were intercepted by their defensive counterparts; Davis had a pass tipped by first-round linebacker Micah Parsons and picked by fourth-round linebacker Jabril Cox.
Cowboys LB Jabril Cox with an interception in team drills during Saturday’s rookie minicamp practice.
(Video: @dallascowboys)
Via the official in-house practice report for Saturday: “The offense being out of rhythm might have affected the quarterbacks as well. Or perhaps it was the other way around. But Saturday wasn’t the best day for either quarterbacks – J.T. Barrett or Brady Davis. Both are just here for a weekend tryout but there weren’t a lot of completed passes, especially in the team drills. A swirling wind didn’t help matters, but it wasn’t the best afternoon for playing pitch-and-catch.”
READ NEXT: Cowboys Make Head-Turning Announcement on QB Dak Prescott
Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL