The NFL Draft is finally upon us. Before the first round gets underway on April 24, let's recap what the Cowboys have done so far this offseason.
Whether it was re-signing their own players, adding new ones in free agency or making a few trades, the Cowboys were rather active in reshaping the roster under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
So let's take a closer look at what each position currently looks like, starting today with the quarterback group.
What Happened: There has been plenty going on with the quarterback position in Dallas, to say the least, including with Dak Prescott. Does that hint at any concerns about the future of Prescott in a Cowboys' uniform? No, or rather not any more. The contractual question was answered just ahead of the start of the 2024 season and, with that, the All-Pro quarterback solidified himself as the man in North Texas for a long time to come.
The bigger problem was the future behind him, with Cooper Rush and Trey Lance both in contract years last season, and Will Grier having returned in November but relegated to the practice squad. Questions were answered this offseason though, but new ones have emerged, and that's what the Cowboys are up against going into OTAs, minicamp and training camp — e.g., when Prescott will be medically cleared after suffering a hamstring tear a few months ago.
What's Up: Prescott says if there was a game today, in mid-April, he'd likely play. That's probably true, but there's no way to prove that and, as such, let's assume he's got plenty more recovery to go; but he's well on his way to full health as he's already back to throwing sessions with teammates and walking (and jogging) normally. Rush and Lance are both gone, to Baltimore and Los Angeles (Chargers), respectively, replaced by Grier and Joe Milton, the latter being acquired in April via trade with the New England Patriots.
This pits Grier and Milton directly against one another in the training camp to come, and that should make for a very, very interesting battle when considering what both bring to the table in the competition. Milton has a cannon of an arm and lacks neither escapability nor confidence. Grier is slippery, familiar with Prescott and Schottenheimer and, when emotionally charged, showed in his last preseason outing for the Cowboys that he can take an NFL defense to task.
What's Next: 'Tis the question, now isn't it? It's fair to assume Prescott, despite having battled some injuries in the recent past, has a more than solid chance at playing the majority, if not all, of the 2025 season and beyond. But in the event he misses a game or several, the battle between Grier and Milton will prove most valuable. Whoever emerges victorious will be depended upon immediately to step in and either keep a train the Cowboys hope will be on the tracks, chugging ahead, or to one-up the Cooper Rush era and demonstrate an ability to do more than simply manage the game — instead helping to take over it.
It's time for what could be the best QB2 competition in Dallas in years, two young, talented quarterbacks with different skill sets and attributes suiting up to try to commandeer the attention of not only the front office but, arguably more importantly, Schottenheimer.
