JASON YEARY
STAUNTON, VA
What does the signing of Brandon Weeden say about Tony Romo's injury and the Cowboys' faith in Kyle Orton?
Nick:I don't think it says a lot about Romo's injury. Honestly, the guy didn't work out as a first-round pick or even a starter in Cleveland. It's just like a coach who becomes a head coach and fails. He's still a coach. He's
just not a head coach. So Weeden is now a backup and the Cowboys are thinking of a cheap pickup for a guy with talent. If Orton is even thinking about retirement now, then it won't be long before he leaves. Seems like a decent move to me.
David: For the time being, I'd do my best not to read into it. The Cowboys' top two quarterbacks are veterans, and you certainly don't want them wearing their arms out in OTAs, minicamp and training camp. The move looks even smarter if Romo is limited during offseason activities, as he was last year – but that doesn't appear to be the case. And honestly, a third-string quarterback with 20 career starts is a nice thing to have in your back pocket, though of course you don't want him to start.
JORDAN RICHMAN
LOS ANGELES, CA
If the Cowboys don't sign Henry Melton or Jared Allen, is there any chance of feeling optimistic about the [embedded_ad] defensive line next year, improving its sack total and in general, regardless of who we draft in the first two rounds?
Nick: I think if they fail to get either one, you have to be concerned. Yes, Marinelli can get the best out of his guys, but it didn't help the Cowboys from being the worst defense in the NFL. You still need some talent, so if they both sign elsewhere, the free-agent cupboard seems pretty bare.
David: If they don't address the situation in free agency, it puts them into the unenviable situation of needing to find production in the draft. There are plenty of guys who could be rookie contributors in the draft, but it's probably not good if you're drafting knowing that you need them to step up right away. If the season was starting next week with the D-Line situation as is, I don't think there's a coach in the world who could convince me it would go well.
