IRVING, Texas –The Cowboys didn't rule out drafting a quarterback the same month Tony Romo celebrated his 35th birthday, but ultimately they filled bigger needs.
It's the sixth consecutive draft the team has passed on a quarterback. The last draft pick, 2009 fourth-rounder Stephen McGee, appeared in three games over three seasons before getting released in 2012.
The Cowboys visited with several prospects before the draft, including Baylor's Bryce Petty, Colorado State's Garrett Grayson and Oregon State's Sean Mannion.
Ultimately quarterback wasn't a major consideration for a few reasons: the way the draft fell, an overall down class, and the team's optimism that Romo still has a lot of football left.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones dropped a hint days before the draft when he told 105.3 The Fan quarterback was a possibility "if you can find the right value, it happens to be the best guy on the board at the time, and we think he might have a future at some point when Tony starts to think about not playing anymore – which we hope is four or five years down the road."
The Cowboys do need arms for this weekend's rookie minicamp, however. UTEP's Jameil Showers (rookie free agent) and South Alabama's Brandon Bridge (tryout) have filtered out as players expected to join the Cowboys this week. The team is expected to release an official finalized list later this week.
The rookie camp will run Friday through Sunday.
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