IRVING, Texas– What the Cowboys do in the NFL Draft remains to be seen. As Jerry Jones said last week at the NFL Scouting Combine, "There's no one breathing that has any idea at this time what we're going to do with that first pick, because I don't."
If the Cowboys do select a quarterback at some point on draft weekend – arguably the most popular watercooler debate this offseason – Jones believes he'd have quite a quarterback-friendly learning environment.
There's head coach Jason Garrett, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson, all of whom played the position at a high level.
And there's Tony Romo himself, who will return healthy in 2016 following two left collarbone injuries that cost him 12 games last season – a major factor in the team's 4-12 finish that resulted in the fourth overall pick.
Romo told reporters last weekend that he was leaning toward having a plate inserted to help strengthen his healing collarbone. Undergoing a minor procedure soon would not affect Romo's availability for offseason work this spring and strictly offers a preventative measure against re-injury. Routine scans this offseason have shown the bone healing well on its own.
The Cowboys missed Romo on the field last year – that's obvious. And his general knowledge as a 13-year veteran also could only benefit a young developmental quarterback if the team decides to draft one. They've only drafted one (Stephen McGee, 2009) in Romo's career.
"If a player came in here and played behind him three or four years, he would come out with a Harvard degree in how to play quarterback in my mind. He would be that influential," Jones said. "And it would open up an area of how to play the game that we all would agree has a certain unique style to it – Romo."
