GARY DAVISFRESNO, CA
If you draft Christian McCaffrey, he fills three spots in my opinion. Your RB2, your receiving back and your returner. Plus, you would be getting a guy who can drastically change field position on any one, if not more, of the 15-20 touches per game he'd get in those roles. At 28, where are you going to find more production than that at ANY position? If this draft is loaded at both DE & CB, why not wait and take the production and versatility in Round 1?
Rob: Interesting take, because I'd imagine most fans want a defensive player in the first round. Your logic is sound – McCaffrey is an all-around talent, and the Cowboys are committed to avoiding a 'reach' pick on defense. The Cowboys have to like him, too, of course – and he'd have to be there at 28. The way he performed at the Combine last week, I'd be surprised if he's still around late in the first.
David: You don't have to convince me, Gary. McCaffrey is dynamic and could make this offense even scarier. And, to your point, he could play about three positions very effectively. My only concern is making sure to find enough touches for both he and Zeke – and that might not be worth the headache. But I am a big believer in Best Player Available, and if McCaffrey is a significant step up from whoever else is left on the board, I'd pull the trigger. At the same time, the depth at both DE and CB may ensure that there's an equally talented player available at a position of need, and that need might be too big to pass up.
ALEXANDER HOWARDWACO, TX
I'm trying to look at the other side here. Why get rid of Tony Romo, absent a trade? The savings against the cap for this year are not large ($5-$10 million depending on timing.) Then you have to go out and spend money to get a backup! If the money for the new backup exceeds the savings (potentially Josh McCown), it seems like a waste. Then you have to ask yourself who would be a better backup, Romo or the field? The dead money is going to count against the cap no matter the direction. I'm looking forward to your thoughts.
Rob: You make a lot of good points. Financially the Cowboys will be absorbing a pretty substantial cap hit whether Romo's on the roster or not. Here's the best way I know to answer your question. We've seen this situation through the history of the NFL: Young-Montana, Bledsoe-Brady, Rodgers-Favre, Manning-Luck. The veteran doesn't have a clear path to continue playing in his current city because a younger player has risen up. Jerry Jones last weekend did not rule out the possibility of Romo returning to Dallas, but Dak Prescott has established himself as the starter here. If Romo wants to start somewhere else, then perhaps the Cowboys try to accommodate him. We'll just have to see how this all plays out.
David: Simply put, I don't think it's good for the team to keep Tony Romo here if he's not going to start. It creates too many potential problems. Does the organization really want to face a quarterback controversy every time Dak Prescott throws a pick? Do they want to deal with regular "reports" in the media that Romo isn't happy, or the constant scrutiny that comes with having a four-time Pro Bowler on the bench? And yes, the cap savings aren't large right now – but they become huge starting next year. That in turn allows you to strengthen your roster, because you are paying peanuts to your starting quarterback. It's nothing personal against Tony Romo, it's simply business. The Cowboys made this decision, and now I think they need to commit to it.
