Even in the offseason, rumors regarding the Dallas Cowboys and their potential personnel moves are always running wild, and the latest scenario is sure to excite any frustrated fan of “America’s Team.” While losing seasons are never fun for a die-hard fan of an NFL team, it does allow for a higher draft pick, which is the key to landing the next potential star player. After an injury-plagued season where the Cowboys finished with a record of 4-12 and last place in the NFC East, they have secured the fourth pick in the 2016 NFL draft.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believes quarterback Tony Romo has another 4-5 years left of elite football. While it is encouraging to see that Jones is confident in his 35-year-old quarterback, the reality is that Romo is extremely prone to injuries at this point in his career. While no one can deny that Romo is still an elite talent, it means nothing if he cannot stay on the field.
According to ESPN , the Tennessee Titans are open to trading the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL draft. After drafting quarterback Marcus Mariota with the second overall pick in the 2015 draft, the Titans may be looking to move back a few spots to acquire more picks. While he did not guarantee that a trade will happen, Titans general manager Jon Robinson spoke about his plans.
“We’ll look at any and all offers that come this way and make a decision that’s best for the football team. If that means sticking and picking, then we’re going to stick and pick. If that means moving around and working the draft with trades, than that’s what we’ll do.”
The top-ranked quarterback in this year’s draft class is Jared Goff from California. Goff just threw for 4,714 yards, 43 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in his junior season, and is looking to make the jump to the NFL. Since he is the top quarterback prospect in the draft, the Cowboys are likely going to have to trade up for the No. 1 overall pick with the Titans if they have any hope of acquiring him.
The Cleveland Browns also need a quarterback, and they have the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. While the Browns have been incompetent in the past, they have a new coach in Hue Jackson, who is looking to build the team the right way. According to a recent mock draft from NFL , they believe Goff will be drafted by the Browns.
In speaking to the Star-Telegram , Mel Kiper Jr. believes there is a chance that the Cowboys could actually pull the trade off and select Goff with the top pick.
“It’s going to be very tempting [for the Cowboys] to go quarterback. You’ve got a shot to get a player of the caliber of Jared Goff and be the heir apparent to Tony Romo? You’ve got to think [trading up] is something that’s at least a possibility. Because you’re not going to have that much of a chance – you’re not going to go from the 20s to the top spot to get a quarterback [in future drafts]. That doesn’t happen. To go from four-to-one can.”
Even with the fourth pick in the draft, the Dallas Cowboys would still have to give a lot up to move to No. 1. When the Washington Redskins traded with the St. Louis Rams for the No. 2 pick in the 2012 NFL draft in order to select quarterback Robert Griffin III, they had to give up an excessive amount of draft picks. They traded the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 draft and their first-round draft picks in 2013 and 2014. They also traded their 2012 second-round draft pick.
From his conversations with Mel Kiper Jr., @jaycrawfordespn compared Jared Goff to Aaron Rodgers. #Browns have No. 2 Pick in 2016 #NFL Draft
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) January 14, 2016
While the Redskins may have gotten fleeced in this deal, the price will still be high. The Titans understand the value of their draft position and are going to ask for a lot. Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles attempted to acquire the No. 2 overall pick in order to draft quarterback Marcus Mariota, but were not able to offer enough assets. According to Business Insider , the Titans turned down two first-round picks, one third-round pick, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Boykin, Sam Bradford and Mychal Kendricks.
As reported by The Inquisitr , Cowboys fans are petitioning for the team to bring quarterback Johnny Manziel in to be groomed to eventually take Tony Romo’s spot. While the Cowboys would not have to give anything up to get him, he is guaranteed to cause problems and distractions for the team. With Romo’s injury concerns and not a ton of viable backup options, the Dallas Cowboys best decision might be to pull the trigger and trade for the No. 1 overall pick in order to draft Jared Goff.
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