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Dallas Cowboys Rumors: Jared Goff Could Still Be In Play For The Cowboys At Pick No. 4

By Phillip Dengler
Published on: 12:12 PST, Mar 31, 2016

With the 2016 NFL draft less than a month away, rumors are running rampant pertaining to the Dallas Cowboys and what they are going to do with the No. 4 overall selection. While the Cowboys have been rumored to be interested in a variety of different positions, quarterback remains the most interesting. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has stated numerous times that he believes Tony Romo will play another five years, but many analysts believe that California Golden Bears quarterback Jared Goff could be the Cowboys’ first-round selection.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Cowboys have recently been linked to Goff, North Dakota State Bison quarterback Carson Wentz, Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott, and numerous other players. While Wentz and Elliott remain in play for the Cowboys, Goff is emerging as the most interesting selection.

Originally expected to be the first quarterback taken off the board, Goff has fallen out of favor with many NFL mock draft analysts. While the Cleveland Browns recently signed Robert Griffin III, they are still expected by many insiders to select Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick. Since the Tennessee Titans are not going to take a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick and the San Diego Chargers will not draft a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick, Goff should be on the board when the Cowboys draft at No. 4.

As seen on the latest NFL mock draft at CBS Sports, the Cowboys will draft Jared Goff.

“The Cowboys face a fascinating decision at No. 4 overall. An immediate impact defender like Ohio State’s Joey Bosa, UCLA’s Myles Jack or Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey certainly make sense, as this is a Super Bowl contending team with a healthy Romo and Dez Bryant. Their injuries last year, however, give Jerry Jones a unique opportunity to invest in the club’s future. Goff has some of the same attributes which make Romo so effective, including terrific feel in the pocket, toughness and accuracy down the field. Romo, 35, will be entering his 14th season next year. He’s missed at least one game each of the past three years, including 12 games in 2015.”

It is going to be a difficult decision for Jones. Romo is set to turn 36-years-old before the start of the 2016 season, and he is entering the twilight of his career. While he is still an extremely effective quarterback, his injuries are beginning to pile up. If Romo can remain healthy next year, the Cowboys should win the NFC East. If Romo has to miss numerous games with injuries, the Cowboys are once again going to struggle.

As CBS Sports notes, adding a pass rusher like Joey Bosa could immediately help the team win in 2016. The problem is that finding a franchise quarterback is not easy. While Jared Goff is not a sure thing, he has all of the potential in the world to become an above-average NFL quarterback. The Cowboys are unlikely to be drafting this high next year, so 2016 may be their best chance to pick one of the top-rated quarterbacks.

The latest mock draft from Real Football Network also has the Cowboys drafting Goff with the No. 4 overall pick.

“If the Cowboys take a QB in the first round they can franchise tag him at least twice, which makes Goff a Cowboy for a minimum of seven years. I’m pretty sure Tony Romo can’t play that long.”

While Goff is expected to eventually become a competent NFL starter, he is not viewed as a player that should open his rookie season as the starter. The recent trend has been starting rookie quarterbacks immediately, but Goff could greatly benefit from learning from Romo for a few seasons. With Romo’s injury concerns, Goff could even be starting earlier than originally expected.

Now that the 2016 NFL draft is getting closer, rumors will continue to link the Dallas Cowboys to California Golden Bears quarterback Jared Goff. While Jones has stated numerous times that the team will not draft a quarterback with the No. 4 overall pick, many analysts believe there is still a chance that Goff ends up a Cowboy.

[Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images]

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