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Free agency is largely wrapped up for the Dallas Cowboys. With draft business tidied up, the Cowboys will now head to training camp as they prep for the season.
While the Cowboys look like a decent outfit heading into pre-season, are there any holes to plug before they kick off Week 1?
Looking at the Cowboys' roster, the most glaring hole appears to be at backup quarterback. Garrett Gilbert has put in some interesting performances in the AAF, but the Cowboys need an NFL-caliber quarterback. Here are some options Jerry Jones and co could possibly explore before the start of the season.
Potential upgrades for the Dallas Cowboys
#1 - Nick Mullens (Philadelphia Eagles)
Nick Mullens is currently battling Joe Flacco to be the backup to Jalen Hurts. ESPN has Nick Mullens as the obvious third-string backup. However, most NFL teams only keep two quarterbacks on the roster.
If the Philadelphia Eagles are already determined to go with Joe Flacco, Nick Mullens becomes the odd man out. Rather than cutting him outright, the Philadelphia Eagles could try and get something for him.
That's where the Dallas Cowboys come in.
Nick Mullens is good to have around a 1:1 touchdown interception ratio, but his biggest plus point is that he is still pretty young in the NFL. He has only played in two seasons and could have more tricks up his sleeve given time and a stable atmosphere.
#2 - Joe Flacco (Philadelphia Eagles)
If the Philadelphia Eagles decide they want Nick Mullens over Joe Flacco, the latter becomes expendable.
Flacco could be more expensive for the Dallas Cowboys to trade for, but if Dak Prescott gets injured again, Flacco would be a better option than Mullens. The Dallas Cowboys should be watching the position battle between Mullen and Flacco very closely.
It doesn't matter who wins, as both odd-man-out scenarios would result in more stability at backup quarterback in Dallas. If the Dallas Cowboys land Joe Flacco, they may be able to get him to heat up in the playoffs if the need arises. Flacco has a Super Bowl ring and, given the right circumstances, could rediscover his old self.
#3 - Taylor Heinicke (Washington Football Team)
If the Philadelphia Eagles are unwilling to do business with a division rival, the Dallas Cowboys could look towards the Washington Football Team. Washington will start Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB. Below him in the pecking order will be one of Kyle Allen or Taylor Heinicke.
If Heinicke slips to No 3, the Dallas Cowboys will rest easy.
Taylor Heinicke stepped into an impossible situation in 2020. Starting quarterback Alex Smith suffered his final football injury, leaving Heinicke to start his second game of the season in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. With Tom Brady at the other end, many expected Washington to suffer the ignominy of a humbling.
However, fans were treated to a solid game that was a lot closer than it needed to be. Taylor Heinicke threw the ball 44 times and put up 23 points in a 31-23 loss to the team that went on to win the Super Bowl. Taylor Heinicke's team did a much better job of standing up to the Buccaneers than the Kansas City Chiefs, who lost their matchup 31-9.
Having put in a remarkable effort, Heinicke could be the man for the Dallas Cowboys. Certainly one to keep an eye on.
