The Dallas Cowboys have always basked in the limelight, good or bad, but the spotlight is shining on an unlikely position: backup quarterback.
Since starting quarterback Tony Romo is still trying his best to get back on the field after a back injury sidelined him near the end of last season, all eyes have been put on ex-Cleveland Browns 1st-round pick Brandon Weeden, and the quarterback who has been wanting to retire, Kyle Orton. Weeden has been granted the chance to work with the 1st Team throughout minicamp as Orton is trying to dissuade Jerry Jones to keep him on the roster.
Weeden was an amazing quarterback coming out of Oklahoma State several years back. But after a tenure with the Factory of Sadness in Cleveland, it is highly doubtful that he could reach the potential that won him a BCS Bowl Game. Weeden's arm and accuracy, combined with his large stature and escapability from the pocket, likened him to Steelers QB Ben Roethelisberger. The Weeden that came into the NFL was not at all a shred of Roethelisberger-like play.
Obviously, it will take someone of immense skill and electricity to play in any sort of Browns offense, and Weeden was intended to be able to make plays after the pocket breaks down. The Cleveland line is terribly shoddy and it did not help Weeden's case as an effective starter. But after being sacked and benched and humiliated, it must have certainly took a toll on Weeden's morale and internal clock to get rid of the ball.
Keep in mind that Brandon Weeden entered the NFL at 28. Currently Romo is 34 and Orton is 31. Unless Weeden happens to have a little bit of Kurt Warner in him, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Weeden is not a suitable backup if Romo is still sidelined into the regular season or if Romo incurs injury during play.
Granted, in hindsight, Jerry Jones should have grabbed Aaron Murray, A.J. McCarron, or Zach Mettenberger during the draft. Time has started to tick a while back on the Cowboys' playoff hopes, and Weeden's age is ticking along with it.
At first, I didn't even think Weeden would make it past the training camp final cut. But if Orton retires, he'll stick around. It's not like we have lots of options.
Weeden is horrible. The only reason he succeeded in college was because he was like what, 28, playing against 18-20 year olds. He had experience on his side. Now he is just an old guy, football wise, around other older guys.