The Dallas Cowboys might be 2-0 on the season, but optimism is not high. The team is fresh off a nice win over the Philadelphia Eagles, but their offense is quickly falling apart thanks to injuries. After losing Dez Bryant to a broken foot in the season opener, the second game offered the same bad luck as Tony Romo went down with an injury. Will the Cowboys be forced to make moves following the loss of the quarterback?
According to Todd Archer via ESPN.com, Romo will be out the next eight to 10 weeks after breaking his left collarbone during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The quarterback went down in the third quarter and did not return. According to Archer, the quarterback will undergo tests this week to determine is surgery is necessary, but Romo will be out for the foreseeable future leaving the Cowboys scratching their head for moves.
For now, the Cowboys have Brandon Weeden as the replacement quarterback. He entered the game and went 7 of 7 in passing which included a 42-yard touchdown to Terrance Williams. Head coach Jason Garrett stressed that he has high confidence in Weeden and expects the offense to run similar with the backup quarterback.
"We are going to run our offense," Garrett said, via ESPN.com. "Obviously Tony's a special player and a great leader for our football team for a number of years now. But guys have to go in there and play. Brandon did a good job today. He has done a good job in the past when he has opportunities to run our offense.
According to David Steele of SportingNews.com, a bold move for the Cowboys would be to trade for Robert Griffin III. Now, there is no evidence that the Cowboys are interested in the quarterback or that the Washington Redskins are shopping the former first-round draft pick. However, Steele makes the point that Griffin could be the better option than Weeden if the Cowboys want to salvage the season. The Redskins are committed to Kirk Cousins and the Washington Post reported that while owner Dan Snyder would not block a trade of Griffin, he is not seeking it out. Steele believes the trade for Griffin would keep the Cowboys in playoff contention while also allowing them to groom someone to eventually replace Romo.
More realistic trade options should the Cowboys opt to go that route are Mike Glennon in Tampa Bay or Zach Mettenberger in Tennessee. Both backup quarterbacks have displayed talent and the ability to start and win, but were replaced by rookie options this year. Both Glennon and Mettenberger would be cheaper than Griffin. Josh McCown is a stretch as Johnny Manziel replaces the veteran in Cleveland. Free agency options include Christian Ponder, Matt Flynn and Tim Tebow. All three of those players are less exciting.
The Cowboys are going to do their best to move forward with Weeden. The quarterback will now rely heavily on Williams who is replacing Bryant. Jason Witten and Cole Beasley will play big roles along with Darren McFadden and Joseph Randle in the run game. Will that be enough to stay in playoff contention? With the Eagles and New York Giants struggling, it might be.