My, oh my, how the roster has changed in just such a short period of time.  The Cowboys have gone from an incomplete roster with various thin positions to a team of suddenly stacked and talented players within the last couple of months.

So this leaves the Cowboys with one question – where’s the team weak?  The-DallasCowboys.com will evaluate the entire roster, from offense to defense and even special teams in an attempt to find the strengths as well as weaknesses on the current roster. We will also hand out grades for each position.

Part one – Quarterbacks

It’s hard to imagine that this position is in need of help when Dallas has a two-time Pro-Bowler, who has only been the starter for those same two years.  Tony Romo has been nothing short of spectacular since he took over the role on October 23rd, 2006, when he replaced Drew Bledsoe after halftime in a Monday night loss to the N.Y. Giants.  He had a 95.1 quarterback rating that year, and proved in 2007 that his remarkable playing style in 2006 was no fluke.  He went on to another Pro-Bowl season in ’07, while leading the Cowboys to a 13-3 record and a first place finish in the NFC East.  He threw for 4,211 yards and 36 touchdowns (both team records) and 19 interceptions for a QB rating of 97.4.  However, Romo has still lacked to excel in the playoffs and has yet to win a game in the postseason.  Regardless, he will be the team’s starter for many years to come.

No, the Cowboys do not need to look for help at the quarterback position, in terms of a starter.  They do, however, need to keep their eye open for a solid backup for Romo.  The club currently has 39-year old Brad Johnson as the official backup.  It’s great having such a veteran player as the second string QB, especially one who owns a super bowl ring.  It’s not so great, though, to have such an old player as the second string QB.  Johnson’s age affected his ability greatly the last time he played for a team – in 2006 with the Minnesota Vikings.    He threw just nine TD’s and 15 interceptions, with just a 6.3 yard average per pass attempt.   It’s no doubt that he is still capable of being a leader, but his performance isn’t the same as it once was and it’s no doubt that he will be leaving the league soon.

The club also has Richard Bartel, an intriguing player from Tarleton State who spent last year on the practice squad.  Bartel looked much improved in this year’s rookie/first year player’s mini-camp, and the club is excited about his progress and opportunity to compete for the backup position.  The 6-3, 246 pound quarterback lacks experience though, having never taken a snap in any sort of NFL game.  It is only his 2nd year however, and the Cowboys will look to track his performance and improvement.   
 
With all this being said, the Cowboys still lack a reliable backup and third string quarterback.  Jerry Jones will look to sign a veteran for cheap before the season starts and give the club some options at the position.  Possible names include Trent Dilfer or maybe even Byron Leftwich.  If Romo goes down, the Cowboys don’t want to bank on Johnson leading them back to another NFC East Championship.  Some depth would certainly help. 

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