The Dallas Cowboys wanted to add polarizing quarterback before 2026 season, but the NFL took their chance away
The Dallas Cowboys could have been a part of one of the biggest stories of the NFL offseason based on the latest intel from ESPN insider Todd Archer.
When it comes to finding franchise quarterbacks, the Dallas Cowboys are one lucky team. NFL teams often spend premium resources like first-round picks trying to find their next QB1. But for the Cowboys, undrafted free agency gave them Tony Romo. A fourth-round pick (after missing out on Paxton Lynch in the first) in 2016 landed them Dak Prescott.
For a while now, the Cowboys have been pushing their luck. They tried to get something out of Trey Lance by trading a fourth rounder for him and later brought in the big-armed but inaccurate passer Joe Milton in hopes of developing him.
And this offseason, it turns out they were gearing up to take a swing at a polarizing quarterback with a low-risk, high-reward profile.
Cowboys had high interest in QB Brendan Sorsby
One of the major storylines of the offseason was whether or not the NFL would hold a supplemental draft for Sorsby. The Cowboys, like many of us, were paying close attention.
The former Texas Tech quarterback had a tumultuous offseason as he fought for his NCAA eligibility to be restored following gambling violations. Though the Lubbock County Courthouse ruled in his favor, further backlash led to him declaring for the NFL.
The decision immediately set the table for quarterback-needy teams to bid on Sorsby in an effort to land a high-upside player at a discount—some analysts thought would have been a first-round pick in this year’s draft.
According to ESPN insider Todd Archer, the Cowboys were highly interested.
“When Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby put his name in the supplemental draft, multiple sources said the Cowboys had high interest even with the gambling issues that surrounded Sorsby,” Archer reported in a recent article. “Prescott is signed through 2028, so an attempt to potentially find his successor at what could have been a lower-than-expected price would have made sense even if it drew added attention to the Cowboys’ quarterback room.”
Though it won’t materialize following the NFL’s announcement that it would not hold a supplemental draft, the Cowboys’ interest in a young quarterback is worth paying attention to. As Archer notes, Prescott is under contract over the next three years. His cap hits for 2027 and 2028 sit at $76 million and $86 million respectively, which could open the door for negotiations. That is to say, his future could get blurry very soon.
And the fact that they were interested in Sorsby is already very revealing, even if we don’t know how much they would have been willing to bid.
What it means for 2027 and beyond
Following the NFL’s decision to ask Sorsby to wait until 2027, I wrote this about the Cowboys: “To be honest, it’s difficult to know how any team will look at Sorsby’s betting history. So I don’t claim to know how the Cowboys will.”
Now, it feels like we do. If the Cowboys were interested this year despite the messiness of the whole thing, they’ll likely be interested again in 2027 should it make sense when April comes around.
The Cowboys have historically targeted young quarterbacks to develop behind their starters. Their level of interest in finding their next QB is only going to increase over the next few years. And at this point, it’s worth knowing Sorsby is in their radar, even if it’s unclear how much they’d spend on him.