Dallas Cowboys: Make Cam Newton the QB2 in 2021

By Dink Kearney | Sep 2, 2021

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

In 2020, we all witnessed the horror show of the Dallas Cowboys not having a competent backup quarterback-let alone not having franchise quarterback Dak Prescott playing under center.

The Cowboys backup quarterbacks’ horror show was so bad that it nearly rivaled the Cowboys’ putrid 31st ranked defense. Hey, they were a horrendous match that produced 10 embarrassing losses and catapulted Dak into being the highest paid quarterback.

Owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones had to pay Dak because Jerry saw the drop off from the backups, the importance of Dak, plus Dak proved his worth before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.

The Dallas Cowboys need to sign Cam Newton as QB2 instead of Cooper Rush or Will Grier.

Cooper Rush is the possibly the lowest regarded QB2 in the NFL, yet when Cam Newton dropped on the market the Dallas Cowboys decided to sign the recently released Will Grier from the Carolina Panthers, instead of Cam.

Grier could possibly battle for the primary backup quarterback position, but Cam would be a Day 1 upgrade and clear favorite for QB2. Let’s just say the battle between Rush and Grier is more suited for a comedy reality show centered around a church-league football team than it is a respected battle for QB2 in the NFL.

Just like the famous line Michael Corleone quoted in the movie Godfather, ‘it’s nothing personal Sonny, it’s strictly business!” It’s not personal either, Will and Cooper, but it’s business that Cam should be playing QB2.

I know the naysaysers will mention Cam having a big personality, flamboyant, and not being vaccinatined as to why the Dallas Cowboys doesn’t need his services. But I will remind them of Andy Dalton, Garrett Gilbert, and that man named Ben DiNucci.

Cam is no longer the 2011 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year or the 2015 NFL MVP type quarterback, but the former Heisman Trophy winner can still play at an effective level and is light years better than Grier and Cooper combined. It aint’ even close. Let’s put this into perspective.

While playing with the New England Patriots last season, Cam played in 15 games, passed for 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns, and 10 interceptions- while completing 65.8 percent of his passes. It gets a little better, too, because Cam ran for 592 yards and rushed for 12 touchdowns.

True, Cam went 7-8 as the starter for the Pats, but he had the same sub-par receivers that quarterback Tom Brady had when he last played for the Pats back in 2019. If you’ll remember that year, Brady looked washed without the usual elite talent around him.

Further, Cam averaged 4.3 yards per carry and averaged 39.5 yards per game on 137 rushing attempts. Cam’s 65.8 passing percentage was the second-best in his 10-year career. Speaking of his career totals, Cam has a 75-63-1 record, has thrown for 190 touchdowns to 118 interceptions, has a 60.1 completion percentage, has passed for 31,698 yards, and 20 game-winning drives (three game-winning drives in 2020 with the Patriots).

If Cam had a better group of receivers, he would have put up better numbers and possibly led the Pats to the playoffs. But looking at his stats with that group of skill position players, I’ll say he did an above average job considering the circumstances.

Who would you rather have backing up Dak? The comedy show of Cooper and Grier? Or Cam? Just imagine what Cam can do if the Dak is injured and has to miss a few games.

Cam isn’t coming to Dallas to take Dak’s job, but Cam coming to Dallas is one heck of an insurance policy for America’s Team.