Could Cowboys Rope All-Pro Alex Smith To Back Up Dak Prescott?
The Dallas Cowboys have quarterback Dak Prescott back with a history-making deal and a nearly healed-up ankle. But who do they have back of him?
With Andy Dalton departing to take the Chicago Bears’ starting gig, the ‘Boys once again find themselves with a relatively thin quarterback room behind QB1. Garrett Gilbert and 2020 seventh-round draft pick Ben DiNucci each saw the playing field at different times last season, but they produced very different results. Gilbert put up a good performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers, while DiNucci was picked apart by the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles.
There may be another veteran option available for Dallas this year, however, and he could come by way of another rival — the Washington Football Team. Veteran QB Alex Smith was the NFL’s big story last season with his incredible return after his gruesome, devastating ankle injury. In fact, Prescott called him a big inspiration during his own recovery process that began in October 2020.
"To see somebody who has already done it, and did it in worse circumstances, that allowed my mind to just go straight to, 'I can do this.'"
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) March 10, 2021
-Dak Prescott on how Alex Smith has inspired him in his injury recovery pic.twitter.com/ZionLO7P9l
(via Yahoo! Sports): Smith was knocked out of the 2018 season and as infections ravaged his leg post-surgery, missed the entire 2019 campaign. He returned to play eight games in 2020, with the Washington Football Team going 5-1 with him as starter.
The three-time Pro Bowler Smith offers up 167 starts across 14 years of league experience with five playoff appearances.
At 36, Smith brings a level of experience, grit and knowledge that few available free-agent quarterbacks have. A former starter for both the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs before Washington, Smith has played in both conferences and against nearly every NFL defensive scheme.
The Cowboys may ultimately decide to go in another direction for backup quarterback, such as Chase Daniel or Geno Smith, but they’d be hard-pressed to find a finer, more inspirational example — both on and off the field — than Alex Smith.
