Cowboys might look to veteran QBs Chase Daniel or Colt McCoy

It has long been speculated that the Dallas Cowboys could eye a couple of veteran quarterbacks with Texas ties as possible backups for Tony Romo next season.

But rather than former Texas A&M star Johnny Manziel and former Baylor star Robert Griffin III, the Cowboys are likely targeting Chase Daniel, who played high school football at Southlake Carroll before starring at Missouri, or former Texas Longhorn Colt McCoy.

Daniel, who played the past three seasons as a backup in Kansas City, is a free agent and seeking a starting job after six seasons as a backup. But anything short of that puts the Cowboys in play for his services.

McCoy, a six-year veteran, has been a backup in Washington the past two seasons. He is considered a low-cost, free-agent option to backup Romo.

The Cowboys are targeting a quarterback in the 2016 NFL Draft, but they also are looking to add a veteran to bridge the gap between Romo and a developmental rookie.

Daniel and McCoy are considered upgrades to Kellen Moore, who finished last season as the team’s quarterback of record because Romo was out with a fractured collarbone.

The Cowboys went 1-11 with three backup quarterbacks as starters while Romo was sidelined.

Lone Longhorn

Defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway is the only player from the University of Texas invited to the combine. A total of 69 schools have more players in Indianapolis than UT, including the likes of Harvard, North Dakota State, Southern Utah and South Carolina State.

Ridgeway will keep the Longhorns from going without a pick in the NFL Draft for the second time in three years after a 76-year run of at least one draft choice every year. The Mansfield product trusts that he’s the first of many draft picks for the Longhorns over the next several years.

“That’s going to happen,” he said. “This is the University of Texas. I have complete faith that in the next few years there will be plenty of people. There will not be one person at the combine again.”

Ridgeway, a 6-foot-3, 303-pounder, had 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries last season. He opted to leave early after receiving a second-round grade from the draft advisory board.

“I talked to former teammates that are in the NFL right now, seeing how I would fit in the league and how my abilities would fit there,” Ridgeway said. “Talking to my family, asking, “Is this the best thing for me?’ Just seeing if I’d make a decision I would regret and going back to school. I don’t ever want to regret something. You can’t blame anyone else for a decision you make. So it came down to me making the decision I could live with.”

Gathers to try

Baylor forward Rico Gathers will try to make it in the NFL after his basketball career ends. Gathers, who stands 6-6 and weighs 275, hopes to become the next Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham in making the transition to tight end.

Gathers will work with private coach George Whitfield when Baylor’s season ends.

“When his basketball season is over with, [we’ll] get a chance to put him through really some one-on-one receiving drills and try to get him up to speed,” Whitfield said. “I’m going to talk to a lot of teams here and learn the basic prerequisites for a tight end-type, obviously catching over the shoulder, both shoulders, coming back in with the ball, route running, different type of conditioning.”

Gathers is averaging 12 points and 9.8 rebounds a game through 26 games for the Bears this season. He has not played football since he was 14.

“[That] isn’t a big body of work, but it’s better than coming in green like some of the crossover guys have in the past,” Whitfield said.

Jack almost ready

UCLA linebacker Myles Jack expects to work out for scouts in a Pro Day on March 12.

“The whole recheck thing will be answered once I do my Pro Day,” Jack said. “Everything will be cleared up.”

Jack tore the lateral meniscus in his right knee in a Sept. 22 practice. He missed the rest of the season and decided to forgo his senior season and apply for the NFL Draft.

Despite the injury, Jack still projects as a top-10 pick. In fact, many mock drafts have Jack going to the Cowboys with the fourth overall pick.

“I see myself as a football player,” Jack said when asked what position he sees himself playing. “I want the teams to decide for themselves. I feel like I can play any position. Me personally, I like being off the ball as a Mike, Will, Sam. I think I could play strong safety as kind of a Kam Chancellor type of role. I feel like I could get the job done there.”

This story was originally published February 26, 2016 at 7:30 PM with the headline "Cowboys might look to veteran QBs Chase Daniel or Colt McCoy."