OC Scott Linehan, Cowboys comfortable with backup Kellen Moore

Yes, the Dallas Cowboys remain somewhat interested in adding an experienced quarterback to the roster before training camp.

But again, it has nothing to do with any dissatisfaction with Kellen Moore as the primary backup to Dak Prescott.

It's more about the inexperience at the position behind those two, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said.

More important, Linehan said he is very comfortable and confident in Moore as the backup despite his limited playing experience.

Linehan points to his familiarity with Moore dating back to their days together with the Detroit Lions and calls him an ideal backup because of his ability to function without a lot of reps.

"He has been in my room for a lot of years," Linehan said. "He knows the system. He is one of those guys who can function without a lot of reps. He is a great feel player. That is a great thing for backups. He works so hard mentally.

“He has such a good feel for the game physically. He doesn't really need to have a huge amount of reps to be comfortable playing the position and executing plays."

That is a perfect scenario for the Cowboys, who want to get Prescott more reps than a normal starter because he is just in his second year as a starter.

Moore has played in only three career games since signing with Detroit in 2012 out of Boise State. Those three games came in 2015 with the Cowboys. He was on the Lions practice squad for the first three years.

Linehan said he opened the team's eyes against the Washington Redskins when he passed for 435 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, becoming the fifth quarterback in team history to throw for 400 or more yards in a single-game. It was also the sixth-most yards in team history for a single game.

"In 2015, he had no background with our players," Linehan said. "He had some bad plays. But to see him operate in that last game was big."

Moore was going to be the primary backup to Tony Romo last year before he broke his leg a week into training camp, opening the door for Prescott's emergence.

So this is not a new feeling for the Cowboys.

This story was originally published June 13, 2017 at 10:04 AM with the headline "OC Scott Linehan, Cowboys comfortable with backup Kellen Moore."