Jones: Cowboys Won't Use High Draft Pick On QB

As soon as the question about Tony Romo’s injury had been answered, the question about his future was raised.

It was bound to be asked on a team as high profile as the Dallas Cowboys. Romo underwent season-ending back surgery Friday morning. When the Cowboys take to the practice field in May for OTAs, he’ll be 34 years old.

Jones and Cowboys coach Jason Garrett have both said they don’t believe Romo’s current injury is in any way related to the surgery he had to remove a cyst from his back in April. But it still raises the question: the Cowboys attempt to draft a quarterback for the future in the approaching 2014 NFL Draft?

In an interview with 105.3 The Fan immediately following the announcement of Romo’s surgery, Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones shot the thought down swiftly.

“It’s way too early to do that with the way things are today with my expectations of Tony’s career -- which I think will be several years to come,” Jones said. “It’s too early to be drafting a highly ranked or costly quarterback.”

It’s doubtfully a conversation Jones is interested in having. It has only been nine months since the Cowboys committed to Romo in the form of a six-year, $108 million contract extension. As it stands right now, his contract isn’t up until after the 2019 season.

Jones did allow that the team may look to find a quarterback prospect for a low cast, either in the late rounds of the draft or free agency. The Cowboys drafted Stephen McGee at the start of the fourth round in 2009. They also signed undrafted free agent Alex Tanney to their practice squad after an impressive training camp this summer.

Tanney was signed away to Cleveland’s active roster Nov. 26, however, which created the need to sign Jon Kitna this week when Romo was injured.

“You’d like to, every spring, pick up a quarterback,” Jones said. “I think the real issue: would you seriously consider using a significant pick for a quarterback?”

Evidently not.