With Tony Romo on his way back to the active roster, the Cowboys won’t be carrying three quarterbacks, and Brandon Weeden is the odd man out in Dallas. According to a press release, Weeden has been released by the Cowboys today.
Weeden, 32, entered the season as Romo’s backup, and looked good in relief of the injured starter in Week 2, completing all seven of his passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, as Dallas secured a 20-10 win over the Eagles. However, Weeden was up and down in his next three starts, throwing just one touchdown in those games, as the Cowboys lost all three.
Matt Cassel, who usurped Weeden on the Cowboys’ depth chart last month, will remain on the club’s roster as Romo’s backup going forward. As for Weeden, he’ll have to pass through waivers before becoming a free agent. Assuming he goes unclaimed and hits the open market, he’d become a viable veteran option for any team that has its quarterback go down with an injury within the next few weeks.
It’s crazy that Weeden is already 32. I still can’t believe that a team spent a first-round pick on him.
That same team used the third overall pick on Trent Richardson. That was 2012 and now neither have a job in the NFL.
This may be the end of the line for Weeden. He hasn’t shown anything in his time as a starter, and because of his age, it’s not as though there’s time to groom him. He may get a opportunity to compete for a backup job next season, but I don’t love his chances to secure a roster spot.