The Denver Broncos released quarterback Mark Sanchez on Sept. 3 during the league’s mandatory layoff, but it didn’t take long for the veteran signal caller to find a new home.
The Dallas Cowboys announced on September 4 that they had signed Sanchez after ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the news when Sanchez was released.
USA Today’s Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday that Sanchez has signed a one-year, $2 million contract. The Cowboys are Sanchez’s fourth team in as many years after stints with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles before going to the Broncos. He will be tapped as Dallas’ interim backup quarterback while Tony Romo recovers from a back injury.
While the Cowboys started the draft with rookie Dak Prescott, when Romo went down, adding an experienced backup to him in case of injury became imperative.
And while Sanchez barely met the ceiling for a top-five pick, he is coming off a two-year stint in Philadelphia where he completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 3,304 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
Sanchez is also a bargain offer for the Cowboys, which appears to be a bargain compared to what the Minnesota Vikings paid the Eagles for Sam Bradford on Saturday, according to ESPN.com’s Sheil Kapadia:
That context makes the Sanchez signing easier to digest and should give the Cowboys peace of mind as Romo works his way back to full strength. With Romo 100 percent and ready to return to his starting position under center, Sanchez shouldn’t be more than a third-string quarterback stuck behind a veteran and a rookie.
