skipping the Panthers bowl game, something

This story appears in the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine, on newsstands Nov. 4.No one could recall the last time the Dallas Cowboys spent much, if any, time meeting with and working out quarterback prospects for an upcoming draft.?Each NFL team is allotted 30 pre-draft visits to be used however they want, and Dallas never felt much of a need to use them on quarterbacks. After all, the Cowboys had Tony Romo. But in 2016, with Romo?36 years old and repeatedly injured over the past few years, Dallas brought in a whopping seven?QBs before the draft. Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch, Christian Hackenberg, Jacoby Brissett, Connor Cook?and?Dak Prescott all showed up in Dallas.?Thus started a string of moves that all but made certain theyd end up with a quarterback?-- a quarterback NOT named Dak Prescott.Draft Day 1, Thursday, April 28: Dallas and Paxton LynchSeattle sat in an ideal position, near the back of the first round, pick No. 26. Any team that wanted a quarterback, along with the ever-valuable five-year contract given to first-rounders, would want to trade into the bottom of the first round. The Seahawks sat back and waited for offers. Two teams called: Dallas and Denver. Each wanted to move up. Each wanted Lynch, the strong-armed QB out of Memphis.For Seattles first-round pick, Dallas offered its second- and fourth-round selections. Denver offered a first and third.?The conversations went back and forth until, finally, Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones personally called Seahawks general manager John Schneider to make one final push. The Seahawks told Jones in a cordial and matter-of-fact tone, according to one Seattle official, Its got to be a three or were not going to do it.Dallas wouldnt budge.?The next day, owner Jerry Jones lamented that he was unable to trade up to get the quarterback the Cowboys coveted: Im not gonna go jump from Dallas tallest, so lets put this in perspective ... but if I had to do it all over again? Id give the three.Draft Day 3, Saturday April 30: Dallas and Connor CookHaving already selected USC quarterback Cody Kessler in Round 3, Cleveland didnt need to use its fourth-round pick (No. 100 overall) on another quarterback. So the Browns listened to offers.?Once again, Dallas jumped into the fray. Haunted by failing to land Lynch, the Cowboys had their eye on Michigan State quarterback Cook.?Cleveland sat back and listened, and then took the best offer -- from Oakland.I was pretty surprised, Cook told reporters soon after. I think Dallas was interested and they were trying to trade up.Stung by being beaten out to another quarterback, the Cowboys used the very next pick, No. 101 overall, on Oklahoma defensive end Charles Tapper.?Finding a quarterback would have to wait ... but not much longer. At the back end of Round 4, with a compensatory pick in the 135th draft slot, Dallas selected Prescott.Tuesday, Aug. 2: Dallas and Nick FolesRomos backup, Kellen Moore, broke his ankle at the end of practice on Aug. 2. A mild case of panic ensued. Dallas saw last season destroyed by a lack of capable backups, and now, still unsure about Prescott, they searched for a capable veteran. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the Rams had released their former starting quarterback,?Nick Foles, just five days earlier. Even better, Foles agent also represented Cowboys coach Jason Garrett and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, among others in the organization.Dallas and the Rams had discussions about a potential Foles trade in the weeks and days leading up to the draft. But the Cowboys were never willing to part with a late-round pick while having to take on Foles contract. It was too much all the way around. Now?Foles was free. Dallas didnt have to compensate the Rams and it could construct a favorable contract for?Foles.?But there was a?problem.?Even without a clear role, Foles wanted to play only for Kansas City Chiefs?coach Andy Reid, Foles former coach in Philadelphia. Even with four QBs on the roster, the Chiefs beat out Dallas.Later that week: Dallas and Josh McCownAfter striking out with Foles, Dallas called Cleveland to see about the availability of veteran quarterback Josh McCown. Dallas viewed him as someone good enough to back up Romo and win games if Romo got hurt again.The price, however, was a problem. Cleveland wanted a second-round draft pick for McCown. Dallas never considered parting with the pick, despite the obvious need. Talks broke off.Thursday, Aug. 25: An understated injuryTony Romo fell to the ground, hard and awkwardly.?This was his first game back after his injury-marred 2015 season, his third snap of the game, the first real contact he endured. Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril chased Romo and jammed him into the ground.?Dallas medical staff came out to help him, but after reaching for his lower back upon being hit,?Romo insisted on walking off the field without help.?Romo fought with Cowboys coaches to go back into the game. No one thought the injury was severe.Saturday, Aug. 27: No options leftThe Cowboys announced that Romo broke a bone in his back. He had a compression fracture that was expected to sideline him 6-10 weeks.After attempts to draft Lynch and then Cook ... after trying to trade for Foles and then McCown ... the Cowboys were forced to give first-team reps to rookie fourth-round pick Prescott.Theyd tried everything, but the season was less than two weeks away, and they had no other choice.Illustrations by Rafa Alvarez Dominic Moore Jersey . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2. Ron Hainsey Jersey . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. http://www.cheapmapleleafsjerseyschina.com/wendel-clark-jersey/ . LOUIS -- Attorneys for the St. Tie Domi Jersey .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. George Armstrong Jersey . Coach Tom Thibodeau says the former MVP will probably start travelling with the team in the next few weeks. Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls. PITTSBURGH -- James Conner is well aware every running back only has so many carries in his body. And for all hes given to Pittsburgh over the last four years, coming back for one more go around couldnt outweigh the chance to see if he can make it as a pro.Running backs already have a short lifespan, Conner said Monday. Wish I could have done more (at Pitt) to be honest, team wise, better records and stuff. I feel like Im ready. Thats my dream, going to the NFL and Im just asking for the opportunity.The ACCs all-time touchdown leader initially planned on putting off a decision until after Pitt (8-4) meets Northwestern (6-6) in the Pinstripe Bowl next week but opted to announce it earlier this month so he wouldnt be a distraction to the teams 19 seniors. Besides, the 21-year-old already had his mind made up, though that didnt keep coach Pat Narduzzi from making one last plea.He didnt want me to leave, Conner said on Monday. Hes saying all the `could bes.Not that Narduzzi put up much of a fight. Hes well aware of the path Conner took to get to this point. Conner hoped to make the jump to the NFL last year but a torn MCL in his right knee in the 2015 season opener and a very public battle with Hodgkin lymphoma last winter. Conner underwent months of draining treatment but returned in time for fall practice and gained strength as the seasoon wore on.dddddddddddd. He finished with 1,060 yards rushing and 20 total touchdowns to push his career total to 56, the most in ACC history .The 2014 ACC player of the year appeared to get stronger as the season wore on. He topped 100 yards rushing in four of Pitts final five games, including 132 in an upset of Clemson on Nov. 12. Yet hes still aware hes got plenty to prove between now and the 2017 NFL draft in late April. Its why he had no interest in skipping the Panthers bowl game, something LSUs Leonard Fournette and Stanfords Christian McCaffrey are doing to avoid risk of injury.I just feel like Im going to take advantage of it really, showing the scouts Im back to my normal self and that I can compete at a high level after everything Ive been through, Conner said. Im playing, thats all I know.Just where the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Conner goes is up in the air. He said hes been unable to avoid draft projections -- most of which have him going in the middle to late rounds.I only need one team out of 32 to like my film, he said. Ive got to prepare myself for a good 40-yard dash time. Its up to me how far I get drafted.---More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '