I decided to take some time and rank all of the QBs that have started at least 1 game for the Dallas Cowboys since 1980.  Here is a look at my rankings:

 1. Troy Aikman – Troy Aikman led the Cowboys to 3 Super Bowl Titles in his time as the starting QB.  The Cowboys were 94-71 (57.0%) in games started by Aikman.  He played in 165 games (all starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 2,898 of 4,715 passes (61.5%) for 32,942 yards with 165 TD passes and 141 INTs (81.6 QB Rating).  Aikman also carried the ball 327 times for 1,016 yards (3.1 ypc) with 9 TD runs.  Aikman made it to 6 Pro Bowls with the Cowboys and he was inducted into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame in 2006.

 2. Tony Romo – Tony Romo might get criticized a lot but at the end of the day, he’s a pretty darn good QB.  The Cowboys are 39-22 (63.9%) when he starts at QB.  Romo has played in 89 games (61 starts) for the Cowboys and he has completed 1,326 of 2,070 passes (64.1%) for 16,650 yards with 118 TD passes and 62 INTs (95.5 QB Rating).  Romo has also carried the ball 136 times for 413 yards (3.0 ypc) with 3 TD carries.  Romo has made it to 3 Pro Bowls already in his career with the Cowboys.

 3. Danny White – Danny White did everything for the Cowboys as he was also the punter for quite a few years.  White was 61-30 (67%) as the starting QB for the Cowboys in the 1980′s.  White played in 106 games (91 starts) for the Cowboys in the 1980′s and he completed 1,705 of 2,847 passes (59.9%) for 21,229 yards with 152 TD passes and 126 INTs.  He also carried the ball 146 times for 435 yards (3.0 ypc) with 8 TD runs and he also caught 3 passes for 18 yards (6.0 avg).   White punted the ball 308 times for 12,404 yards (40.3 avg) in the 1980′s for the Cowboys.  White made it to 1 Pro Bowl in the 1980′s for the Cowboys.

 4. Drew Bledsoe – Drew Bledsoe wasn’t with the Cowboys long, but he played pretty well for them.  The Cowboys were 12-10 (54.5%) when Bledsoe started at QB.  Bledsoe played in 22 games (all starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 390 of 668 passes (58.4%) for 4,803 yards with 30 TD passes and 25 INTs (80.1 QB Rating).  Bledsoe also carried the ball 42 times for 78 yards (1.9 ypc) with 4 TD runs for the Cowboys.

 5. Jon Kitna – Jon Kitna played pretty solid football for the Cowboys when Tony Romo went down to injury last year.  Kitna is 4-5 (44.4%) as the Cowboys’ starting QB, so far.  Kitna has played in 10 games (9 starts) for the Cowboys and he has completed 209 of 318 passes (65.7%) for 2,365 yards with 16 TD passes and 12 INTs (88.9 QB Rating).  Kitna also carried the ball 31 times for 147 yards (4.7 ypc) with 1 TD run.

 6. Jason Garrett – Jason Garrett was Troy Aikman’s backup and he was a really good one.  The Cowboys were 6-3 (66.7%) when Garrett started for them.  Garrett played in 23 games (9 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 165 of 294 passes (56.1%) for 2,042 yards with 11 TD passes and 5 INTs (83.2 QB Rating).  Garrett also carried the ball 29 times for 15 yards (0.5 ypc) for the Cowboys. 

 7. Quincy Carter – Quincy Carter was a so-so QB for the Cowboys.  The Cowboys were 16-15 (51.6%) when Carter started at QB.  Carter played in 31 games (all starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 507 of 902 passes (56.2%) for 5,839 yards with 29 TD passes and 36 INTs (70.0 QB Rating).  Carter carried the ball 140 times for 498 yards (3.6 ypc) with 3 TD runs for the Cowboys.

 8. Vinny Testaverde – Testaverde wasn’t with the Cowboys long and he was so-so for them.  Testaverde was 5-10 (33.3%) as the Cowboys’ starting QB.  Testaverde played in 16 games (15 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 297 of 495 passes (60%) for 3,532 yards with 17 TD passes and 20 INTs (76.4 QB Rating).  Testaverde also carried the ball 21 times for 38 yards (1.8 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Cowboys.

 9. Steve Pelluer – Steve Pelluer was a running QB that didn’t have a lot of success for the Cowboys.  The Cowboys were 8-19 (29.6%) when Pelluer started at QB.  Pelluer played in 47 games (27 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 520 of 922 passes (56.4%) for 6,555 yards with 28 TD passes and 38 INTs (71.7 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 120 times for 709  yards (5.9 ypc) with 4 TD runs for the Cowboys.

10. Steve Beuerlein – Beuerlein was a decent backup QB for the Cowboys.  The Cowboys were 4-0 when Beuerlein started at QB.  He played in 24 games (4 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 80 for 155 passes (51.6%) for 1,061 yards with 5 TD passes and 3 INTs (76.3 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 11 times for -21 yards (-1.9 ypc) for the Cowboys.

11. Randall Cunningham – Randall Cunningham was also a decent backup for the Cowboys.  The Cowboys were 1-2 (33.3%) when Cunningham started at QB.  Cunningham played in 6 games (3 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 74 of 125 passes (59.2%) for 849 yards with 6 TD passes and 4 INTs (82.4 QB Rating).  Cunningham also carried the ball 23 times for 89 yards (3.9 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Cowboys.

12. Rodney Peete – Rodney Peete played really solid football for the Cowboys, but he was only with them a short time.  Peete was 1-0 as the starting QB for the Cowboys.  Peete played in 7 games (1 start) for the Cowboys and he completed 33 of 56 passes (58.9%) for 470 yards with 4 TD passes and 1 INT (102.5 QB Rating).  Peete also carried the ball 9 times for -2 yards (-0.2 ypc) for the Cowboys.

13.  Bernie Kosar – Bernie Kosar was with the Cowboys for a limited time but he played well for them.  The Cowboys were 0-1 when Kosar started for them at QB.  Kosar played in 4 games (1 start) for the Cowboys and he completed 36 of 63 passes (57.1%) for 410 yards with 3 TD passes and 0 INTs (92.7 QB Rating).  Kosar also carried the ball 9 times for 7 yards (0.8 ypc) for the Cowboys.

14. Stephen McGee – Stephen McGee got into the first action of his NFL career last year and it went well.  He won his only start last year for the Cowboys.  McGee has played in 2 games (1 start) for the Cowboys and he has completed 22 of 44 passes (50%) for 238 yards with 2 TD passes and 0 INTs (81.4 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 13 times for 74 yards (5.7 ypc) last year.

15. Gary Hogeboom – Gary Hogeboom just wasn’t that good of a QB for the Cowboys.  The Cowboys were 6-6 (50%) when he started at QB.  Hogeboom played in 45 games (12 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 279 of 518 passes (53.9%) for 3,550 yards with 13 TD passes and 23 INTs (65.4 QB Rating).  Hogeboom also carried the ball 32 times for 57 yards (1.8 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Cowboys.

16. Chad Hutchinson – Chad Hutchinson had a rough time in Dallas.  The Cowboys were 2-7 (22.2%) when Hutchinson started at QB.  Hutchinson played in 10 games (9 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 128 of 252 passes (50.8%) for 1,563 yards with 7 TD passes and 8 INTs (66.3 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 20 times for 71 yards (3.6 ypc) for the Cowboys.

17. Kevin Sweeney – Kevin Sweeney wasn’t a very accurate passer but he seemed to get good results somehow.  The Cowboys were 2-2 (50%) when Sweeney started at QB.  Sweeney played in 6 games (4 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 47 of 106 passes (44.3%) for 605 yards with 7 TD passes and 6 INTs (61.2 QB Rating).  Sweeney also carried the ball 11 times for 42 yards (3.8 ypc) for the Cowboys.

18. Brad Johnson – Brad Johnson was as old as dirt when he came to the Cowboys and it showed.  The Cowboys were 1-2 (33.3%) with Johnson as the starting QB.  Johnson played in 32 games (3 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 48 of 89 passes (53.9%) for 506 yards with 2 TD passes and 5 INTs (54.8 QB Rating).  Johnson also carried the ball 7 times for -6 yards (-0.9 ypc) for the Cowboys.

19. Wade Wilson – Wade Wilson didn’t play too well for the Cowboys.  They lost Wilson’s only start at QB for them.  Wilson played in 17 games (1 start) for the Cowboys and he completed 58 of 96 passes (60.4%) for 585 yards with 1 TD pass and 4 INTs (63.9 QB Rating).  Wilson also carried the ball 20 times for 15 yards (0.8 ypc) with the Cowboys.

20. Steve Walsh – Steve Walsh was only with the Cowboys a  short time and he didn’t play too well for them.  Walsh was 1-4 (20%) as the Cowboys’ starting QB.  Walsh played in 9 games (5 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 114 of 228 passes (50%) for 1,411 yards with 5 TD passes and 9 INTs (60.4 QB Rating).  Walsh also carried the ball 7 times for 16 yards (2.3 ypc) for the Cowboys.

21. Clint Stoerner – Clint Stoerner played a little bit better than the Cowboys’ brass thought he would.  He was 1-1 (50%) as the starting QB for the Cowboys.  Stoerner played in 6 games (2 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 29 of 54 passes (53.7%) for 367 yards with 4 TD passes and 5 INTs (61.3 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 9 times for 27 yards (3.0 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Cowboys.

22. Anthony Wright – Anthony Wright was pretty awful for the Cowboys.  The Cowboys were 1-4 (20%) in games started by Wright.  Wright played in 8 games (5 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 70 of 151 passes (46.4%) for 766 yards with 5 TD passes and 8 INTs (50.8 QB Rating).  Wright also carried the ball 29 times for 93 yards (3.2 ypc) for the Cowboys.

23. Drew Henson – Drew Henson tried to come back to football with the Cowboys after trying to make it at baseball.   The Cowboys won Henson’s only start with the Cowboys.  Henson played in 7 games (1 start) for the Cowboys and he completed 10 of 18 passes (55.6%) for 78 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT (61.8 QB Rating).  Henson also carried the ball 1 time for 7 yards with the Cowboys.

24. Ryan Leaf – After his disaster in San Diego, Leaf made a short one year stop in Dallas where he played his last NFL game of his career.  The Cowboys were 0-3 with Leaf as the starting QB.  Leaf played in 4 games (3 starts) for the Cowboys and he completed 45 of 88 passes (51.1%) for 494 yards with 1 TD pass and 3 INTs (57.7 QB Rating).  Leaf also carried the ball 4 times for -7 yards (-1.8 ypc) for the Cowboys.

25. Glenn Carano – Glenn Carano wasn’t very accurate but he made some big plays in his short time with the Cowboys.  The Cowboys won Carano’s only start with the Cowboys.  Carano played in 31 games (1 start) for the Cowboys and he completed 21 of 57 passes (36.8%) for 304 yards with 3 TD passes and 1 INT (65.2 QB Rating).  Carano also carried the ball 12 times for 15 yards (1.3 ypc) with the Cowboys.

26. Reggie Collier – Reggie Collier was a scrambling QB.  Collier lost his only start for the Cowboys at QB.  Collier played in 4 games (1 start) for the Cowboys and he completed 8 of 15 passes (53.3%) for 96 yards with 1 TD pass and 2 INTs (55.8 QB Rating).  Collier also carried the ball 6 times for 53 yards (8.8 ypc) for the Cowboys.

27.  Babe Laufenberg – Babe Laufenberg was putrid for the Cowboys.  They lost Laufenberg’s only start.  He played in 7 games (1 start) for the Cowboys and he completed 24 of 67 passes (35.8%) for 279 yards with 1 TD pass and 6 INTs (16.9 QB Rating).  Laufenberg also carried the ball 2 times for 6 yards (3.0 ypc) with the Cowboys.

So there you have it, that’s how I view the starting QBs of the last 31 years for the Dallas Cowboys.

The Dallas Cowboys came into this draft wanting to help the offensive line and the defense and I think they were successful in those ventures.  OT Tyron Smith came to the Cowboys in the first round and he should be a starter from Day #1.  He was probably the best offensive lineman in this draft and the Cowboys were ecstatic to see him waiting for them with the 9th overall pick.  They added OG David Arkin in the 4th round and C/G Bill Nagy in the 7th round to help out the depth on the O-Line.  Arkin could develop into a starter down the road.  OLB Bruce Carter slid to the Cowboys in the second round due to a knee injury and the Cowboys were happy with this pick.  RB DeMarco Murray and FB Shaun Chapas were also added to provide some thump in the running game.

PROJECTED GRADE:  B+