There was speculation all offseason that quarterback Kyle Orton was considering retirement as he skipped various activities. The Cowboys ultimately released Orton after he indicated that he was not going to retire and was going to continue to play.
“We really didn’t have to get to the decision that we ultimately made to release him since he was retiring during the entire offseason,” Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News.. “So we didn’t have to get to that point. Once he gave an indication that he was not going to retire and come back with all the other aspects of not having participated in the spring work that we did and what have you, then it was decision time on our part.”
Jones said that the decision was a financial move to create $3.25 million in cap space, money that could be used to sign players like wide receiver Dez Bryant and left tackle Tyron Smith to extensions.
“It’s important to understand we were paying Kyle a lot of money and that money can go toward paying a pretty good football player that can help us win in our judgment more than having that much invested in his position at backup quarterback,” Jones said. “It will go to that and other things. A dollar that you’re not paying to a player or under one contract does not have a single place to go or a single goal.”
Former Oklahoma State and Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden is now the man behind Tony Romo on the depth chart.