4 Cowboys players that have disappointed so far in training camp
By Randy Gurzi
3. Ben DiNucci, QB
Every team in the NFL has a project player they want to see develop. For Dallas, the player they’re stuck on trying to groom is quarterback Ben DiNucci.
A seventh-round pick out of James Madison, DiNucci also spent time at Pitt and has ties to Mike McCarthy’s family. That could be why the coach isn’t willing to give up on him, but he probably should.
DiNucci was unimpressive as a rookie when he had to fill in for an injured Andy Dalton and hasn’t shown improvement since then. Calvin Watkins said the offense is “a mess” whenever he’s under center.
There is one saving grace for the young quarterback, which is his ability to make plays on the run. Watkins also shared a clip where No. 17 had to take off and he got a positive gain for the offense.
Ben DiNucci using his legs. After the play Mike McCarthy gave him a pat on the backside. pic.twitter.com/pNwRhoknPP
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) August 4, 2022
While that drew praise from McCarthy, young quarterbacks such as DiNucci need to be improving in the pocket during these practices. It’s fine to use your legs during the game, but the goal in practice is to get better — not to continually lean on the one thing you know.
Throw in the fact that Cooper Rush played well when called upon last season as well as Will Grier’s impressive play in camp, and it’s time to finally move on from DiNucci.