Things are a little bit different from Brandon Weeden this time.
Even though he’ll be taking first team reps in Cowboys minimcap this week, he knows it’s because starter Tony Romo is still recovering from back surgery and Kyle Orton may or may not ever show up.
And he’s OK with that.
“It’s definitely a breath of fresh air,” Weeden said, via Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. “I’m excited to be here. I love coming to work every day. It’s a fun environment.”
When he says it like that, it’s almost like it wasn’t in Cleveland, when he was thrown into a team in flux as a rookie. The flux hasn’t stopped, as he’s on his fourth head coach in as many years. But at least the weight of expectations is gone.
“Brandon has done a nice job. He gets in the huddle and handles himself like an NFL quarterback,” coach Jason Garrett said. “He’s getting all the first reps, and it’s great for him. When Troy Aikman was hurt I got the first reps, and it was the greatest thing that ever happened in my life. You’re playing, you’re learning, you’re making mistakes and you’re growing, and when you kind of go back into your role you’re better for it. So this is a really good thing for him.”
If nothing else, he’s solid insurance in case Orton never shows up, and though he’s not young, he’s still got time to develop into a solid backup while he’s there.