Benching Kitna would be in the Cowboys' best interests

Dallas Cowboys fans should love John Kitna. If anyone told you at the beginning of the season that Kitna would have to start eight games for the Cowboys, I'm betting even the most optimistic would not have believed Kitna would be .500 in those games and 4-2 since a coaching change. To say he has exceeded all expectations is a gross understatement. He has outperformed starter and overrated Tony Romo.

If all the above is true, then why bench him for the final two games of the season? The reason is that as good as Kitna has been, he is definitely not the future of the Dallas Cowboys. And, in the best interests of the Cowboys, Romo shouldn't be either. That's why starting Stephen McGee these last two games makes sense. Let's face it, the Cowboys aren't going to be playing any more games this season after their next two games. The worst thing that could happen is that McGee is a total bust and Dallas gets blown out against Arizona and Philadelphia. The other side of that coin is that McGee could have a pair of 300-yard passing games and lead the Boys to a pair of wins. You never know and you'll never going to know unless you stick the kid in a real game situation.

I am a big proponent of the Cowboys drafting Arkansas' Ryan Mallett. As things stand now, the Cowboys have the eighth pick in the draft and worse case scenario could make that pick higher. I'm convinced Mallett is going to make a superb NFL quarterback and he should be available when it comes time for the Cowboys could pick. (Even Cam Newton -- the next Michael Vick -- could be available since most of the teams drafting ahead of the Cowboys have their franchise-QB-of-the-future in place already.) There's a possibility, however, that the Cowboys might not even need a signal-caller when they draft, but they will never know unless they give McGee a meaningful opportunity to display what talents he has right now. That presents the possibility that the Cowboys could already have their quarterback of the future and they could use that first round pick to fill a real need at offensive line or safety.