Dallas Cowboys invite quarterback Mike Hohensee to rookie minicamp for tryout

The Dallas Cowboys are trying out former Northwest Missouri State star quarterback Mike Hohensee Jr. during rookie minicamp this weekend. The team’s roster for rookie minicamp revealed that Hohensee will join the eight draft picks and dozen undrafted free agents. He is the son of former USFL, CFL, NFL and AFL player-turned-coach Mike Hohensee, who was a replacement player for the Chicago Bears during the NFL’s strike of 1987.

The undrafted rookie free agent played both quarterback and punter for the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats. He’s 6-foot-2 and 196 pounds, according to his NWMS profile. He finished his Bearcat career with 6,488 passing yards and 7,124 yards of total offense. In 2021, Hohensee set the Bearcat single-season passing completion percentage mark at 73.4% while going 148-for-201.

As a senior in 2023, Hohensee went 148-of-237 passing for 1,974 yards. He averaged 219.3 passing yards per game and threw 22 touchdowns, which ranked fifth in the MIAA.

Behind starter Dak Prescott, the Cowboys have backup QB Cooper Rush, and former first-round pick Trey Lance as his understudy. Though some speculated ahead of the draft that they would add another to their ranks, the team didn’t pick up any quarterbacks during the draft or in the post-draft undrafted free agent signing rush. Hohensee now has a chance to impress at rookie minicamp and add to the team’s depth at QB.

Broncos cut former Cowboys QB Ben DiNucci

The Denver Broncos made a roster cut on Wednesday, releasing former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci. DiNucci spent the 2023 NFL season on the Broncos practice squad after going through a similar sign and release last offseason. He was the third quarterback on the roster behind Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham – then the team drafted Bo Nix out of Oregon with the No. 12 overall pick.

The Broncos could pick DiNucci back up for the practice squad if he doesn’t find another active roster situation. Last year, in Denver’s 41-0 preseason win over the L.A. Rams, DiNucci went 11-for-15 for 117 yards and one touchdown. The team ultimately waived him when it came time to make the 53-man roster cut before the start of the regular season.

Following his release, DiNucci took to social media to announce the news. He also wrote: “Excited for what’s to come.”

The Dallas Cowboys drafted DiNucci in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In his limited playing time on the field during the 2020 season with Dak Prescott injured, he made one start and appeared in three games for Dallas.

The Cowboys cut DiNucci after the final round of releases in the 2022 offseason. He finished his Dallas career with an 0-1 record, 23-of-43 passes completed for 219 yards and zero touchdowns.