OXNARD, Calif. -- Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback Kellen Moore suffered a broken right leg in Tuesday's practice, which puts even more stress on a position many believed needed help behind Tony Romo already.
On what was scheduled to be Moore's second-to-last team snap of practice Tuesday, guard Jared Smith was pushed back by defensive lineman Lawrence Okoye and stepped on Moore's right ankle as the QB was making a throw to the sideline. Moore remained on the ground for a bit before he was able to limp off. He was helped to a trainer's table and later carted to the locker room with an immobilization splint on his right leg.
After practice, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said the initial diagnosis was a broken leg, and Moore would get X-rays at a local hospital. Jones was unsure whether Moore would require surgery and how much time he would miss.
A source said Moore suffered a broken right fibula and will need surgery. He is looking at a two- to three-month recovery, depending on surgery findings, according to a source.
"It's regrettable, and we'll basically just take a look at it and address it there," Jones said. "I don't have any comments about what, if anything, we'll be doing there."
With Romo's recent injury history, the backup position is ultra-important to the Cowboys. Romo, who turned 36 in April, missed 12 games last season because of a twice-broken left collarbone. He had two back surgeries in 2013. The Cowboys went 1-11 with Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel and Moore starting games in Romo's absence to finish 4-12 last season, their worst finish since a 1-15 mark in 1989.
The Cowboys have backed Moore as Romo's backup throughout the offseason. He played in three games last season, started the final two and finished with four touchdown passes and six interceptions. In the season-ending loss to the Washington Redskins, he completed 33 of 48 passes for 435 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
In free agency, the Cowboys did not go after high-priced backups such as Chase Daniel and Colt McCoy, but they met with veteran Matt Moore, who opted to remain with the Miami Dolphins. Last week, Jones said veteran Nick Foles was not an option, mostly because the Cowboys have four quarterbacks on the roster. With Moore's injury, that could change.
Rookie Dak Prescott took the second-team snaps after Moore's injury. The Cowboys selected Prescott in the fourth round of the draft. He was the first quarterback drafted by the Cowboys since 2009.
"It's an opportunity for me to take more reps, get more snaps, and it's something I'm going to come in and make sure I'm ready for," Prescott said. "I'm going to go study this film and continue to study it ... and take everything from the film room what I've learned and take it to the field."
Undrafted free agent Jameill Showers is in his second year and has been sharing the third-team work with Prescott.
Moore had waited five years to be in a position to be the No. 2 quarterback after a record-setting career at Boise State. He spent four seasons with the Detroit Lions after making the team as an undrafted free agent but did not play in a game. It was his connection with Scott Linehan there that led him to the Cowboys last summer, first on the practice squad and then on the active roster.
He spoke over the weekend about the excitement of the opportunity, but now he has to deal with a broken leg.
"Your heart hurts for him because he just works really hard," tight end Jason Witten said. "He's constantly taking notes. He's studying. He's communicating. And at that position -- I've seen it with Tony for a long time as we came in -- you never know when your [opportunity] is going to happen. He'll continue to fight. That's what he is. That's who he's been his whole life. He'll bounce back, I'm sure."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.