NFL Rumors: Will Tony Romo Back Injury Land Geno Smith In Dallas?
The Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback situation has gotten serious with Tony Romo suffering a severe back injury in the team’s third preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks.
As reported by the NFL, an MRI on Romo’s back revealed a broken bone that will keep him out of the NFL for at least six weeks.
In just the third play from scrimmage, and Romo’s first drive of the season, Tony Romo was hit from behind by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Cliff Avril. At first, according to the Dallas News, Tony’s injury didn’t appear to be serious, and the Cowboys quarterback felt like he dodged a bullet.
Tony Romo walks off the field with an apparent injury after being tackled. #DALvsSEA https://t.co/IILl1huJth
— NFL (@NFL) August 26, 2016
“The fact we dodge a bullet is a good thing,” Romo said after the game. “I also think probably from the back being stronger allowed me to probably get through that.”
But that apparently was not the case and now Dallas is scrambling for the second year in a row to win games in Tony’s absence. Romo missed practically the entire 2015 season last year when he was injured in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles last year. The fact that he was still recovering from the broken collarbone and had previous back surgeries earlier in his career led Dallas to err on the side of caution in bringing him back into a meaningless preseason game.
Tony Romo says the back injury that knocked him out of last night’s game was minor, and he could have kept playing https://t.co/oA7AmmOzm3
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 26, 2016
“I mean obviously, we were being smart,” Romo said. “In a weird way, I feel good about the fact that was probably as tough of a hit I’ve taken on the back as I’ve had in the last five years.”
But the fact that the team went 0-11 with Romo out of the lineup last season and they haven’t made the move to bring in a veteran backup has many fans worried and pundits wondering whether or not they’re truly ready to hand the reigns over to rookie Dak Prescott, who has impressed thus far in three preseason outings.
On ESPN‘s Mike and Mike on Friday, Mike Greenberg posed the question to NFL insider Ed Werder about the possibility that Dallas would now be on the move for a veteran considering what happened in the game last night.
“We know they were interested in Nick Foles at a point, we know they were interested in Josh McCown,” Werder said. “They have said ‘We’re not making phone calls anymore’ and maybe that’s the direction they’ll go but there is some risk involved in doing that.”
Werder continued his point, stressing that the preseason is much different than the regular season.
“I think Dak’s done nothing but inspire confidence but I think anyone will tell you its a different game when the season starts.”
From there, Greenberg – a lifelong Jets fan – then jumped to Geno Smith as a possibility considering the quarterback controversy brewing in New York with second year man Bryce Petty forcing his way into the backup QB conversation. According to Greeny, his take on the eventual outcome is that Geno will indeed be cut from the team leaving him free to sign with a team like Dallas who might jump at the chance at grabbing a veteran QB to back Romo up.
“I assume he’ll get claimed and get another opportunity,” Werder told Greenberg. “People did have high draft grades on him. There were concerns obviously and many of those have been realized. Given the status of quarterback play around the NFL and lack of depth I think someone will sign him I just don’t think Dallas will be that team.”
Which, for many Dallas fans, is a sigh of relief considering how poorly Geno’s play is perceived around the league.
Still, with Romo’s latest injury at play, Dallas will now have to exhaust every option at backup quarterback and that could include Geno Smith. Because while Dak Prescott is looking like the next Russell Wilson, lightning doesn’t often strike twice.
[Tony Romo photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images. Geno Smith photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images]
