NFL Rumors: Could A Tony Romo Trade Be Happening Soon?
The Dallas Cowboys (5-1) are off to one of their best starts in franchise history sitting on top of the NFC East, and while their play on the field has given fans plenty of reasons to be happy, their ongoing drama with veteran quarterback Tony Romo still lingers in the background.
The 14-year veteran has yet to see any action this season after injuring his back during a preseason game in August. In his absence, rookie Dak Prescott has taken over as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback and he has been nothing short of impressive thus far. With Prescott already showing signs that he could be a potential megastar for Dallas in the foreseeable future, Romo’s future with the only team that he has ever played for in his entire career has had a cloud of uncertainty looming over it.
According to a report by ESPN, Romo took part in some passing drills during a portion of the Cowboys’ practice that was open to the media. This marks the first time that he has stepped back into the field since suffering a back injury in late August.
Cowboys fans may look at this as a positive sign seeing their franchise quarterback throwing passes in practice, but head coach Jason Garrett told reporters during a news conference that Romo would not participate in practice on Wednesday and is uncertain if Romo would do more later in the week.
Even with signs already pointing to Romo being healthy, Garrett has yet to give him his starting position back, and quite frankly, who could blame the coach for not doing so? Prescott has been an amazing substitute thus far for the oft injured Romo, and the Cowboys have been piling up wins because of it.
If Prescott continues to collect more wins for Dallas heading into the second half of the season, then the days of number 9 wearing a Cowboys uniform could be all but over. This alone could already give Romo a good reason to pack up his bags and start looking for another team that could use his services.
Rumors have been circulating that the New York Jets could be the team that he gets traded to.
The Jets have been struggling this season and are currently 2-5, which ranks them last in the AFC East. With starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick proving to be inconsistent and turnover prone, and backup Geno Smith having yet to prove anything, having a quarterback of Romo’s caliber could help bring some life back to a team that is in desperate need of a good signal caller. However, Romo’s constant injuries and his age could be huge factors in determining whether or not New York will sign him if the Cowboys do decide to trade their perennial Pro Bowler.
The Cowboys’ next game will be their week 9 match up against the winless Cleveland Browns – a game where Romo is still listed as “doubtful.” Dallas may be looking to wait until the offseason to release Romo. If this does happen, then Dallas will be able to clear up plenty of salary cap space which they can use to lure in more talent in the offseason. Moreover, Romo going to the Jets can also end up giving Dallas a second-round draft pick.
Romo is set to make $14 million in 2017, so it would take a little bit of magic for the Jets to acquire him in the offseason considering how they currently have $168.9 million in cap commitments for 2017 and with 48 players all under contract. If the Jets are somehow able to make something happen with their salary cap to get Romo, then it just might be able to give the franchise something to cheer about especially when you consider how they have been struggling at the quarterback position for the last few years.
Do you think the Jets should take a chance on an aging and injury-plagued Romo? Sound off in the comments below.
[Featured Image by Mark J. Terrill/AP Images]
