Tony Romo Trade Rumors: Which Team Is Best Fit For Trade With Dallas Cowboys?


Tony Romo trade rumors have picked up following the early success of quarterback Dak Prescott. A Romo trade is likely in the short-term future for the franchise, but it comes down to finding a deal that makes the most sense for the Dallas Cowboys. A report by USA Today addressed recent comments made by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who has recently been placing a lot of praise on Romo. It may have been very clear to Cowboys fans and NFL analysts that Jones was simply trying to improve the trade value of his veteran quarterback.

It has also been made very clear that the future of the Dallas Cowboys is now in the hands of rookie quarterback Dak Prescott. Coming into the 2016 NFL season, there was a lot of debate about whether Prescott was ready to lead a team, and whether he was simply holding the spot until Romo was healthy enough to play again. Now that Romo is ready to be a quarterback again, it appears that the job has been filled for the next few years. This has created a lot of chatter about a Romo trade, even though nothing materialized before the in-season deadline.

So what teams are getting mentioned in the latest Tony Romo trade rumors? It’s not a short list, as any team that is struggling to find consistency at the quarterback position is getting linked to the Dallas Cowboys. The report from USA Today put everything very succinctly when it comes to the crop of free agents for the 2017 NFL season.

“If you think you can win now, and the list of free-agent options starts with Jay Cutler (assuming he’s cut), Colin Kaepernick (assuming he voids his contract), Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, Mike Glennon, EJ Manuel, Brian Hoyer, Blaine Gabbert, Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith, why not at least consider a four-time Pro Bowl pick who had his best season in 2014?”

[Image by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images]

The team most mentioned as a possible trade partner with the Cowboys is the Cleveland Browns. The team has struggled to find the answer at quarterback, even selecting Johnny Manziel in the NFL Draft to try to find a player who could lead the team back to the postseason. Sitting at 0-9 to start the 2016 NFL season, the team has been trying many different options at quarterback this season. Nothing has worked, leading to some big questions during the next offseason. Could the Browns target Tony Romo and look to fill a different need with the No. 1 overall selection?

Another team that has come up in Romo trade talks is the Arizona Cardinals. The team may be ready to move on from Carson Palmer, putting the Cardinals in a position to find a new quarterback that is ready to compete immediately. The roster has a lot of veteran players who could be elevated with the right player behind center. The Cardinals aren’t the only team that may look to move on from current situations, as the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, and New York Jets may want to “kick the tires” on possibly acquiring Romo as well.

[Image by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]

Having Tony Romo on the roster could be very helpful to the Dallas Cowboys should Dak Prescott get banged up toward the end of this season. He knows the roster well and Romo could easily fill in the way that Drew Bledsoe did to carry Tom Brady to a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots. Romo will remain with the team through the end of the 2017 NFL Playoffs, but beyond that is where the questions start to really surface for the front office.

Romo is signed through the 2019 NFL season, but his contract isn’t fully guaranteed over that time. An in-depth report by Inside The Star breaks down how Romo has $19.6 million in dead money for the 2017 NFL season that can be split to $10.7 million in 2017 and then $8.9 million in 2018. This would only take place if the team traded or released him after a June 1 deadline in the deal. His base salary is at just $14 million, making it more affordable to another team.

Dealing a player with a hefty contract is tough to do in the NFL, so Jerry Jones will have to be very creative in his negotiations to pull off a deal where another franchise takes on Romo’s contract. If another team gets desperate enough, though, a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback isn’t the worst option in the world if he can stay healthy. While the Tony Romo trade rumors can’t lead to anything until the NFL offseason, Dallas Cowboys fans should expect that Romo won’t be on the roster next year, whether it is through a trade or an outright release.

[Featured Image by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images]

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