Tony Romo Trade Rumors: Chiefs To Cut Alex Smith And Get Cowboys Star QB?

As the NFL season wraps up Sunday, the Tony Romo trade rumors, and reports of which team he might head to aren’t about to die down. The longtime Dallas Cowboys quarterback is clearly on the way out due to the success of rookie Dak Prescott. However, it’s still unknown whether Romo will simply be able to sign with the team of his choice, or if owner Jerry Jones will make sure to receive something in exchange for his former star. The latest Romo rumors are suggesting a possible trade to the Kansas City Chiefs which could mean their franchise QB is also on the way out.

Over the past season in Dallas, rookie Dak Prescott emerged as the new leader on the field, helping the Cowboys to the top overall record in the NFC. The team captured the No. 1 seed for the NFC side of the playoffs, but ultimately fell in their first game to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. On Saturday night, Prescott was among NFL Honors award winners capturing the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year prize, based on his impressive leadership and consistent stats over the course of the season. All of that seems to further the notion that there’s no reason for Romo to stick around on the sidelines as this rookie is maturing quickly.

Romo has been mentioned as a possible trade acquisition for multiple teams with the Denver Broncos listed among his top choices. On Friday, NFL.com reported another possible trade rumor involving Romo to the Chiefs. However, it was also noted that after 14 seasons in the league, retirement is among the considerations for the Cowboys star. If Romo decides to continue playing, then Kansas City just might be his newest home, as NFL Network Insider Ian Rappaport mentioned that the Chiefs might want to upgrade their quarterback. Sorry, Alex Smith, you might be on the move as well.

The roster change would make sense, though. The Chiefs had high expectations for their latest season, finishing as the No. 2 seed in the AFC. However, Smith came up short in the AFC Divisional Round, as his team fell to Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately for Smith, the blame may fall upon his shoulders as the team may look to go in a new direction for postseason success.

Rappaport talked about how the Chiefs don’t seem to have any qualms with changing up their quarterback.

“It was noteworthy when Andy Reid was non-committal to Alex Smith. They’ve made a QB trade in the past, doing so for Alex Smith. They’d have to be considered someone who would be a possibility.”

The speculation is that if Dallas traded Tony Romo to the Kansas City Chiefs, then Alex Smith would be cut. The move would reportedly cost the Chiefs $7 million in “dead money” for their roster. However, if they were able to acquire Romo, it gives them a new veteran to try to guide them deeper into the playoffs.

Smith was the first overall pick in the NFL Draft back in 2005 by the San Francisco 49ers and spent his first seven seasons there. In the middle of the 2012 season, a concussion caused Smith to become the 49ers’ backup in favor of the talented young Colin Kaepernick. It almost seems a strange bit of irony that a former backup turned star, Alex Smith, would now get released by his team in favor of a former star turned backup, aka Tony Romo. However, based on the team’s recent history of failed playoff runs, it could make sense.

The Chiefs had a hot 9-0 start back in 2013, but in the postseason would end up losing late 45-44 to the Indianapolis Colts. The team failed to make the playoffs in 2014, but returned a season later. However, Tom Brandy and the New England Patriots were too much for them in the AFC Divisional Round. The same fate hit Alex Smith and Kansas City in these latest playoffs, with a Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, and his Steelers proving too much to handle. That certainly could have Kansas City Chiefs’ management parting ways with their quarterback to try new options. Will a Tony Romo trade end up being the solution to their issues?

[Featured Image by Jason Miller/Getty Images]