The Tony Romo watch has been in full force since the Dallas Cowboys quarterback was activated off injured reserve in November, but it’s no clearer now where the 36-year-old will be next season than it was then.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones appeared on Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday and admitted he has no idea where Romo will end up in 2017. Jones dished out plenty of praise for his former starting QB, but there simply isn’t a place for him on the Cowboys’ roster with Dak Prescott at the helm.
“It’s no secret that I just think so much of him as a person and think so much of him as a player,” Jones said, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “The team we have, especially the offensive side of the ball, was built for Tony. So this is what it is. It’s a juncture that we have to address.
“I don’t know how ultimately we will resolve this. Nobody should be alarmed because you don’t have all the answers. There are some issues here that you just got to see how the cards are played. But we’ll work through this. We have a sound enough foundation together that on an individual basis we’ll get through this.”
Although Jones doesn’t say it, the chances of Romo remaining in Dallas are pretty slim. He’d be a $24.7 million backup if he stays, so the Cowboys likely are trying to gauge what they could receive for him in return. Plenty of teams are in need of an upgrade at quarterback, including the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans and New York Jets.
But don’t be surprised if this isn’t resolved soon. The NFL free agency period, when Romo officially can be traded, doesn’t start until March 9, and the Cowboys will still have the option to release him if they can’t find any takers. If that’s the case, Romo’s future could be in limbo for even longer, as Dallas will be able to split the $19.6 million Romo is owed in 2017 over two seasons if they cut him after June 1.
Thumbnail photo via Erich Schlegel/USA TODAY Sports Images
