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Tony Romo made headlines once again yesterday when reports surfaced that he is expecting to be released, not traded. Reactions were predictably swift.
Source says Tony Romo expecting release, not trade, and believes he can start as #NFL QB 2-3 more seasons despite turning 37, injury history
— Ed Werder (@Edwerderespn) February 16, 2017
And Part II from @Edwerderespn on SportsCenter: "The team that (Romo) seems focused on right now is the Houston Texans." https://t.co/gNEzoIlJlf
— Jerome Solomon (@JeromeSolomon) February 16, 2017
Houston Texans: Tony Romo Instantly Makes Team Super Bowl Contenders - Luke Sims, NFLSpinzone
The Texans make a lot of sense for Romo.
With the Super Bowl window only open so long, the Texans desperately need a quarterback like Romo who can best utilize offensive weapons like DeAndre Hopkins and Lamar Miller and enable the team to not squander one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Texans are, quite literally, just a quarterback away.
Often overlooked in favor of passers like Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady, Romo has quietly put together a Hall of Fame-level resume that simply needs a Super Bowl as a crowning achievement. After squandering much of 2010-15, the Cowboys are now ready to make a Super Bowl run, but, in an ironic twist, it is with a different quarterback at the helm.
Our sister blog on SB Nation for the Texans gives the thumbs up to Romo in Houston.
Romo’s coming to QB-desperate Houston makes plenty of sense. The Texans are currently set at quarterback if Romo gets hurt, with Brock Osweiler and Tom Savage under contract for 2017. Or they could jettison one of those guys in favor of a QB they select in the 2017 NFL Draft.
If Romo is truly looking for a good situation, with weapons and a good defense capable of making a deep run in the playoffs, rather than a big paycheck, Houston may be his best option.
The oddsmakers have identified a handful of favorites for Romo’s services in 2017
Denver Broncos (+300)
Dallas Cowboys (+350)
Chicago Bears (+400)
San Francisco 49ers (+600)
Houston Texans (+800)
The field (+250)
Bill Parcells: I would not just give Tony Romo away for nothing - Steven Mullenax, The Landry Hat
When the Tuna speaks, the other fish need to shut up.
“I’d try not to release [Tony Romo],” said former Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells when ask about how he’d handle the current Romo situation in Dallas during a recent interview on ESPNLA 710 AM.
“He does represent value. And getting something is always better than getting nothing. Now, I’m sure Jerry Jones owes a debt of gratitude to Tony and that’s all well and good. But he represents an asset to the organization. I would just not give that away for nothing.”
Dave wonders how much credence we should give these reports.
This isn’t to say that releasing him is not what will ultimately happen. Getting a trade done for Romo is not without problems, one them likely being that a new team would probably want to re-work Romo’s contract, so Romo would still have some input on any trade deal.
There have been various reports of what the Cowboys could get for Romo, from as high as maybe a second-rounder, down to a low of a conditional pick in the later rounds. How much will Jerry Jones and the Cowboys hold out for, and how much will the close relationship between Jones and Romo play into any trade? Those are unknowns at this time, but you have to believe the Cowboys are going to try and maximize what they can get out of sending Romo away from Dallas. And that is likely a draft pick if they can get it.
Life is always bigger than sports.
The sports world has more than a few individuals who seem to think the world revolves around them. Each one of us could name several. Still, the vast majority of professional athletes and organizations do their part to give back to the communities the represent. The Dallas Cowboys, collectively and on an individual basis, are one such organization.
This particular cause hits close to home for the organization. Running backs coach Gary Brown’s daughter has chronic myeloid leukemia, and someday she may require a blood marrow transplant. Regardless of if she does or does not, the team is hosting an event for potential donors to enroll in a national database. Lives will be saved because of what the Cowboys are doing with TeamConnor.
TeamConnor founder Joy Cruse said Kim Brown, the wife of Cowboys running backs coach Gary Brown, was instrumental in getting the Cowboys involved in the marrow drive.
“We did an event for the Cowboys wives. They have a foundation. They came to it and we met Kim Brown and her daughter Malena. My son (Connor) had neuroblastoma. We really hit it off with a good conversation,” Cruse said. “They wanted to get involved with TeamConnor. Malena is a senior in high school and very well-spoken. She has been kind of a spokesperson for us. Lovely, lovely woman. This is kind of always been on her heart to do these bone marrow registries and help, maybe ultimately herself, but also others.
“This is kind of a natural fit to join in with the Cowboys in this way.”
Free Agent Overview: Healthy T. McClain Had Solid Impact On D-Line - Kurt Daniels, DallasCowboys.com
The Mothership moves on in its annual evaluation of the team’s current corps of free agents. This time around it is Terrell McClain who is up for review. Daniels puts forth the standard arguments for and against keeping the defensive tackle in Dallas and then former scout turned writer Bryan Broaddus attempts to read the tea leaves and tell us what is going to happen.
Was a nice combination with Maliek Collins inside – disruptive pair. One defensive player that I would try re-sign but others around the league are watching the same tape. Will be interesting to see if the front office can get him back. Great scheme fit.
VIDEO: Draft Show: Looking Ahead To The Combine - DallasCowboys.com
Speaking of the folks over at the Mothership, the crew is also prepping for the next major event on slate for the college prospects who hope to find themselves a part of the National Football League in 2017. Three hundred prospects will descend on Indianapolis in less than two weeks for the Underwear Olympics, so make sure you get up to speed early because it is about to get interesting around here.
To get a 'war daddy', it will cost the Cowboys - Todd Archer, ESPN
It has been a while since we saw a true “War Daddy” wearing the star, and many Cowboys scribes have spilled a lot of ink in the past few seasons and we will do so again this off-season.
The Cowboys do have options to find their War Daddy, but as Archer points out, no matter the route, or routes, they choose; a player of that caliber comes with a price.
If Jones wants his war daddy, he will have to spend money in free agency or make some kind of trade up in the first round or for a proven commodity.
They don’t come cheap.
Neither does the chance to win a Super Bowl.
Dallas rolled the dice on Jaylon Smith last year, despite the fact that it would be a year before he would see the field, and with the knowledge that it could potentially never happen. The news is all positive thus far, but it would not be unreasonable for the team to also hedge its bet on Smith by drafting another linebacker in 2017.
There are a few intriguing options available should the Cowboys want to go this route.
While the folks at the Mothership are looking at the players Dallas should keep or let go, Hairopoulos takes the opposite approach. With two receivers, Terrance Williams and Brice Butler potentially moving one, she looks at other proven receivers who might be brought into the fold to pair with Dez Bryant and Cole Beasley. One of them is Cordarelle Patterson:
The Cowboys coaching staff worried about limiting the 6-2 Patterson on kick returns when they faced the Vikings in December, and he ended up with three returns for 80 yards. The 25-year-old out of Tennessee had 52 catches for 453 yards and two touchdowns in 2016, but he totaled 792 yards and a touchdown on kick returns. He told NFL.com that he wants to be a bigger part of the offense if he returns to Minnesota. There's even been speculation about Patterson's potential as a running back, which is a credit to his playmaking ability with the ball in his hands. Still, he averaged only 8.7 yards per catch.
"Mr. Cowboy." That name tells you all you need to know about how the faithful feel about Dallas legend Bob Lilly. A good number of us who are members of the younger generation never had the chance to see Lilly in action, but we know that the franchise was built in part on his groundwork.
The staff at DMN have taken a few moments and put together a piece to ensure that the younger generation knows what they need to know about the greatest Cowboy of them all.