Tony Romo - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Cowboys’ Tony Romo Decision

March 4th, 2017 at 7:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jerry Jones fielded 33 Tony Romo-related questions today in an expansive interview today, and while nothing has been decided about a possible trade or release just yet, the owner will not be watching his longtime franchise quarterback play for the Redskins.

A Romo-to-Washington scenario is a non-starter for Jones, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. There is also an unspoken understanding, per Hill, that Romo will not sign with the Redskins if he becomes a free agent. A report circulated on Friday that had a three-team blockbuster trade — one sending Romo to the Redskins, Kirk Cousins to the 49ers and draft picks to the Cowboys — hovering as a possible scenario.

Jones emphasized the team will treat Romo respectfully here and not trade him to a destination where he wouldn’t want to land. The owner met with the 36-year-old quarterback before the Super Bowl at Cowboys headquarters. Romo did not ask to be released, Hill reports, but the two Cowboys cornerstones did discuss the possible outcomes of this process. No other meetings between the two are scheduled, although the sides will communicate, Hill reports.

Jones added the team will make a decision sooner rather than later but won’t be held hostage by the start of free agency on March 9.

“It is implied that we will work in the best way we can for the mutual interest of Tony and the Cowboys,” Jones said, via Hill. “That’s important here. Now we’ve got to abide by every league rule. We can’t have agreements without it being within the boundaries of the NFL. But when you’ve got a situation like we got, we’ll do the do-right rule. That’s it. That is it. Very important. We do the do-right rule. We have that kind of relationship.”

Romo has been rumored to be seeking a starting role with a contender. The Broncos and Texans appear to be the qualifiers here, with the Chiefs having every notable franchise decision-maker publicly commit to Alex Smith. Helping Dallas facilitate a trade isn’t out of the question for the 15th-year veteran, but he expects to be released. Jones would want Romo to stay in Dallas if possible but understands that might not be what the quarterback wants.

“He’s considering options,” Jones said. “Obviously, we all know that he’s going to have the opportunity to look at whatever situation, if there are situations, he’s going to have an opportunity to look at it. He gets to say and control this situation every bit as much as we do.”

Texans Still In Mix For Tony Romo?

March 4th, 2017 at 9:41am CST by Sam Robinson

Among the numerous teams connected with Tony Romo, the Texans haven’t hovered on the forefront of this unique pursuit despite being an apparent fit. But the growing sense among executives, coaches and agents around the league is the Texans being the most likely destination for the Texans, Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes.

Houston’s last known stance on this matter surfaced more than a month ago, when owner Bob McNair said the team intends to draft a quarterback. Romo was not believed to be an option for the Texans at that point. Since, Romo’s been connected to the Broncos, Chiefs, Redskins, 49ers, Bears and Bills — with a scenario now involving a three-team trade between the Cowboys, 49ers and Redskins being the most unique — in what’s becoming quite the complicated race. But the Texans are an obvious fit, Brock Osweiler‘s contract notwithstanding, due to their hole at quarterback and strong defense.

“That one makes the most sense to me,” a high-ranking official with one franchise said, via Maske. “I don’t think anyone in the league would be surprised to see that one happen.”

Regarding the blockbuster three-team trade mentioned on Friday, a high-ranking Cowboys official told Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link) that the team hasn’t been contacted about a deal that would send Romo to Washington and Kirk Cousins to San Francisco. Multiple sources told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk the Romo-to-D.C. proposal might be implausible.

If the smoke clears on that would-be megadeal and Romo is still with the Cowboys, the Texans will still have Osweiler’s contract to deal with. The sixth-year passer struggled last season but has three seasons remaining on the four-year, $72MM pact he signed last March. And $25MM in dead money is attached to that accord for 2017, providing a deterrent to the Romo-to-Houston talk. Romo has three seasons left on his Cowboys deal, one that includes a league-high $24.7MM cap number in ’17, but he expects to be released. The Texans have $23MM-plus in cap space but want to re-sign A.J. Bouye, who is expected to be one of the highest-paid free agents on the market.

East Notes: Romo, Cowboys, Redskins, Jets

March 3rd, 2017 at 6:57pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Redskins could attempt to acquire Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in a trade also involving the 49ers, but it’s not going to happen on Jerry Jones‘ watch, tweets Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Of course, it’ll be interesting to see if that will be Jones’ stance if the Redskins make the only trade offer for Romo, who’s a prime release candidate.

49ers, Redskins, Cowboys To Discuss Cousins, Romo?

March 3rd, 2017 at 5:04pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In what would be a stunning turn of events, a scenario in which the 49ers acquire quarterback Kirk Cousins from the Redskins could lead to Washington landing fellow signal-caller Tony Romo from the Cowboys, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It would be a three-team trade that would see the Redskins send draft pick compensation to the NFC East rival Cowboys for Romo (Twitter links).

While Romo’s a longtime star and a four-time Pro Bowler, the more significant passer changing hands in this deal would be Cousins. The Redskins placed the $23.94MM exclusive franchise tag on Cousins to prevent him from negotiating with other teams, but the two sides haven’t yet come close to a long-term agreement. That might lead Washington to shop Cousins, whom it could lose in free agency next year, though the 49ers reportedly aren’t willing to both surrender a haul of draft picks and sign him to a mega-deal. The Niners own the second pick in this year’s draft and are are set to select two more times in the top 70 (Nos. 34 and 66).

For his part, the 28-year-old Cousins would welcome a trade to the 49ers, which would allow him to reunite with Kyle Shanahan. The rookie head coach has long been a Cousins fan and coached him as Washington’s offensive coordinator from 2012-13. While Cousins was a backup during that two-year span, he emerged as a high-end starter last season and is coming off a campaign in which he completed 67 percent of passes, nearly reached the 5,000-yard mark (4,917), and tossed 25 touchdowns against 12 interceptions.

Unlike Cousins, Romo has barely seen the field the past two seasons. Shoulder injuries limited the soon-to-be 37-year-old to four games in 2015, when he struggled with five TDs against seven picks, and he suffered a broken bone in his back last August and ended up attempting just four passes on the season. Romo returned in November, but wunderkind rookie Dak Prescott had usurped the starting role for good by then.

With Prescott entrenched under center, Romo will likely be on his way out of Dallas soon. If it’s via trade, he’ll still be due base salaries of $14MM, $19.5MM, $20.5MM in each of the next three seasons, but none of that money is guaranteed. As CBS Sports’ Joel Corry reported last month, any team acquiring Romo would have to take on his salary for 2017 before reworking his contract. The Cowboys, though, would likely allow that club to have contract-related discussions with Romo’s camp before the trade.

Rams Won’t Pursue Tony Romo

March 3rd, 2017 at 4:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams will not pursue Tony Romo, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. This presumably means they won’t look into a trade for Romo or kick the tires on him if he hits the open market.

With Case Keenum set for free agency, it stands to reason that the Rams could be in the market for a veteran quarterback to pair with Jared Goff. However, one has to imagine that Romo will at least want to compete for a starting job somewhere. It’s hard to see Romo going along with holding the clipboard for Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft.

The Rams paid a ransom to the Titans last offseason to trade up to the top spot for Goff, so it’s no surprise they want him to handle the reins going forward. Goff appeared in only eight games as a rookie (seven starts) and posted a 54.7 percent completion rate, averaged 5.31 yards per attempt and tossed five touchdowns against seven interceptions. He’ll now attempt to reach his potential with new head coach Sean McVay. Romo, meanwhile, seems likely to end up with a team that’s closer to contention and either devoid of a No. 1 signal-caller or willing to bench its starter in favor of the soon-to-be 37-year-old.

Mutual Interest Between Cowboys, Josh McCown

February 27th, 2017 at 7:44am CST by Zachary Links

There’s mutual interest between the Cowboys and backup quarterback Josh McCown, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). However, the Tony Romo situation has to play out first. Werder adds that the Cowboys’ desire to add McCown could be a factor in the timing of the call on Romo.

Of course, Romo currently stands as the No. 2 quarterback on the Cowboys’ depth chart, but the veteran is pushing for an opportunity to start elsewhere. It is believed that Romo would like to be granted an outright release while the Cowboys, presumably, would like to get something for him via trade. If Romo is cut loose, he will have total freedom to choose his next team. In that event, some have speculated that the Cowboys and Romo could make a tacit agreement in which Romo does not sign with a specific list of rival clubs.

McCown, 38 in July, is listed as one of my top 15 quarterbacks available this offseason. He’s obviously no longer a starting caliber QB, but he could serve as an experienced Plan B behind star Dak Prescott. For his part, McCown says he has heard from four or five interested teams.

Latest On Broncos’ Tony Romo Interest

February 26th, 2017 at 2:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

If the Cowboys release Tony Romo — as the veteran quarterback himself expects the club to do — the Broncos will internally debate the idea of pursuing 36-year-old signal-caller, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. If Romo’s price tag reaches the $13MM range, however, Denver is expected to bow out, per Klis.

The Broncos have long been believed to be Romo’s ideal landing spot, while Denver was reportedly only interested in Romo as a free agent signing, given that the club isn’t willing to sacrifice draft pick capital or assume Romo’s contract. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said last night his team hasn’t made any decision on the Romo front, tweets Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News, but a release seems likely, if only for financial reasons.

Romo has three years left remaining on his current deal, and an acquiring club would take on base salaries of $14MM, $19.5MM, and $20.5MM over the next three respective campaigns. A trade, though, would leave the Cowboys will nearly $20MM in dead money, the effect of multiple restructures that pushed prorated bonus money into the future. As such, a post-June 1 designated release of Romo makes more sense, as such a move would saddle Dallas with only $10.7MM in dead money.

Signing Romo would indicate a Broncos uneasiness with 2016 first-round quarterback Paxton Lynch, writes Klis, noting that Romo wouldn’t join Denver without an assurance of a starting job. Trevor Siemian, the Broncos’ primary starter last season, would also see his status become murky if Romo is signed. The 25-year-old is coming off shoulder surgery, but should be ready to go by OTAs, reports Troy Renck of Denver7.

The Broncos will likely have competition for Romo once he reaches the open market, as the Texans, Chiefs, Bills, and Redskins have all been linked to the 13-year pro.

AFC Notes: Jags, Broncos, Chiefs, Browns

February 24th, 2017 at 7:35pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Jaguars vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin said Friday he “doesn’t see any reason” why the team’s trades with the Dolphins involving tight end Julius Thomas and left tackle Branden Albert would fall through before they become official March 9. That indicates Albert has passed a physical with the Jags, notes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Thomas has also passed his with Miami). As for free agency, with upward of $70MM in cap space, Coughlin expects the Jaguars “to be very competitive” in bidding for outside help.

Here’s more from the AFC:

Before defensive tackle Earl Mitchell agreed to a deal with the 49ers on Friday, the Broncos offered him a three-year contract featuring a $4.5MM salary in 2017, reports Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). He ended up with a four-year, $16MM pact that includes $5.5MM next season.
Kansas City could pursue soon-to-be former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in the coming weeks, but it would be unwise to regard the Chiefs as one of the favorites for his services, argues Adam Teichner of ESPN.com. If the Chiefs were to fail in an attempt to reel in Romo, they’d risk causing irreparable damage to their relationship with Smith, opines Teichner. Considering that, the Chiefs might only get involved in the Romo sweepstakes if they’re sure they’re going to come out on top.
The Browns could turn to quarterback Tyrod Taylor in free agency if the Bills release him, and after studying tape of the dual threat, Dan Labbe of cleveland.com contends that he’s “no less intriguing” than much-ballyhooed New England backup Jimmy Garoppolo. By opting for Taylor, the Browns would save the premium in draft picks they’d have to pay for Garoppolo – whom they’d nonetheless prefer to acquire – and would still have the option of selecting a QB to develop behind Taylor, Labbe writes.
Tight end Rob Gronkowski doesn’t expect the back injury that kept him out of the Patriots’ lineup from late November onward, including for their Super Bowl-winning playoff run, to limit him in 2017. Gronkowski told ESPN on Friday that there’s “no doubt” he’ll be ready for Week 1. Longer term, the 27-year-old said earlier this month he’d like to play at least six more years, though he wasn’t willing on Friday to put a number on how much longer he’ll last. “I mean, I still love playing the game, and as of right now, I want to play as long as I possibly could play,” Gronkowski said. “My mindset is to keep on going” (via Ryan Hannable of WEEI).

Redskins Pondering Tony Romo Pursuit?

February 22nd, 2017 at 7:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins have made little progress in extension talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins, and the club is now “wondering” if they could acquire a veteran signal-caller such as the Cowboys’ Tony Romo if Cousins were traded, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).

Clearly, a Mr. Romo Goes To Washington scenario is fraught with potential — and possibly deal-breaking — hurdles. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones almost certainly wouldn’t trade a viable quarterback to a division rival, and would seemingly be especially loathe to do so with Romo, with whom Jones has a personal relationship. Romo, for what it’s worth, expects to be cut rather dealt, but even a release could come with a tacit agreement that Romo not sign with an NFC East club like the Redskins.

A Romo acquisition would be preceded by a Cousins trade, per Cole, who reported last month that the 49ers would be among the clubs interested in bringing Cousins aboard. San Francisco would be open to trading the No. 2 overall pick to land Cousins, whom the Niners view as their Plan A at quarterback. For such a deal to go down, the Redskins would first to need to franchise Cousins in order to retain his rights, then work out a trade with the 49ers that would be officially consummated on March 9 (or anytime thereafter).

Romo, 36, is due base salaries of $14MM, $19.5MM, $20.5MM in each of the next three seasons, but none of that money is guaranteed. The Bills have mentioned as a potential suitor for Romo, as have the Broncos, while Denver, Houston, Arizona, and Kansas City have been identified as Romo’s preferred destinations.

Chiefs Could Part Ways With Alex Smith?

February 22nd, 2017 at 5:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Alex Smith has averaged nearly 11 wins per season during his four-year run with the Chiefs, but that won’t stop Kansas City from exploring other quarterback options this offseason, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), who notes a “growing sense” among NFL executives that the Chiefs could move on from Smith. However, Kansas City will likely only part ways Smith if it’s able to acquire another signal-caller such as the Cowboys’ Tony Romo or the Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo, per Cole.

Smith’s potential ouster has been a topic of conversation before, as has possible mutual interest between the Chiefs and Romo. A prospective Kansas City acquisition of Garoppolo, however, has not, although the New England signal-caller figures to be a desirable item in the coming weeks, as the Browns, Bears, and 49ers are all expected to make a push for Garoppolo (and have more attractive draft picks to offer).

A “strong feeling” exists within league circles that the Chiefs have plateaued with Smith, but Kansas City won’t acquire Romo — or presumably, Garoppolo — without cutting ties with Smith first. While the Chiefs could look to trade Smith to a quarterback-needy club, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported earlier this month that Kansas City would likely release Smith if they landed Romo. The Chiefs would save $9.7MM by cutting Smith, or $13.3MM by designating him as a post-June 1 release.

Since being acquired prior to the 2013 campaign, Smith has averaged 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions per season while completing 64.5% of his passes for the Chiefs. Smith, 32, has led Kansas City to three postseason appearances during that span, but the Chiefs have never advanced past the Divisional Round.