Tony Romo

Broncos Could Pursue Tony Romo As Free Agent

January 29th, 2017 at 8:41am CST by Rory Parks

If Tony Romo has a say in the matter, he would like to be suiting up for the Broncos in 2017. And, as Mike Klis of 9News writes, the Broncos may be willing to oblige, if Romo should become a free agent in the offseason. Per Klis, “[a] source in the Broncos’ football department did not dismiss the possibility of bringing in the Dallas Cowboys quarterback — providing the situation reaches the point where Romo is no longer Cowboys’ property.”

Romo, of course, is under Cowboys’ control through the 2019 season, but after the emergence of Dak Prescott in 2016, Dallas will likely look to move their long-time quarterback in the coming months. The Cowboys’ preference would be to trade Romo and to recoup some sort of draft pick compensation for him, but given that the soon-to-be 37-year-old is currently slated to earn $14MM in 2017, $19.5MM in 2018, and $20.5MM in 2019, that could be a difficult proposition.

If Romo were to be released, however, he would surely garner a fair amount of interest on the open market, and the Broncos could be in play. As Klis writes, Denver is unlikely to swing a trade for Romo, but if the club was in a position to negotiate a reduced contract with him, it may make sense for them to do so. After all, the Broncos are loaded on the defensive side of the ball, and they have some serious talent at the offensive skill positions as well. Their quarterback play could prevent them from taking full advantage of that talent, and the addition of Romo would immediately make them legitimate championship contenders.

GM John Elway has repeatedly stated that he is happy with the team’s current quarterback group of Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, but while those young signal-callers may well develop into quality starters, they clearly have a ways to go before they reach that point. By the time they do, the rest of the roster may not be as strong as it is now.

As Klis observes, Elway did pursue Colin Kaepernick last year, so it stands to reason that he would make a push for a much more accomplished quarterback this offseason, assuming the price is right.

Extra Points: Colts, Bills, Hightower, Beasley

January 23rd, 2017 at 9:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Broncos quarterbacks struggled during the 2016 campaign, leading some to wonder if the team could pursue a veteran option this offseason. That thought has apparently crossed receiver Emmanuel Sanders‘ mind, as the wideout said he’d certainly benefit if the squad acquired Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

“I believe I would benefit,” Sanders said (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “But one thing about it is: I’m always gonna take it back and I’m just gonna put it on John Elway. In John Elway I trust. If he does bring him over, I think Tony Romo will fit good in [Mike] McCoy’s system. It’s a no-huddle, up-tempo offense. I think that it’s gonna be similar to the Cowboys. I think he has Demaryius Thomas and some receiver No. 10 on the other side. I feel like we will win ballgames with Tony Romo or potentially a championship. At the same time, Paxton Lynch played in a spread offense at Memphis and he can be successful. I think Trevor can be successful. We’ll see what we do. I can’t sit up here and say ‘Bring Tony Romo!’ because I also have two other quarterbacks that are playing really well too.”

During his introductory press conference, Broncos head coach Vance Joseph said Trevor Siemian and Lynch would compete for the starting quarterback gig.

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL as we wrap up this Monday evening…

Colts owner Jim Irsay will be hiring the team’s new general manager on his own, reports Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Since Irsay won’t be relying on other team officials, Florio believes Irsay will lean towards promoting executive Jimmy Raye III. The writer cites the owner’s familiarity with Raye, as well as the executive’s supposed willingness to stick with head coach Chuck Pagano.
The Bills have hired Chiefs assistant head coach/wide receivers coach David Culley as their new quarterbacks coach, reports Alex Marvez of The Sporting News (via Twitter). Culley spent more than a decade with the Eagles before joining Andy Reid and the Chiefs in 2013. We heard earlier tonight that the Chiefs had hired former Eagles wide receivers coach Greg Lewis for the same position.
Browns linebacker Jamie Collins received a four-year, $50MM extension earlier today. CBSSports.com’s Joel Corry believes the contract should serve as a “floor” for Collins former teammate, Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower (Twitter link). Corry notes that the Patriots will have a tough time convincing Hightower’s agent that the linebacker deserves less than the player they traded away.
Falcons linebacker Vic Beasley was close to being traded or cut during training camp, reports Gil Brandt of NFL.com (via Twitter). The fear of being let go apparently motivated the former first-rounder, as Beasley finished the season with 39 tackles, 15.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles.

NFC Notes: Romo, Elliott, Seahawks, Graham

January 17th, 2017 at 10:31am CST by Connor J. Byrne

Quarterback Tony Romo could ask for his release this offseason, and the Cowboys should grant it, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. If that were to happen, Romo would be able to pick his next employer (perhaps Denver) and negotiate a good deal for himself, and that team wouldn’t weaken itself by giving up a draft pick(s) for the soon-to-be 37-year-old. On the other hand, Florio notes that the Cowboys have the right to seek compensation for Romo via trade, though he points out that the club could otherwise designate Dak Prescott‘s backup as a post-June 1 cut and save $14MM in cap space in 2017.

Speaking on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wasn’t willing to elaborate on what he’ll do with Romo in the coming months. “We’ve got a lot to think about here, but that’s in the future,” he said (via Todd Archer of ESPN.com). Jones did opine, though, that Romo has enough left in the tank to lead a team to a Super Bowl.

Broncos Are Tony Romo’s Ideal Landing Spot

January 15th, 2017 at 1:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Veteran quarterback Tony Romo would like to play for the Broncos next season, but Denver is not expected to pursue a trade for the Cowboys signal-caller, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Rival executives believe that a Romo trade may be hard to execute, and Dallas could hang on to Romo until a quarterback injury elsewhere in the league forces another club to call.

Romo, of course, has not played this season (save for a few reps in a meaningless Week 17 game) after suffering an injury during the preseason, allowing rookie Dak Prescott to run with the Cowboys starting job. Team owner Jerry Jones said in November that he would not deal Romo after the season, but most opposing general managers believe that sentiment was merely posturing. Romo’s value on the trade market is an open question, however, as some executives believe Dallas could garner as much as a second-round pick for its veteran QB, while others see a conditional late-round choice as more plausible.

The Broncos have several options at quarterback as they head into the 2017 offseason, including incumbent starter Trevor Siemian and 2016 first-round pick Paxton Lynch. Reports have indicated that Siemian could remain under center next season, allowing Lynch another year to develop. However, Denver has since overhauled its offensive coaching staff, so any plans for the 2017 campaign may now be up in the air.

Instead of waiting to be traded, Romo could theoretically ask for his release in order to scour the free agent market for the right fit, a request that Jones could be inclined to honor given Romo’s decorated tenure with the Cowboys. Such a move would present financial gains for Dallas, but would obviously preclude the club from reaping any sort of draft compensation.

Broncos Notes: Kubiak, Okung, Quarterbacks

December 31st, 2016 at 8:53am CST by Ben Levine

The Broncos could look a bit different in 2017, and those changes could start with the coaching staff. Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post writes that both head coach Gary Kubiak and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will have to decide whether they want to return to Denver for next season.

Kubiak’s health could play a significant role in any decision. The head coach was hospitalized earlier this season with a “complex migrane,” and he previously collapsed during a 2013 contest with the Texans. Naturally, the 55-year-old claims that he isn’t focused on the future.

“I love this league. I love the Broncos. I love this work. I’m all in on the Raiders right now,” Kubiak said. “There will be time for reflection and all of that stuff next week.”

Meanwhile, Phillips’ two-year contract is set to expire following this season. The 69-year-old has been responsible for Denver’s stifling defense, but the coach could decide to hang it up after having coached 39 years in the NFL.

“We think the world of Wade,” Kubiak said. “Everybody knows the job that Wade has done. (Contracts) are things that will be addressed after we get through this week. But Wade’s a tremendous person and a tremendous football coach.”

Let’s take a look at some other notes out of the Mile High City…

The Broncos offensive line has struggled this season, and Wolfe writes that the organization will have to choose whether they want to “cut the cord” on Russell Okung and/or Donald Stephenson. The team has until the first day of the league year (March 9th) to pick up a $1MM option on Okung’s contract – which would then trigger a unique four-year, $48MM extension ($19.5MM guaranteed). “It’s not on me. We’ll get to that hurdle when we get there,” said Okung. “For now, we still have to play Oakland.”
Meanwhile, the Broncos could save about $3MM in cap space if they release Stephenson. The veteran has struggled in 2016, making only 12 starts. As Wolfe writes, the lineman has been responsible for three sacks and 11 penalties. “I work my butt off,” said Stephenson. “The problems definitely aren’t from not trying. I’m giving it all I got. There’s some things I’ve got to get better at.”
Besides fixing the offensive line, NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling believes the Broncos should prioritize fixing their run defense and solidifying the quarterback position. The organization could choose between Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch as their future signal-caller, or Wesseling suggests the team could make a move for Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

NFC East Notes: Romo, Sproles, Redskins

December 30th, 2016 at 2:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will likely make his season debut this weekend against the Eagles, reports ESPN’s Todd Archer and Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The veteran signal-caller hasn’t taken the field since Thanksgiving of 2015.

According to Archer and Schefter, the 36-year-old will see the field for only a series or two before handing off to Mark Sanchez. The Cowboys are presumably hoping to limit the chance of an injury as they look to shop the veteran quarterback this offseason.

Romo missed the first several months of the season as he recovered from a back injury. By the time he returned, rookie Dak Prescott was in complete control of the Cowboys’ starting quarterback gig. The last time the veteran played in at least 15 games was 2014, when he threw for 3,705 yards, 34 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of the NFC East…

Veteran running back Darren Sproles announced that the 2017-2018 campaign will likely be his final season in the NFL, writes ESPN.com’s Tim McManus. While the 33-year-old would prefer to end his career with the Eagles, he understands that it’s not necessarily his decision. “That’s not up to me. That’s up to the people upstairs. I’ve got nothing to do with that,” Sproles said. “But that’s the plan.” Over the offseason, Sproles inked a one-year extension with Philly that would keep him on the team through next season. Sproles hasn’t done anything to prove that he couldn’t be productive next season, as the 12-year veteran has compiled 406 rushing yards (the second-highest total of his career) and 423 receiving yards in 15 games this season.
This weekend could be the final time defensive tackle Bennie Logan takes the field as a member of the Eagles, writes Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. The 27-year-old has averaged more than 12 starts a season for Philly since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2013. For what it’s worth, the impending free agent would like to stick around. “Trying to start over and do something new, is something I’m not looking forward to,” the defensive tackle said. “Because I enjoy being here, the city and everything. This is where I see myself at.”
The Redskins defense has underperformed this season, and the team ranks towards the bottom of the league in many defensive metrics. As a result, defensive coordinator Joe Barry has naturally found himself on the hot seat. Despite his lack of job security, the coach isn’t thinking about whether he’ll be out of a job. “That’s a good question,” he told Mike Jones of the Washington Post. “Those are things that we will obviously address, but right now, I’m just 1,000 percent on the Giants, and I’m not even thinking a day past that right now.”

Tony Romo May Request Release In 2017

December 18th, 2016 at 4:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Tony Romo could ask the Cowboys to release him this offseason rather than offer him in trade talks, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. A release would allow Romo the opportunity to scour the free agent market for the right fit as he concludes his career.

Releasing Romo could have benefits for the Cowboys as well, especially when it comes to the salary cap. If Dallas trades Romo, the club will absorb $19.6MM in dead money in 2017 and save just $5.1MM, and would realize the same totals if it cuts Romo before June 1. But if the Cowboys designate Romo as a post-June 1 cut, they would only take on $10.7MM in dead money next season while saving $14MM on the cap. In that scenario, Dallas would then see $8.9MM in 2018 dead money, as well.

However, by trading Romo, the Cowboys could theoretically reap some sort of draft pick compensation, and ensure that Romo doesn’t land with a division rival such as the Redskins (assuming Washington doesn’t re-sign Kirk Cousins). By retaining control over his rights, Dallas could ship Romo to another division, or even better, to the AFC, and not have to worry about facing him repeatedly. As Florio notes, though, Romo enjoys a solid relationship with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, so it’s possible the two could work out a gentleman’s agreement that grants Romo his release in exchange for the veteran QB not signing with a rival.

The Broncos and Cardinals have already been mentioned potential landing spots for Romo, and he’s reportedly “keeping tabs” on other clubs, potentially including the Dolphins, per Florio. Miami could be faced with an extended Ryan Tannehill absence, and if his recovery bleeds over into 2017, the Dolphins could have interest in a veteran such as Romo.

NFC Notes: Eagles, Linehan, Bradford

December 18th, 2016 at 12:27pm CST by Rory Parks

The Eagles have fallen into a tailspin after an exciting start to the season, and that has led to some speculation as to whether the team will make any major changes this offseason. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Philadelphia will not make any such changes, which means that head coach Doug Pederson will be back for a second year at the helm. Per Rapoport, the front office knew going into 2016 that the club was at least a year away from being a legitimate playoff contender, and while the Eagles’ 3-0 start helped to hide some of the weaknesses on the roster, the team knew that fixing those weaknesses would not be an overnight process.

Now for more notes from the NFC:

Despite Dak Prescott‘s recent struggles, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that things would have to get much worse for the Cowboys to consider switching to Tony Romo. But Rapoport adds that Dallas OC Scott Linehan will be a sought-after head coaching candidate this offseason, and his departure could have a major impact on Prescott moving forward (Twitter link).
As the Ezekiel Elliott domestic violence investigation drags on, Tim Rohan of TheMMQB wonders why it’s taking so long, and if the league is just prolonging the process to keep up appearances. Rohan lays out in excellent detail the steps that the league’s investigative team takes in a post-Ray Rice world, and how that process could explain the lengthy delay in the NFL’s issuing a final word on the Cowboys‘ star running back.
Su’a Cravens may miss the rest of the season with a biceps injury, but that has not stopped speculation surrounding the young defensive playmaker and how he will fit in with the Redskins moving forward. Thus far, Cravens has worked exclusively as an inside linebacker, but given his strength in the passing game, JP Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com believes he may ultimately be better-suited as a safety, especially since the Redskins do not have a long-term answer at strong safety.
As Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports observes, the Vikings have two high-profile players who are due for big roster bonuses in March: Sam Bradford and Adrian Peterson. Per Pelissero, Minnesota plans to bring back Bradford, but as we have heard for a long time, the Vikings will likely not pay Peterson’s $6MM roster bonus and instead will approach him about a pay cut prior to the bonus coming due.
We learned earlier today that the Saints could look to trade Sean Payton in the offseason.

East Notes: Cowboys, Dak, Romo, Eagles, Pats

December 15th, 2016 at 9:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cowboys expect defensive end Randy Gregory to return to practice on Monday, tweets Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. Reports last week also indicated the Gregory was close to to returning to the field, but the NFL subsequently informed the Cowboys that Gregory would not be allowed to practice. Still appealing a one-year ban, Gregory’s status for Dallas’ Week 16 game Lions is still unclear, but his being allowed to practice is clearly a good first step.

Here’s more from the NFC’s two East divisions:

Despite Dak Prescott‘s struggles against the Giants in a close loss in Week 14, the Cowboys are insistent that they won’t be turning things over to veteran Tony Romo any time soon, as Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes. “You can make it as simple or complex as you want to make it,” head coach Jason Garrett said this week. “It’s pretty simple for us: Dak’s going to play quarterback as we go forward.” Meanwhile, a debate is reportedly raging with the Cowboys organization, as some decision-makers believe Romo should be given live game snaps in order to prepare him if Prescott is injured, per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).
Pass rusher Connor Barwin was a better fit in the Eagles‘ 3-4 scheme of years past than the club’s current 4-3 look, opines Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. For his part, Barwin realizes that he hasn’t played up to his contract, and understands that he could be released at season’s end (a move that would save the Eagles $7.75MM in cap space). “He’s too smart for that defense,” an NFL personnel director told McLAne. “That’s a defense for . . . linemen that can just pin their ears back and not think. He’s neither athletic nor strong enough to consistently win battles against the best left tackles.”
The Patriots are dealing with injuries at wide receiver in the short-term, and while those issues likely played a role in New England claiming Michael Floyd off waivers today, the club is likely looking taking a long-term view in assessing Floyd’s fit with the team, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. While the Pats will pay a relatively high price tag for a three-game regular season audition, that time will allow the team to see how Floyd meshes with the organization, and determine if he could be part of the franchise going forward.

East Notes: Taylor, Cowboys, D-Jax

December 11th, 2016 at 9:38am CST by Rory Parks

We heard several days ago that Bills GM Doug Whaley was unwilling to commit to Tyrod Taylor as the team’s starting quarterback of the future until after the season, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that no talks regarding who will be the team’s 2017 quarterback have taken place. The Bills’ decision-makers appreciate that Taylor has just 26 career starts to his name, and they will evaluate his entire body of work–including the final four or more games of 2016–with that in mind.

If they decide Taylor is their man, the Bills could pick up his 2017 option, thereby kickstarting a new five-year, $80MM+ deal, or they could redo his contract to make it more palatable, which Rapoport believes is the more likely option. If Buffalo moves on, Rapoport expects the team to be active in the veteran quarterback market with a possible eye on Tony Romo. Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick also could be on the Bills’ radar.

Now for more from the league’s east divisions:

We learned last night that the Cowboys would be without return specialist Lucky Whitehead for tonight’s game against the Giants, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Whitehead was indeed left home in Dallas for missing a team meeting, which has been a recurring issue for him.
Even if the Cowboys reach a point in the regular season when they have nothing to play for, they do not plan to rest their starters, according to Rapoport. Dak Prescott would be a logical exception to that rule, though Tony Romo may not be the replacement if Prescott comes off the field. As Rapoport writes, Dallas would want to keep Romo safe in case Prescott should suffer an injury in the playoffs (Twitter links).
Despite recent reports that the Eagles will pursue Redskins wideout DeSean Jackson at season’s end, and despite reports that the interest is mutual, Jackson himself says that free agency is not on his mind at the moment, per John Keim of ESPN.com. Jackson said, “Who knows what happens in free agency? If I’m a free agent, I might seek some options and wherever it takes me, it takes me. It’s not my focus now. We have four games left here. Whatever happens, happens at the end of the season.”
Jets wideout Devin Smith is expected to finally get back on the field Sunday, and as Mark Cannizarro of the New York Post writes, the embattled former second-round pick is embracing a new beginning even in the midst of a lost season for the Jets. Smith said, “I just have to continue to [prepare] and we’ll see come Sunday. I’m going to continue to keep working hard and my chance is going to come.’’
We learned earlier today that Jets head coach Todd Bowles is expected to keep his job, but that Chan Gailey might not be so lucky, Nick Mangold may be considering retirement, and that Woody Johnson might not be the one in charge of the team’s day-to-day operations in 2017.

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