After Tony Romo’s stirring and heartfelt press conference, where he graciously accepted that Dak Prescott earned the starting quarterback job in Dallas and pledged his support to help Prescott in any way he could, many in the sports world debated what other teams could trade for him. Might Romo have one last chance at winning the Super Bowl as a starting quarterback?
One former Super Bowl-winning starting quarterback thinks that trading for Tony Romo constitutes a fireable offense.
In an interview with Bleacher Report Radio, former Redskins QB Joe Theismann bluntly explained why he thinks trading for Tony Romo is a fool’s errand. “Any general manager that would make a deal for Tony Romo shouldn’t keep their job as general manager,” Theismann said. “It’s a bad business decision, plus what offensive line is going to be the same one he has in Dallas?
“I think Tony Romo stays a Dallas Cowboy. He’s got a $24 million cap, you negotiate that down to a number that’s palatable for the team. If Dak [Prescott] gets hurt, he goes and plays, and you put incentives in if he does play. To me, Tony Romo’s got to be a Dallas Cowboy to the end of his career.”
Yikes. Theismann certainly does not hold back. Not that he’s wrong, mind you. Dallas has the best offensive line in the NFL, and no other offensive line can offer him that kind of protection. Romo also has a myriad of injury issues, something which Theismann understands from his own experience.
However, should trading for Romo get you fired? If you get him for a mid-to-late-round pick on a radically scaled down, incentive-laden deal, which I’m not predicting will happen, but if it did then that could be a good business deal especially for a team such as the Jets or the Cardinals.
Both of those teams will likely draft quarterbacks next year, and neither has anyone on the roster who clearly seized the mantle of heir apparent. What harm could come from letting Romo compete for the job while developing your future QB?
If the Cowboys demand a 2nd or 3rd round pick in exchange for Romo, then yes, the GM who made that deal for guy who has barely played in two years would definitely need their brain examined.
On the other hand, more than a few teams will be in rebuilding mode at the quarterback position next year and under the right circumstances could benefit from having Tony Romo—or at least wouldn’t be harmed by it.
Calm down, Theismann.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter: @themightygwinn
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