Green Bay Packers: Tony Romo could land on NFC North rival this offseason
Tony Romo could land on one of the Green Bay Packers’ NFC North rivals this offseason.
Romo’s time with the Dallas Cowboys appears to be up. Dallas sits just $4.2 million above the cap, per OverTheCap.com, which is the fewest of any NFL team. Romo, who was demoted to the team’s backup quarterback behind rookie Dak Prescott last season, is set for a $24.7 million cap hit.
If the Cowboys can’t find a trade partner, cutting Romo would free up $19.6 million in cap room. A no-brainer.
There are a number of potential suitors around the NFL, including two teams in the NFC North. Green Bay and Detroit are set at quarterback, but the same can’t be said in Chicago and Minnesota.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears need a quarterback, like yesterday.
The Bears want to find a trade partner for Jay Cutler, but given the likelihood he’s going to be cut anyway, that won’t be easy. Per NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling, early retirement could be in his future.
Whether he’s traded, cut, retires, plays another 100 years or just continues throwing interceptions to himself in his backyard, Cutler’s future doesn’t appear to be in Chicago.
So who would take over at quarterback? NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah believes Romo could land in Chicago.
"“I think Chicago, it’s either going to be [Tony] Romo or [Jimmy] Garoppolo, that’s the sense I get,” Jeremiah said on The Rich Eisen Show."
Garoppolo would be with a long-term view, but signing Romo brings a win-now mentality, and the Bears aren’t a team a quarterback away from hoisting the Lombardi. Signing Romo would reek of a head coach and general manager under pressure to get results.
Money is no issue, however. The Bears already boast $52.37 million in cap room, a number that would rise to $64.1 million if Cutler is released.
Two more cut candidates—Lamarr Houston and Eddie Royal—could see the number jump as high as $73.2 million, more than enough ammunition to absorb any Romo contract.
Minnesota Vikings
The situation is much cloudier in Minnesota. The Vikings can’t flex the same financial muscle as their division rivals with just $21.4 million in cap room, but that number would shoot up to $38.9 million if Adrian Peterson is released.
Sam Bradford could also be cut if Romo is signed, saving a further $14 million. For this reason, the Vikings are an under-the-radar landing spot for the Cowboys passer.
Whether they’d want to pull the trigger is another question.
Teddy Bridgewater‘s status is up in the air for 2017, and would replacing Bradford, who was solid last year, with an injury-prone Romo be a smart move? You could argue Bradford is also injury prone, but Romo’s last couple of seasons suggest he’s a ticking time bomb.
Of the two teams, the Bears feel a likelier landing spot. Whether it’d be a smart move or not remains to be seen.
What would you think if Romo landed with either team?