Tony Romo retires: 5 reasons it hurts Cowboys
By John Buhler
3. No pick coming from a possible trade
Maybe the trade market wasn’t there? That could be the case, but it’s hard to believe that Romo wasn’t worth at least a seventh round pick from a contending team via trade. Romo’s decision to walk away from the game alleviates Dallas a bit up against the cap, but not getting a pick for him only adds to his retirement being bittersweet.
On paper, Dallas should have a team capable of contending in the NFC. The Cowboys need a pass rusher and maybe another piece to fill out their secondary. Not to say a seventh round pick would have solved that by any means, but an additional draft pick only adds more leverage in the Cowboys’ ability to move up the board and get the guy they want.
While Dallas would still control Romo’s rights if he were to return to the NFL at some point, the Cowboys didn’t appropriately flex his trade value. Maybe the 31 other NFL general managers saw through owner Jerry Jones’ ploy to sell them a depreciated starting quarterback at a premium price? Either way, the NFL called Dallas’ Romo bluff and the Cowboys have to fold into his decision to retire.
Dallas is fortunate that is doesn’t have to pay Prescott top-dollar for a few more years. This allows the Cowboys’ Super Bowl window to remain open throughout the rest of the decade. One Prescott gets paid, other areas of the Cowboys’ roster will inevitably suffer.
An additional pick coming Dallas’ way from a Romo trade could have helped in future years up against the cap. Now that Dallas presumably has to sign a backup quarterback, that personnel decision will negatively affect the Cowboys’ conditional picks they could get next year. Getting nothing for Romo was not what the Jones Family envisioned with the rise of Prescott last fall.