Paying the Piper

Ehsan Azad

Paying the Piper

                With the division title on the line and a chance to return to the playoffs hung in the balance, Tony Romo made a simple check down throw to Demarco Murray, the rest was history. It was picked off, crushing the hopes of all Cowboys fans alike.  Now, the offseason is here and the team faces a decision on re signing the most polarizing player in sports history.

I admittedly went on this blog and cried out my disdain of Romo for the first time and that I felt like we won’t win a title with him at the helm of the Quarterback position.  I was probably a little too angry to be reasonable there. A few months removed will help you see the picture more analytically and not as a fan. Well the time has come for Romo to begin to re-negotiate his contract. The Jones family is in a sticky situation with their cap situation and Romo could hinder their offseason plans. Currently, the team is $20 million dollars over the salary cap. They will have to restructure a lot of contracts to help them get below the cap and try to lure some cheap free agents. That’s where Romo can help or ruin their plans. If they can re-sign Romo to an extension, his cap value will be cut in half and allow the team to breathe easier. If not, the team will have a 16 million dollar cap hit. The problem lies in whether it’s worth the risk to re-sign him long term or force him to play out the final year of his contract. It’s risky either way, but here is way it’s better to stick with Romo long term.

                First of all Tony is the best option for the team overall. Tell me where you’re going to get another player that has top ten talents in the league.  Some who point out that they can draft one should note that this year’s draft class isn’t like last year’s class. You aren’t going to find phenoms like RGIII, Luck, or Wilson. Free agent wise is a washed up argument because well as mentioned above, the Cowboys have no money.  Tony is the best option to have right now who can play at an elite level. He gives you the best option at winning in the playoffs and a chance to compete for a title.

                Tony Romo isn’t one of the top quarterbacks in the league.  He might never win a championship and lacks that killer instinct. But, for how the team is constructed now, he is the best man for the job. Re-signing him will help bring the team cap relief and you know you  are stable at the QB position for the foreseeable future.