Tony Romo Replacement Not Needed Yet
Dec 16, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) signals at the line of scrimmage against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Almost a full week of free agency frenzy has past by and all that can be heard coming out of The Ranch is crickets…and the occasional swishing sound that pierces the silence as player after player from the Cowboys’ roster is scooped up by other teams. The Cowboys’ inactivity is made doubly uncomfortable in my household, where my Denver Bronco lovin’ husband is practically dancing on the dining room table every time he turns on ESPN to find his team has made another impressive acquisition.
As a fan, it is easy to picture Mr. Jones and company spending their time on booking the next big event at this palatial palace instead of concentrating on football. Maybe he is trying to devise a way to flood the whole thing and bring in the world’s biggest underwater basket weaving convention. Perhaps he is planning a way to woo the Westminster Kennel Club to bring their canine extravaganza to Big D. Of course I’m just being silly…
When my hopes for the signing of running back Steven Jackson were dashed with his deal to go from the St. Louis Rams to the Atlanta Falcons, I began to absorb the sad fact that there just aren’t any funds for a big name free agent in Dallas this year. Even after the restructuring of several veteran players’ contracts, the Cowboys barely made it under the cap. There is still work to be done down at The Ranch.
Quarteback Tony Romo is entering the final year of his contract with Dallas. Although he has his critics, Jerry Jones has stood firmly behind his QB in the toughest of times and rightfully so. Romo’s ability to make a play where there seemingly is none has kept the Cowboys in many a game over the course of his career in Dallas. Even though his urge to make things happen has also led to several well documented miscues over the years, when looking at the overall picture, it seems a no-brainer that getting Romo’s deal done should be a top priority in Dallas.
The draft is, of course, the other huge financial worry for the front office folks in Cowboysville. The sad state of our offensive line, the loss of Gerald Sensabaugh at safety and the need for help in the defensive front are all pressing needs that the Cowboys will hopefully address.
With Mr Jones’ love for making a splash, coupled with his soft spot for his alma mater Razorbacks, I have a nagging fear that he will forego the abovementioned needs and go after Arkansas signal-caller Tyler Wilson to develop as Tony Romo’s eventual replacement. If that thought has reared it’s ugly head, let me be the first to say…Noooo!
As a resident of Arkansas and a frequent watcher of Razorback football, I have seen the best and worst of Mr. Wilson. While he is a talented player who probably has a future somewhere in the NFL, I sincerely hope it isn’t in Big D. Anyone who saw his Jay Cutleresque rant after Arkansas was steamrolled by the Alabama Crimson Tide back in September knows what I’m referring to. Not only did he throw his teammates under the bus by basically calling them quitters, he did it in front of the press instead of in the locker room where players should air their differences with each other. The kicker to the whole thing was that Wilson was injured and didn’t even take a single snap in the blowout loss. Dallas has seen it’s share of locker room drama in the past with the failed Terrell Owens experiment. With all the holes we have to fill I for one hope that what little cash the Cowboys have goes in the right direction… and that isn’t Northwest Arkansas.