JAKE TIDWELL
FORT SMITH, AR
Why did the Cowboys release Romo? He can still retire without being released. Why would the Cowboys not want to retain his rights in the event that he decided to come back to football? One QB injury to the right team and we would be looking at a nice compensation via trade.
Bryan:They did it to split the cap charge. 10.7 million this season and 8.9 the next. I might be in the minority here but I believe we've seen the last of Tony Romo as a NFL quarterback. I see him diving into this job with CBS and giving it his full attention. He wants to be great at this and having others thoughts of playing again would keep him from that opportunity. He's moved on and so has the team.
David:If Romo had still been on the books when he retired, he would've hit the Cowboys for the full $19.7 million of his cap charge. They decided they'd rather space that out over two years, which will save them $14 million in the long run. Obviously, there's a little bit of risk. If Romo decides to return, there's nothing the Cowboys can do to stop him from going anywhere. But that was a risk they were willing to take to get their cap in order.
FRED ROBERTSSALEM, OR
I was thinking about the Cowboys' backup QB situation now that Tony Romo will officially no longer be with the Cowboys. I know that Jameill Showers was on the Cowboys practice squad last year but was moved to safety. Is there any chance they move him back to QB and let him be the understudy behind Dak and Kellen Moore? I always liked the way Showers played and thought he might be a future option.
Bryan:If Showers makes this team it will be as a safety. Let's be honest here - that position isn't exactly settled either. They will find another quarterback in the draft or during the college free agency period post draft.
David:I don't think Jameill Showers' future lies at quarterback, but I do think the Cowboys should take a long look at the quarterback spot. Kellen Moore is an adequate backup for the time being, but I think it'd be smart for this front office to continually try to develop a quarterback behind Dak Prescott. It has worked wonderfully for Green Bay and New England over the years. If they don't spend a mid-to-late round pick on a quarterback this spring, I would certainly do it next spring. It could be either a great insurance policy or a great bargaining chip for a trade.
