Tony Romo Trade Rumors: Cowboys Reportedly Unlikely to Deal QB

The Dallas Cowboys are unlikely to find a trade partner for quarterback Tony Romo, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN:

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Possible interested teams in Romo appear unwilling to take on the 36-year-old's contract or overpay for a quarterback who has started four games during the past two seasons because of injuries.

The Cowboys are unwilling to trade Romo to a city in which he does not want to play. Teams interested in Romo believe the Cowboys will eventually release the four-time Pro Bowler and are willing to wait until that happens before pursuing him as a free agent.

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According to that report, the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos have both expressed interest in Romo, but only as a free agent. Additionally, Fox Sports reportedly would take on Romo to replace new San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch as a color commentator. 

It isn't surprising that teams are waiting: Romo has a cap hit of $24.7 million in 2017, $25.2 million in 2018 and $23.7 million in 2019.

While Romo would make sense in both Denver and Houston—each team has a talented, veteran roster that is a quarterback away from being a Super Bowl contender—the financials don't work.

Waiting for him to hit free agency, much as the Broncos did in 2012 when the Indianapolis Colts released Peyton Manning, is the preferred strategy.

According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, "One source went as far as to say 'it's optimistic' to suggest Romo's status with the Cowboys will be determined in the next week. This doesn't mean the club has altered its position. The Cowboys intend to release Romo if a trade partner isn't found. Owner Jerry Jones informed Romo of this stance in a meeting on Wednesday, according to sources."

At this point, releasing him seems inevitable.