10 Athletes Who Need to Get out of Dodge
Tony Romo needs to get out of Dallas.
Now that he has said his de facto goodbye and handed the proverbial reigns over to rookie Dak Prescott, the longtime Cowboys quarterback is reportedly already considering possible 2017 destinations.
There are several reasons an athlete might want to get off his or her current team. Perhaps the team is in the middle of a rebuild. Perhaps the team is simply not good and the future doesn't look bright. Perhaps, like in Dallas, the team simply does not provide the best opportunity for the individual in question to succeed.
Whatever the reason, these 10 athletes need to get out of Dodge. In some cases, it would be easier than others (those pesky contracts). In fact, some of these athletes don't even want to leave, but from the outside looking in it should happen.
The individual, the team and, in some cases, both would be better off if these athletes got a change of scenery.
Right, Chicago Bears fans?
DeMarcus Cousins
1 of 10
It feels like sports folks are always talking about DeMarcus Cousins getting out of Sacramento.
Indeed, Sean Meagher of the Oregonian wrote, "Just weeks into 2016-17 season and the Sacramento Kings an unsurprising 4-8, Cousins name has already (predictably) been the most prevalent name in the early rumor mill."
The center has appeared to be less than thrilled with the goings-on in Sacramento over the years—from a feud with former head coach George Karl to public criticism of the team's 2016 draft selections.
Meanwhile, the Kings haven't made the playoffs since 2007, and Cousins is putting up 27.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game as of the start of Friday.
Cousins signed a four-year extension with Sacramento in 2013, but that obviously doesn't rule out a trade. In fact, per Sean Deveney of Sporting News, regarding the timeline for a Cousins move, one anonymous NBA general manager said in mid-November: "I'd say they have three months, tops."
Joey Votto
2 of 10
In August, Dan Szymborski of ESPN.com called the Cincinnati Reds one of "five teams in baseball voluntarily going through the full tear-down-and-rebuild process."
Since their loss in the 2013 National League Wild Card Game, the Reds have won 76, 64 and 68 games, respectively, in each of the past three seasons.
First baseman Joey Votto has been the Reds' franchise player for some time. He signed a 12-year, $251.5 million deal with the team in 2012 and hit .326/.434/.550 with 29 home runs in 2016.
Rebuilds often involve salary dumps (just look at the New York Yankees), but C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported in November that the Reds are not looking to trade Votto despite interest.
Yet, as recently as August, Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star reported the Reds and Toronto Blue Jays had had "serious discussions" about the 33-year-old veteran in 2015.
Votto is from Toronto, and the Jays have made back-to-back ALCS appearances. It might not be the worst thing to happen to an aging yet productive veteran.
Philip Rivers
3 of 10
The San Diego Chargers have not had a double-digit-win season since 2009 despite the five-time Pro Bowler they've got under center. The 2016 season has been another disappointment, as they're 4-6 through Week 11.
In October, Rivers McCown of ESPN.com wrote: "The San Diego Chargers need to rebuild. And that means they should at least consider trading star quarterback Philip Rivers."
Rivers—who signed a four-year extension in 2015—threw for 4,792 yards and 29 touchdowns on a league-leading 437 completions in 2015, yet his team only won four games.
There are a few things to be optimistic about if you're a Chargers fan—running back Melvin Gordon is heating up and defensive end Joey Bosa is garnering Rookie of the Year attention—but then again, Rivers is 34 years old. How long does he realistically have to win that elusive Super Bowl?
And you know, the team itself is looking to get out of Dodge. Why not the QB?
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John Tavares
4 of 10
The New York Islanders were supposed to be on the upswing, but a woeful start to the 2016-17 season—6-9-4 and dead last in the Metropolitan Division at the start of Friday—has head coach Jack Capuano squarely in the hot seat.
Via Eyes on Isles, "The New York Islanders have been rebuilding for the last 10 years and there is still yet to see the real stride to sustained success. The slow start magnifies this."
Captain John Tavares is a bright spot. The Islanders drafted the now-26-year-old center first overall in 2009, and he has led the team in points each of the past two seasons.
There are rumors of a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs, per Arthur Staple of Newsday, but Tavares has indicated he'd like to stay past his current contract, set to expire in 2018.
But should he?
James O'Brien of NBC Sports wrote, "Sometimes it's tough to wonder how John Tavares doesn't lose his mind considering the lack of support around him."
Mike Trout
5 of 10
The Los Angeles Angels signed outfielder Mike Trout to a six-year, $144.5 million extension in 2014.
Two years later, Trout is still just 25 years old. He's a five-time All-Star and two-time American League MVP. Neil Paine of FiveThirtyEight pointed out, "Through every single age in which he played a full season, Trout has been the all-time career leader in Baseball-Reference.com's WAR for position players."
And yet, the Angels have made the postseason just once during Trout's tenure with the team. They finished 2016 at 74-88, good for fourth place in the AL West, and the competition within the division should be stiff again in 2017, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.
ESPN's Buster Olney wrote the Angels will not and should not trade Trout, adding: "Rather, they would be much more likely to pre-emptively offer him a contract that would reflect his standing in their organization, in the sport and in history."
And yet, Trout can become a free agent after the 2020 season, at which point he will still be under 30 years old. Should Trout get out of L.A.? It might be too soon to call, but the next few years could be critical.
Brandon McIlwain
6 of 10
Freshman Jake Bentley ultimately won the South Carolina starting quarterback job, but fellow freshman Brandon McIlwain is still an impressive QB.
SC coach Will Muschamp praised McIlwain's performance during practice, saying, per Ben Breiner of the State: "He's been awesome. He's approached practice the way you're supposed to approach practice."
In October, McIlwain's mother expressed frustration over her son's development opportunities in a Facebook post. She wrote, per the State: "It's fine to invest in one freshman QB, but let's not throw the other under the bus! Be honest!"
Meanwhile, Bentley has completed 66.2 percent of his passes in five games and was named SEC Freshman of the Week after a 254-yard, two-touchdown performance against Missouri in early November.
McIlwain does play baseball at South Carolina as well, but as Travis Durkee of SEC Country wrote, "If Brandon McIlwain wants to be a college quarterback, he probably should transfer, as it looks like he won't overtake Jake Bentley anytime soon."
Jay Cutler
7 of 10
Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler joined the team in 2009 and signed a seven-year extension in 2014. Two years later, the Chicago-Cutler marriage doesn't appear to be working out for anyone.
The QB's time in Chicago has long been marred by questions about performance and attitude. The Bears have made just one postseason appearance (2011) in Cutler's tenure with the team.
In October, Cameron DaSilva of Fox Sports wrote: "For the past eight years, Cutler has been nothing but mediocre and polarizing. His stand-off attitude and emotionless reactions on the field are traits most stars at the position don't tote."
After a 36-10 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in November, Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman reported two Bears players indicated "most of locker room has given up on Cutler."
Indeed, there is no guaranteed money in Cutler's contract past 2016. And reports of a shoulder injury indicate the 33-year-old's season is likely over. Sounds like a break might be best for both parties.
Bastian Schweinsteiger
8 of 10
Sometimes getting out of Dodge isn't entirely voluntary, and Bastian Schweinsteiger's situation at Manchester United is even worse than Jay Cutler's in Chicago—if that's possible.
In early November, Squawka's Greg Stobart reported, "Bastian Schweinsteiger wants to join a Major League Soccer club in January and has been told he will not play again for Manchester United."
The 32-year-old German midfielder is signed at Old Trafford until 2018, but, per Stobart, the club has attempted to get out of the contract while Schweinsteiger insists on payment in full.
Clearly, this is not an ideal situation for either side. With the January transfer window looming, Manchester United will look to get rid of Schweinsteiger, likely to the MLS or the Chinese Super League, per Michael Wade of ESPN FC.
While Jose Mourinho clearly does not have any use for Schweinsteiger, he could be a welcome addition elsewhere. Bleacher Report's Christopher Simpson wrote, "Indeed, while he may be past his prime, the former Bayern Munich man is still a classy operator and a calming presence in midfield."
Anthony Davis
9 of 10
The New Orleans Pelicans signed big man Anthony Davis to a five-year, $145 million contract extension in 2015.
At that time, general manager Dell Demps called Davis the "cornerstone of our organization" and talked about plans to "continue to build our team to have sustained success," per John Reid of NOLA.com.
And yet, injury issues and poor results have plagued the Pelicans since. The team went 30-52 in 2015-16 and started the 2016-17 season 6-10.
Davis is just 23 years old and easily one of the NBA's best players. A change of scenery might be just what the doctor ordered for him. (Although, it's tough to imagine the Pelicans giving him up.)
Rumors are swirling about a trade—to the Boston Celtics perhaps, per CSNNE.com—although it's all just speculation at this point.
Per CSNNE.com, "The only way Davis will come into play is if Davis wants out, something that isn't that far-fetched when you consider the steady run of injuries he's enduring on a team that's going nowhere fast."
Tony Romo
10 of 10
Tony Romo is Drew Bledsoe circa 2001, and Dak Prescott is young Tom Brady. Really, that's enough said. But in case you need more...
Romo went down with a preseason injury, and to say the rookie has been a suitable replacement would be an understatement. Prescott has thrown for 2,640 yards and 17 touchdowns through 10 games, leading the Boys to a 10-1 record.
There was much speculation about what would happen once Romo came back healthy, but that question seems to have finally been answered. In mid-November, Romo said, per Conor Orr of NFL.com: "He's earned the right to be our quarterback. As hard as that is for me to say he's earned that right."
Now, with Romo's apparent concession, the rumor mill has already started to turn about where the 36-year-old veteran might end up in 2017.
The Denver Broncos? The New York Jets? Either way, it's time to get out of Dallas.
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