Sturm: On the Romo Signing

[Nation]

Thats a chance I would be willing to take before committing that contract to a QB with Romo's track record. I would feel confident that if he had the success we have all been waiting for that he would certainly want to stay in Dallas and a deal could be reached. Most of the teams that would be willing to go after Romo would be the bottom dwellers coming off of poor seasons. I think staying in Dallas after having success would be Romo's first option and it would get done.

His "track record" includes two 4,000 yard seasons in which he threw 10 or fewer interceptions. Brady, Peyton, and Rodgers are the only other players in NFL history to do so multiple times. He would have plenty of options and those would include teams that could front load contracts in ways that Dallas could not.

 

[03EBZ06]

Thats a chance I would be willing to take before committing that contract to a QB with Romo's track record. I would feel confident that if he had the success we have all been waiting for that he would certainly want to stay in Dallas and a deal could be reached. Most of the teams that would be willing to go after Romo would be the bottom dwellers coming off of poor seasons. I think staying in Dallas after having success would be Romo's first option and it would get done.

You can't have both ways and didn't address my question. What if he doesn't want to sign with Cowboys, then what?

 

[visionary]

You don't "move on" from a franchise QB unless he just can't play anymore. Which is clearly not the case with Romo.

These guys are rare. You can spend 20 plus years looking for a QB who can be considered among the best at his position. When you find one, you keep him at all costs and build around him.

Now if you don't believe Romo is franchise caliber, none of this matters. I do though. So resigning him was the only option. Of course I'd have liked it to be less costly but it is what it is.

i agree with sturm and RS

the next 2-3 years will determine the legacy of jerry and romo much more than the cowboys

 

[Cowboys22]

His "track record" includes two 4,000 yard seasons in which he threw 10 or fewer interceptions. Brady, Peyton, and Rodgers are the only other players in NFL history to do so multiple times. He would have plenty of options and those would include teams that could front load contracts in ways that Dallas could not.

Everyone knows his stats. Thats is not what we are talking about. Stats don't win playoff games and superbowls. The track record I am talking about is 1 playoff win in 6 years and 1-6 in lose and go home games. Those trump stats in my book because you can set every record in the book but if you can't win a playoff game, who cares!

 

[rocboy22]

Everyone knows his stats. Thats is not what we are talking about. Stats don't win playoff games and superbowls. The track record I am talking about is 1 playoff win in 6 years and 1-6 in lose and go home games. Those trump stats in my book because you can set every record in the book but if you can't win a playoff game, who cares!

1 individual player does not win playoff games and superbowls, either.

 

[Nation]

Everyone knows his stats. Thats is not what we are talking about. Stats don't win playoff games and superbowls. The track record I am talking about is 1 playoff win in 6 years and 1-6 in lose and go home games. Those trump stats in my book because you can set every record in the book but if you can't win a playoff game, who cares!

Teams win playoff games and Super Bowls which is what the uneducated portion of our fanbase doesn't understand. Tom Brady won two AFC Championships in which he threw 3 interceptions. It wasn't because he was more leader-y than the opposing quarterback, it was because his team bailed him out. The talent level from top to bottom at Valley Ranch needs to include, and more specifically the talent level at the less-sexy positions needs giant improvement.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Everyone knows his stats. Thats is not what we are talking about. Stats don't win playoff games and superbowls. The track record I am talking about is 1 playoff win in 6 years and 1-6 in lose and go home games. Those trump stats in my book because you can set every record in the book but if you can't win a playoff game, who cares!

If your judging one players performance, wouldn't it stand to reason that individual statistics are a better indicator then wins and losses?

 

[Cowboys22]

You can't have both ways and didn't my question. What if he doesn't want to sign with Cowboys, then what?

Then he walks and you move on. Do you want a QB that would rather be somewhere else? I don't. It's the chance you take but I think it's worth the risk because I think he would re-sign in Dallas if he was coming off a successful season with a couple of playoff wins. I'd rather pay him more after showing me some success than gamble the next 4 or 5 years away hoping he turns the corner.

 

[Cowboys22]

1 individual player does not win playoff games and superbowls, either.

But they can lose them for you which Romo has proven. That is the point.

 

[FootballFan1]

What he said is true but there comes a point when a team has to move on from a QB, although pretty good, that can't lead the team into the playoffs and beyond. The situation we have with Romo now is that many fans have reached that point where they think it's best to move on and many others have not. Both sides have valid arguments and it doesn't make anyone a hater because they have a different opinion from you on what the best path for the team is. I was a big supporter of Romo and defended him up until week 17 of this year. That was the point in which I decided that was too many letdowns for me. That doesn't mean I will not support Romo and that I want him to fail. He is the QB for my favorite team so I will cheer for his success. I very much want for him to prove me wrong because that would mean success for the Cowboys. Having said that, it is still my right to have my opinion that Jerry should have made him play out his final year and prove his worth. My gut tells me that if he folds again, it would be the right time to let him go. Now we can't. Thats all.

This, and excellent post. How I felt about Bledsoe. There comes a time when you realize it is not working and you have the wrong guy at the helm. And it is not like he is a young guy. Always an excuse why.

We can all talk about the cap, but it is darn important today considering what some QB's are asking for -- and getting. Will be interesting to see the Rodgers contract. At some point, that will stop because you cannot sacrifice your whole team because of what you have to pay for one player. Nuts.

And I believe in the cap. No one should be able to "buy" a team. Even though I think my team would benefit, it would be bad for the league. Like the Yankees in baseball - ruined the game. And with the cap all of the teams in the league have an opportunity to be successful. I am a big supporter of the cap. But what you have done with Romo is given yourself breathing space for this year, but next year -- yikes, unless it is restructured. But even then, at some point you have to pay the piper. Because all it does is put off what is going to hit your bottom line at some point.

I don't know, I think some of these contracts are just so far out of line. And when it starts to "bite" some teams, I think this nonsense will end. Sure, the QB is the most important player on a team, but when it gets to the point that you cannot field a team properly, then it has gone too far. I think we are reaching that point. Way out of line in my opinion.

But what the heck do I know, just my thoughts.

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

1 individual player does not win playoff games and superbowls, either.

Completely agree. This team isn't good enough to allocate so much of it resources into one player when they are not really close to making a SB run. Too many funds in aging players on the roster right now.

 

[rocboy22]

But they can lose them for you which Romo has proven. That is the point.

yes, they can. but, when the team is not that good, and the only reason they were there in the first place is due to the play of said QB, it doesnt really matter. plus, I don't think anyone can pin any other "win or go home" game loss on Romo besides Washington last year.

 

[Cowboys22]

Teams win playoff games and Super Bowls which is what the uneducated portion of our fanbase doesn't understand. Tom Brady won two AFC Championships in which he threw 3 interceptions. It wasn't because he was more leader-y than the opposing quarterback, it was because his team bailed him out. The talent level from top to bottom at Valley Ranch needs to include, and more specifically the talent level at the less-sexy positions needs giant improvement.

If you don't have the team that will bail out a poor QB performance, then you need a QB that won't wilt in lose and go home games. Thats the whole point. I would have made Romo prove to me this year that he can get over that hurdle before giving him that deal and committing to him for another 4-5 years.

 

[03EBZ06]

Then he walks and you move on. Do you want a QB that would rather be somewhere else? I don't. It's the chance you take but I think it's worth the risk because I think he would re-sign in Dallas if he was coming off a successful season with a couple of playoff wins. I'd rather pay him more after showing me some success than gamble the next 4 or 5 years away hoping he turns the corner.

So you lose any chance of receiving compensation from losing a franchise QB and move on? lol ... If a GM did that, he would be crucified and likely lose his job. lol

Then it leads to this, who would you draft to take over? Keeping in mind that Romo just led the team into deep in the playoffs and don't have high draft pick?

Come on man, losing a franchise QB without any compensation and then having bottom 10 draft pick is a horrible situation.

 

[BlueStar22]

If Romo didn't play for the Dallas Cowboys he wouldn't be such a polarizing figure for Cowboy fans and non-fans. As Sturm points out, how quickly we forget Bledsoe, Quincy, Vinny, Chad Hutchinson, Drew Henson, Anthony Wright, hell Clint Stoerner. Those were our QBs after Troy and before Romo.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Everyone knows his stats. Thats is not what we are talking about. Stats don't win playoff games and superbowls. The track record I am talking about is 1 playoff win in 6 years and 1-6 in lose and go home games. Those trump stats in my book because you can set every record in the book but if you can't win a playoff game, who cares!

You can't pin all those losses on Romo either.

 

[SDCowboy]

If Romo didn't play for the Dallas Cowboys he wouldn't be such a polarizing figure for Cowboy fans and non-fans. As Sturm points out, how quickly we forget Bledsoe, Quincy, Vinny, Chad Hutchinson, Drew Henson, Anthony Wright, hell Clint Stoerner. Those were our QBs after Troy and before Romo.

The pefect example is Matt Ryan. The guy has a WORSE playoff record at 1-4 yet he's beloved. Romo gets destroyed for only having 1 playoff win.

 

[Denim Chicken]

yes, they can. but, when the team is not that good, and the only reason they were there in the first place is due to the play of said QB, it doesnt really matter. plus, I don't think anyone can pin any other "win or go home" game loss on Romo besides Washington last year.

I wouldn't pin the Washington game solely on him either. I remember our defense getting repeatedly burned by the read-option.

 

[Cowboys22]

So you lose any chance of receiving compensation from losing a franchise QB and move on? lol ... If a GM did that, he would be crucified and likely lose his job. lol

Then it leads to this, who would you draft to take over? Keeping in mind that Romo just led the team into deep in the playoffs and don't have high draft pick?

Come on man, losing a franchise QB without any compensation and then having bottom 10 draft pick is a horrible situation.

You're assuming he would just leave which I think is unlikely. If he had the success we all want, I feel confident that he would re-sign in Dallas. His cap # this year would have been $16.8 million and all of that would be coming off of next year's cap, giving them more than enough space to make Romo a market rate contract. If they wanted him back, I'm confident he would re-sign. To me, the risk in losing him after a good season is miniscule compared to the risk of committing those dollars and years to Romo and his current track record.

 

[Cowboys22]

You can't pin all those losses on Romo either.

I agree but he hasn't played well in almost all of them.