Romo had the Cowboys by the balls on this deal. They have no cap room and ......... this
Dallas Cowboys can’t use franchise tag on QB Tony Romo in 2014, but it doesn’t really matter
By Brandon George / Reporter
bgeorge@dallasnews.com
1:43 pm on March 29, 2013 | Permalink
So the Cowboys can’t place their franchise tag on quarterback Tony Romo in 2014 if the two sides don’t agree to a long-term contract extension. So what.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) on the sideline during a game against the Miami Dolphins during the second half of a preseason game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington on August 29, 2012. The Cowboys defeated the Dolphins 30-13. (Vernon Bryant / DMN)
It’s doesn’t matter. It’s much to do about nothing.
Why?
The NFL Network first reported that Romo’s contract is structured in a way that won’t allow the Cowboys the option of using their franchise tag on him. Romo’s deal still has three years left, and the final two automatically void but not until after the deadline for teams to designate their franchise players.
That means Romo would become an unrestricted free agent next off-season if the current league year ended with no new deal in place.
The Cowboys have pushed back a significant portion of Romo’s money into the voidable years on his contract because they’ve restructured his deal in recent years to free up salary cap space. If the Cowboys were able to use their franchise tag on Romo in 2014, it would come at a cost of more than $26 million for one season.
That just wouldn’t have happened.
So what does all of this really mean? It simply adds a little to the leverage that Romo already had in contract negotiations, but he’s had all the leverage on his side all along.
The Cowboys and Romo will agree on a long-term contract extension this off-season at some point. It will be a deal that favors Romo. There’s no doubt about that. The Cowboys need the deal to get done and want the deal to get done, primarily to free up salary cap space so that they can pursue other free agents this off-season and have the money to sign their six draft picks.
Romo is set to count $16.8 million against the Cowboys’ 2013 salary cap if no extension is done.
A source with knowledge of the Romo-Cowboys negotiations said this week that they’re ongoing and the goal is to get a deal done that is in the best interests of both parties.
But Romo should come out the clear winner.
The biggest reason why the deal will get done is Jerry Jones. He wants the deal done. When was the last time the Cowboys owner let a player leave that he wanted to keep?
And he’s always been one of Romo’s biggest fans. That hasn’t changed, no matter the lack of playoff success.
