The Dallas Cowboys muddled through this past season after quarterback Tony Romo went down with the likes of Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel and Kellen Moore under center. It, unsurprisingly, did not go well. With the Cowboys back to the drawing board and looking to take what was a playoff-caliber lineup in 2014 back to the postseason next year, much of the talk in Dallas has turned to the future of the team, specifically as it pertains to Romo. Romo is, and has been, "the guy" for a decade now. As he goes, so goes the team. With his ever-increasing age (35) and the wear and tear on his body, Romo's hope that he can play four more NFL seasons seems something like a pipedream as we sit here today.
It's been a presumption since Romo went down in October that the Cowboys will do something to shore up the position behind Romo as part of their offseason revamping and former Cowboys quarterback and NFL analyst Troy Aikman, for one, believes that a couple of former first-round picks that have already flamed out at their initial NFL destinations may very well be in Dallas' future.
"I believe as I sit here today that either Johnny Manziel or Robert Griffin III will be in Dallas as a back-up," Aikman told SI.com recently.
That's a bold statement, especially considering both players remain under contract with their current teams. But Manziel's issues off the field and the change in leadership in Cleveland may very well mean a change of scenery is in store. And RGIII's deal is currently slated to pay him $16.2 million for next season, which, considering Kirk Cousins did his best to lay claim to the starting gig in Washington, is a figure the team simply won't be willing to meet.
The team is reportedly expected to release the formerly electrifying signal-caller.
The Cowboys, led by team owner Jerry Jones, won't come right out and say it, but whoever they add this offseason, whether it be Manziel, RGIII or one of the looming 2016 NFL Draft's top prospects, will be the heir apparent to Romo. Jones has gone on record in the past as saying that he believes Romo is capable of winning a Super Bowl and that it will be a severe disappointment if the former undrafted free agent's NFL career ends without that big win.
But, Lombardi Trophy or no, at some point the Cowboys have to start considering what life will be like without Tony. And whether it's Manziel, RGIII or a draft pick, that player better be ready to shoulder the hopes and dreams of a Cowboy fanbase that have been ultimately disappointed far too often in recent years.
