Tony Romo could be Arizona Cardinals’ fall-back plan
By Jim Koch
If quarterback Carson Palmer calls it a career the Arizona Cardinals could turn their attention to the four-time Pro Bowler
The Arizona Cardinals were in this position before. Back in 2010, they were waiting on quarterback Kurt Warner to decide if he wanted to keep playing or not. Seven years later, it’s now Carson Palmer contemplating retirement.
But, unlike in 2010, there’s an intriguing replacement option for their starting signal-caller.
The Dallas Cowboys’ Tony Romo will be playing for a new franchise in 2017. Rumors have been swirling that the 36-year old could make Arizona his new home if Palmer does choose to hang up the cleats.
In late December it appeared that Palmer would be returning next season. After a slow start to the season, he looked fantastic over the second half of the year. He finished with a very respectable 4,233 yards and 26 touchdowns in 15 starts.
But according to recent reports, Palmer’s return no longer looks like a sure thing. He’s talking now of “seeing how my body responds” before coming to a decision. There was alot of shuffling of offensive lineman due to injuries last season, and the veteran took a fierce beating.
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Romo suffered a broken bone in his back during the preseason, opening the door for his backup, Dak Prescott. The rookie took the opportunity and ran with it, leading the Cowboys to a 13-3 regular-season record. His fairy-tale campaign ended with a playoff loss, but Prescott played well enough to be named the starter going forward.
So Romo will now be moving on. He could either be traded or perhaps flat-out released. Either way, there will be no shortage of suitors for his services.
In Arizona, the wait is on for Palmer to make up his mind. Cards’ management has let it be known that they’d like to know by mid-February if he’s gonna retire so they can weigh their options. Romo could very well be one of those options.