In baseball, playoff contenders will sell the farm for a top-of-the-rotation pitcher that will set them over the edge and put them in the driver’s seat for the title. In basketball, teams on the verge will toss out first-round picks for a shooter or second-tier star — the Nuggets received two first round picks for Timofey Mozgov!
In the NFL, though, it’s status quo.
We rarely ever see an organization send away their best player at the deadline for a stash of picks or bring in an elite option to fill a gaping hole in their roster. Moves are made during the offseason, for better or worse.
But isn’t John Elway the type of guy to shatter the status quo?
Here’s the deal: The Broncos need a quarterback. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. Yes, they won the Super Bowl last season without one, but that does not mean they’re in line to do the same this time around.
This is a championship team. They have a championship defense, championship weapons and championship coaches. That won’t last long. The window is small in the NFL, and even when it’s open, you may not be able to find it. The Broncos have been one of the best organizations in football for four decades, and they’ve come away with just three titles. Failure today, does not mean success tomorrow.
If you don’t take full advantage of your championship opportunity today, even at the cost of success tomorrow, you’re doing it wrong.
With that said, the Broncos need a quarterback, a good quarterback, more than any team needs any one player.
Fortunately, there might be a veteran available down in the Lone Star state.
Now listen, Tony Romo is absolutely a high-risk player. His health concerns are legitimate, and there’s a very real opportunity that he could land in Denver and immediately direct his Uber to Saint Joseph Hospital and never play a game, but that’s the exact same risk Elway took when he signed Peyton Manning following four neck surgeries.
It could be the same reward, too.
Romo has faced his fair share of criticism over the years, but in his last 19 starts, he’s 15-4 with a 69.6 completion percentage for 4,589 yards, 39 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. That’s elite.
For comparison, in Manning’s last 19 starts with the Colts, he went 11-8 with a 67.0 completion percentage for 5,295 yards, 37 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. When coming to Denver, Manning was 36 years old, a year older than Romo is today.
If the Broncos were to get just 75 percent of the Romo we’ve seen over the last three seasons, with this defense, they’d immediately become Super Bowl favorites.
So, what would you have to give up to get him? In short, a lot.
Tony Romo is like the son Jerry Jones never had — sorry Stephen — and he’s not going to give him up easily, even if Dak Prescott looks to be one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in football. Fortunately, if there’s one thing Jerry loves more than Romo, it’s winning, and time is of the essence for the 74-year-old owner.
If the Cowboys go into Lambeau on Sunday and defeat the Packers, taking a 5-1 record into their bye, Prescott mania will be at an all-time high; Cowboy fever will be at an all-time high; Jerry Jones’ ego will be at an all-time high.
Dallas will be pegged as a legitimate Super Bowl contender, thanks to their rookie quarterback and running back, and as with the Broncos, the most logical option for the Cowboys would be to go all in. And the way for them to do that would be to use Romo to trade for a piece that will push them over the edge.
What’s that piece? Could be anything.
Want help in the secondary? How does Aqib Talib sound?
Need to boost your pass rush? What about your old friend DeMarcus Ware?
Feel like you need another target next to Dez Bryant? Broncos Country would be happy to pass along Demaryius Thomas.
Package any one of those players with a first-round pick, and the Cowboys instantly become a better team. And all it costs them is a quarterback who hasn’t played a down for them all season.
For the Broncos, though, would it be worth it, to give up a Pro Bowler and a first-round pick?
Abso-freaking-lutely.
There is no price too high to pay for an All-Pro caliber quarterback, and when healthy, that’s exactly what Tony Romo is. I understand that it’s a risk, but when you have an opportunity to win a Super Bowl, you need to take risks.
Elway has proven that he’s willing to make power moves in the past. He needs to show that he’s willing to do it again.
C’mon, Romo. Let’s go get some rings!