The Dallas Cowboys are still currently working out a contract extension with quarterback Tony Romo and as the negotiations continue into the offseason, the team will need to figure out what to do if they can't work out a deal or if later on the quarterback gets hurt.
There are a number of options the team could take, like trading for Tim Tebow, but more realistic ones include signing someone like Jason Campbell to be his backup or draft a player in April as a quarterback of the future. Kyle Orton didn't set anything on fire in Dallas last season and the team could use a backup option instead of him, possibly someone like Matt Flynn of the Seattle Seahawks.
According to Sports Gather, the Cowboys could pull off a deal for Flynn and have him serve as the backup to Tony Romo and as insurance if he gets hurt, which he often does. The Cowboys ranked third in passing last season, but Orton is a big drop off from Romo in talent and although Flynn doesn't have much experience, he could be a perfect backup for the team as they figure out what to do with Romo.
If the team can't get an extension with Romo, they will likely trade him because he has a huge cap hit of dead money if he is on the roster through the season. Flynn would take a draft pick or two to get, but after he signed a three-year, $19.5-million deal before last season he is just dead money on the Seattle roster.
Russell Wilson beat him out for a job last year, but he has shown what he can do on the football field, passing for six touchdowns and 480 yards in a win against the Lions while he was with the Packers. He has completed over 60 percent of his passes while playing in the NFL and despite not having much experience, he could also serve as a bridge quarterback if the Cowboys need to make a move with Romo rather than Orton.
Jason Garrett said to MySanAntonio.com that the team would not be targeting a quarterback in the draft, meaning that another backup in a trade could be an option or a signing of someone like Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was cut by the Buffalo Bills, but UPDATE, he was signed by the Tennessee Titans and could push Jake Locker at the starting position.
"(Finding a quarterback of the future) is always important, but you only have so many resources and you want to make sure you use them wisely," Garrett said. "We really feel good about our quarterback position with Tony Romo and (backup) Kyle Orton."
Fitzpatrick could be a cheaper option, as he is no longer on the six-year $59 million contract he signed with the Bills two years ago and could be the backup for Romo until Jerry Jones figures out what he would like to do. Fitzpatrick had a couple rough seasons in Buffalo but a change of scenery could serve him well, as he passed for 3,400 yards last season and has shown he is capable of playing in the league. As previously said, Fitzpatrick is now with the Titans.
Kevin Kolb could be another option, as he was cut by the Cardinals, but he is getting interest from the Jets. The Bills quarterback went just 20-33 as a starter, but he could be a valuable backup for Romo and he has a more similar style to him than Orton does, making him a better player to come in if Romo gets knocked out. The Cowboys are in a tough cap situation and arte just in a tough situation in general after going 8-8 and missing the playoffs again last season.
At 33-years-old Romo is getting to that age where things need to start happening fast and if the Cowboys start losing or the team can't put together better defense under Monte Kiffin, Romo's Dallas days could be over, meaning the team will need someone to step in, even its just for the immediate future. Either Flynn or Kevin Kolb or even Tim Tebow could serve that role and help the team get through it.
