INDIANAPOLIS– This year's NFL Combine will begin in earnest on Wednesday, and the league year will open just a week after that. As evidenced by a flurry of moves around the league on Tuesday, the next week could bring plenty of news heading into the start of free agency.
To hear it from team executive vice president Stephen Jones, the uptick in activity does not mean the Cowboys have sat down with Tony Romo – at least not yet.
"Yeah, I would say it's going to come," he said. "I think Jerry's going to be due to meet with him sooner than later. But I would say there's a definitive meeting set as of yet."
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones has long made it known that he'll have the long-awaited discussion about Romo's future when the time comes. With the NFL descending on Indianapolis for the Combine, and with free agency set to open on March 9, that time seems like it is fast approaching.
But for the time being, the Cowboys' gameplan for their four-time Pro Bowl quarterback – who is set to count $24 million against the cap and who didn't start a game in 2016 – remains unclear.
"That part really remains to be seen," Stephen Jones said. "Of course, I don't comment on Tony. Jerry's made that real clear – he's going to comment on Tony."
As of now, it's anyone's guess what will become of the Cowboys' long-time starting quarterback. Stephen Jones even mentioned the possibility that Romo remains on the roster as a backup quarterback option.
But when Jones was asked Tuesday about what Romo has meant to the organization, it certainly felt like some type of decision was coming – even if it hasn't been made yet.
"What he's done for this franchise just speaks volumes for what he means to the Dallas Cowboys, to the organization, to our family," he said. "I mean, this guy has played tremendous football. He's given us big seasons, and we're all – I think Jerry said it best: Unfortunately, that's one of our biggest regrets right now, is we haven't been able to put a team around Tony, when he's healthy, that he could win a Super Bowl."
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