Tony Romo expects to be released by the Cowboys

Tony Romo is expecting to be released, not traded, by the Dallas Cowboys, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder. That will make it easier to negotiate with new teams, as his $24.7 million cap hit this season might have been a deterrent in any trade discussions.

Romo has spent his entire career in Dallas, but has missed most of the last two seasons due to injuries. This year, rookie sensation Dak Prescott’s play hastened the end of the Romo era in Dallas. Prescott finished the season with 3,667 passing yards and 23 touchdowns against just four interceptions. He earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors for his performance.

Despite Prescott’s play, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said recently that he wasn’t sure what to do about Romo. Jones said that Dallas built the offense specifically around Romo’s skill set. Releasing Romo will leave the Cowboys with $19.6 million in dead money.

But Romo’s trade value may not have been particularly high. In November, Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen reported that general managers thought the Cowboys could get a mid-to-late-round conditional pick in exchange for the veteran quarterback.

Romo should have plenty of interest from quarterback-needy teams around the league. He would be a good fit with the Denver Broncos and new offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. The New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and Houston Texans all have decisions to make at the quarterback position, also.

Romo, who will turn 37 in April, believes he still has two or three more seasons left in him, according to Werder.