Tony Romo News: Are The Denver Broncos, Houston Texans The QB's Only Options?

Tony Romo is about to hit the open market, making him the hottest free agent of the 2017 NFL offseason. ESPN has reported that the Dallas Cowboys will release the quarterback Thursday, putting all eyes on the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans.

With top defenses and a glaring need at quarterback, Denver and Houston have been pegged as the frontrunners to land Romo. The veteran, however, will have more than just two options, with the Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets and a host of other teams facing questions at the sport’s most important position.

Romo will likely go to a team that can win a Super Bowl with him at the helm, and it would be surprising to see him sign with someone other than the Broncos or Texans. But that doesn’t mean Romo won’t take his time and explore other destinations.

Taking a closer look at Romo’s options, it’s difficult to find a realistic landing spot for the 36-year-old.

Teams like the Jets, Bears and 49ers might want to have Romo on their roster, but all three are so far away from contending for a title that it’s hard to believe he would actually sign with one of them. The 49ers are reportedly looking to make a trade, and they could land Kirk Cousins at some point in the foreseeable future.

The Buffalo Bills appeared to be an option for Romo, but it looks like the team will be sticking with Tyrod Taylor. Buffalo announced Wednesday that they restructured the quarterback’s contract.

If Romo is going to sign with a team other than Denver or Houston, it might have to be with someone that already has a capable quarterback.

The Chiefs are reportedly not interested in Romo, but that hasn’t stopped speculation that they could acquire the quarterback. Alex Smith has taken the Chiefs to the playoffs in three of the last four years, but he hasn’t been able to lead them beyond the divisional round.

Romo has played just five games in the last two seasons, throwing six touchdown passes and seven interceptions. He ranks fourth all time with a 97.1 career passer rating, and he made four Pro Bowls with the Cowboys.