Quick Fixing the 49ers: 5 Bold Roster Moves for the 2017 Offseason

Trade for Quarterback Tony Romo

Why not kick things off with something noncontroversial?

Sure, Tony Romo is aging. Alright, he’s downright ancient in NFL terms. He turns 37 this year, meaning that he only has one or two seasons left, at best. Couple that with his prolific injury history (Romo has only played a full 16 games in five of his ten pro seasons, and only five games total over the past two), and you may already be questioning why it was that you bothered clicking through to the second page of this article.

However, Romo is an accomplished passer. His lifetime QB rating of 97.1 is head and shoulders above anything that the 49ers had on their roster last year (Kaepernick is tops with a lifetime 88.9).

Moreover, the free agent market for quarterbacks (given an almost certain franchise tag on Washington Redskins QB Kirk Cousins) is more desolate than deep space.

A list that could truly make a grown fan cry.

Amongst that motley crew of castoffs and ne’er-do-wells, Romo looks like a real prize. And he has the veteran savvy to be both a lead voice in the locker room as well as a mentor to the next up and coming 49ers passer (more on that later).

Admittedly, Romo’s post-season record is nothing to make fans turn cartwheels (2-4). However, this is an attempt to make the 49ers instantly viable again, not to necessarily win Super Bowl LII.

Further, Romo has been part of a few playoff heartbreakers, including the controversial divisional playoff game against the Packers in 2015. Had just one or two more balls bounced his way, Romo’s post-season career might be cast in an entirely different light.

Either way, he still boasts a career 93.0 QB rating in the playoffs, with eight touchdowns and only two interceptions.

The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has already tweeted that moving Romo is a high priority for the Cowboys. And although Romo would undoubtedly rather play for an immediate playoff contender, like the Denver Broncos, Rapoport also suggests that they, for one, are less interested in him.

What should the 49ers give up for “To-Ro”? Certainly not the farm. However, it might not be necessary to do so. Perhaps a third rounder this year and a later pick in the 2018 draft.

The bigger issue is Romo’s contract. He has three years and a whopping $54 million remaining on his current deal, which translates into a $24 million dollar cap hit in 2017.

That’s a huge number, and one that Romo will likely have to renegotiate if he wants to step onto the gridiron anywhere next year.

However, who has more cap room than the 49ers? York and Co. decided to parlay a huge cap surplus into 2017.

Per Over The Cap, the Niners have roughly $80 million in cap room heading into next year, and that’s before the inevitable release of Colin Kaepernick ($16 million of cap space in ’17).

So, despite the many reasons that Romo might not want to join the Red and Gold, ability to pay him, is not one of them.

Let’s assume the 49ers can land Romo for a more palatable, albeit lofty, $18 million in current cap space, and they’ve got their first piece of their insta-rebuild in place.

Other Names to Consider:  Drew Brees and Philip Rivers