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The San Francisco 49ers have many issues along the roster that will need attention in the offseason. Even if they draft the next heir, an experienced arm will still be necessary moving forward. Here’s why the 49ers should take a flyer on quarterback Tony Romo.
The season is over, and it’s time to face the facts. Both Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert will not be on the 49ers in 2017.
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Even if the 49ers draft their quarterback of the future, the chances of that rookie taking the league by storm right away is not a sure-fire possibility.
So how can the front office make the quarterback spot a position of strength again?
Free agency is the best way to bring in talent while not breaking the bank entirely. So why not kick the tires on probable free agent quarterback Tony Romo?
While it’s true that Romo has taken his fair share of criticism, he’s also been a reliable option under center for the Dallas Cowboys for many years. The simple truth is, you’ll never know what someone is capable of until you put them in a position to do so.
Quarterback Tony Romo has been the starter for the Dallas Cowboys since 2006. Since then, he’s started 127 games and compiled an impressive record of 78-49.
He’s been selected to four Pro Bowls, thrown for over 34,000 yards and has a remarkable 65.3 completion-percentage.
August 23, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) passes the football before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Whether he comes in as a starter, or wears a headset, he’s proved he can lead a team effectively. With over 34,000 career-passing-yards, he’s a reliable threat in the pocket. Something this team has been sorely lacking for the past two seasons.
While his career numbers are impressive, the downside is that he’s only made it to the postseason four times and carries a playoff record of 2-4.
For that reason, Tony Romo has been the topic of harsh criticism. Instead of joining the nay-sayers in a game of “Let’s knock Tony Romo,” let us consider the fact that football is a team sport, and for many seasons Dallas didn’t exactly have a productive running game.
In fact, with the exception of running back Ezekiel Elliot, the Cowboys haven’t had a reliable running threat for more than one season since Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith.
While most fans may be critical of seeing Tony Romo take the field in Santa Clara, the team needs to entertain all options as a possibility.
Besides, with a 2-14 record, what do the 49ers have to lose?
At 36 years of age, Romo will not be the savior the team is looking for many years to come. What he can be is a capable veteran who will lead the 49ers to a few productive seasons while helping to bring along the next franchise quarterback.
As we’ve seen in previous years, it is very difficult for a rookie to flourish in a system that doesn’t have a capable and reliable veteran. Quarterbacks such as Steve Young and Aaron Rodgers matured greatly from the expert tutelage of Joe Montana and Brett Favre.
These are franchises that benefited heavily from the proper passing of one leader to the next. It also gave those great franchises consecutive winning seasons and a Super Bowl trophy.
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At this point for the 49ers, the only thing that is a certainty is that the team has been forced to start over. It’s a lengthy process that requires time, patience and the proper form of leadership in the front office.
Regardless of what it takes to fix this franchise, the team must secure a franchise quarterback.
He must be a leader, he must be confident and he must make this team believe that they can win.
