Dallas Cowboys need to keep Tony Romo on the bench

Despite not having seen regular season action in over a year, the Dallas Cowboys would be wise to keep quarterback Tony Romo on the bench in Week 17.

The last time Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo took a meaningful snap was November 26, 2015. It’s been over a year since the veteran has played in a regular season game. So there are obvious concerns over rust when talking about the highest paid back-up in the NFL.

And those concerns are valid as Romo has struggled with rust in the past. After having back surgery the year before, the Cowboys longtime starter played just 50 snaps in the preseason in preparation for the 2014 regular season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. Romo completed just 23 of his 37 pass attempts and threw three interceptions in the 28-17 loss.

That game turned out to be an aberration, as the Cowboys would finish the season 12-4, go undefeated on the road and get their first playoff victory in five years. Romo would also end up having one of his nest seasons as a professional.

So, yes. Rust is a real thing when it comes to the now 36-year old quarterback coming off yet another back injury in August. Romo suffered a compression fracture in his lower back early during the Cowboys third preseason game. Ever since, the veteran has been recovering on the bench.

With a meaningless Week 17 game scheduled this Sunday against the 6-9 Philadelphia Eagles in Philly, many believe it’s the perfect time for Romo to get a bit of playing time in and shake off some of that rust.

But I do not believe the Cowboys should play Romo at all in the upcoming contest and here’s why. Dallas will likely be without several key starters on both sides of the ball in this irrelevant matchup. Although many of the Cowboys starters will play in this game, I don’t believe most will finish it. They may not even play the entire second half.

Placing a rusty 36-year old quarterback behind a makeshift offensive line, with similarly rusty running backs and subpar wide receivers is only asking for trouble. It’s more than likely Romo would take some devastating hits while under center playing in what the Eagles’ players and their fans will probably consider their own personal Super Bowl.

Shaking off some rust aside, it’s really a no-win situation for Dallas. If Romo plays poorly, his trade value likely takes a hit this offseason. Especially if that’s his only appearance in 2016, which you hope it will be. If Romo plays well, you’ve just sparked another quarterback controversy. Especially if rookie starter Dak Prescott struggles in the postseason.

Bottom line is if Romo does play, you’ll need to have your best players also on the field to protect him. With Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith already expected to miss this final regular season contest, the Cowboys offensive line is already compromised. With other ailing starters likely to be missing as well, it’s simply not worth the risk to play Romo. Time to let Mark Sanchez shake off the rust instead.