By Will Martin
If you just went by the body language of the person in question, the owner, and the coach the end result was more than mere probability.
It seemed more like a plot that had to play itself out. Simply put Kyle Orton had hinted at retirement.
No-showing at OTAs and mini camp sessions. Jason Garrett remaining somewhat mum on Kyle’s incommunicado talks.
This meant one of a couple of scenarios, none of which will matter as Orton was released on July 16.
Had Orton opted to retire he would have had to repay the Dallas Cowboys in the ballpark of $3.25 million.
By getting cut Orton’s departure now creates some dead money (read: Cap Space) for the Cowboys to go after other players to hopefully sign long term like Dez Bryant.
Orton was a free agent signing to back up Tony Romo in 2012.
His only action that fall was in mop-up duty in the second half of a Chicago home massacre October 1 before a Monday Night audience (Only after Tony Romo got picked off five times).
Last December in Week 17 Kyle Orton made the start at home against the Philadelphia Eagles.
A game Dallas lost to finish 8-8 by the score of 24-22 despite a 358 yard two touchdown, two interception game.
Orton also saw limited action at Chicago when the Bears again roared their way to victory.
Cowboys fans of course will forever bemoan an underthrown two point conversion to Dez Bryant in that season finale.
I’ve been saying this for months. Jason Garrett has also echoed the merits of having a Brandon Weeden in the back seat as a #2 backup quarterback to Tony Romo. Weeden took all of the snaps in minicamps and OTAs. You can expect more of the same when Oxnard comes a calling on July 24.
At this point it would be very prudent to suggest that Tony Romo would see any action for snaps or live action prior to the regular season. If Romo sees any action at all it would be on August 23 when Dallas plays their next to last game of the exhibition for the first half before Brandon Weeden takes the lions share of snaps the rest of the way.
There are many who wonder how Tony is going to handle the strain of being under center on the heels of two back surgeries. The same way that Travis Frederick performed glowingly in 2013 I predict the same fate for 2014 first rounder Zack Martin.
Suffice to say there are many things every football team will be pondering as camps draw nearer. With Kyle Orton now out of the equation there’s one less distraction to have to deal with. Next post I’ll pose the question: Who can fill the shoes of out-for-the-year-spiritual leader Sean Lee on this porous defense (Just going by the numbers).
How bout that training camp?
How bout them Cowboys?
