NFL Notes: Pierre Garcon, Bengals, Cowboys, Packers

Pierre Garcon

• Redskins WR Pierre Garcon further indicated that he’ll be testing the free agent market in the coming weeks by posting “#YallHiring?” on Instagram Monday.
• A recent report listed the Rams, Eagles, Bears, Cowboys and 49ers as teams expected to have interest in Garcon. (NFLTR)
• We have him featured in our Top 100 – 2017 Free Agents list.

Bengals

• Paul Dehner Jr. believes veteran OT Andre Smith could make sense for the Bengals if he doesn’t re-sign with the Vikings and is willing to accept a one-year, prove-it contract.
• Dehner Jr. admits that this is assuming that G Kevin Zeitler departs in free agency.

Cowboys

• Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes that trading QB Tony Romo isn’t impossible, but his contract obviously complicates matters, given that he’s set to make base salaries of $14M (2017), $19.5M (2018) and $20.5M (2019).
• Archer says that the decision for the Cowboys ultimately comes down to whether they believe they’re better off having $5.1 million of cap space available in March or $14 million of cap room in June. If the Cowboys trade or release Romo, they would pick up the $5.1 million but they could improve that to $14 million by designating him as a post-June 1 release.
• If the Cowboys elect to designate Romo as a post-June 1 release, they could use the $14 million savings for a number of things and carry over the remaining sum to 2018. They could also use the money to sign someone like G Zach Martin to a contract extension.
• All things considered, Archer believes it makes the most sense for them to make Romo a post-June 1 release.

Packers

• Ryan Wood of PackersNews.com considers exclusive rights free agent WR Geronimo Allison and LB Joe Thomas to be no-brainers when it comes to being tendered contracts by the Packers.
• Wood believes the Packers could forgo tendering OLB Jayrone Elliott and LB Jordan Tripp exclusive rights deals and try to re-sign them to league minimum contracts.