The Carolina Panthers had one particularly fetal flaw in the past NFL season: their weak offensive line. Despite the talent and playmaking skills of Cam Newton, the Greg Olsen squad saw themselves slipping from the top spot early in the competition. With the reported changes targeted by Ron Rivera in their strategies, the talks of seeing a Tony Romo contract take another step towards turning into a reality.

The Dallas Cowboys, particularly Jerry Jones, seem to be struggling to release their hold of the Tony Romo contract in their lineup. Despite knowing for sure that Dak Prescott is their lead quarterback in the next NFL season, the Dez Byrant team appears to be reluctant in letting go of the veteran quarterback. This pushed reportedly interested teams like the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos to back off the negotiating table and look for a leader elsewhere. Will this situation turn out to be advantageous for the Carolina Panthers?

Rumors are rife that the Carolina Panthers are seriously considering a Tony Romo contract this offseason. This report comes after the front office purportedly reviewed the performance of Cam Newton and found that a veteran as well as a proven leader in the locker room would benefit the Greg Olsen team. More importantly, speculations note that adding a Tony Romo contract to the Carolina Panthers lineup might instill a sense of urgency for the current starting quarterback. That is, it could encourage Cam Newton to rise above expectations to prove he deserves his starting role.

At this point though, no official comment has been given by the parties tagged in this NFL rumor. Hence, the possibility of a Tony Romo contract to the Carolina Panthers remain at the speculation phase. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers are focused on trying to help Cam Newton get back to his old self following his difficult season.

"He's going to have to rebuild his confidence,'' Rivera said of Cam Newton. "It was shook. Let's be honest. I'm not going to lie about that. The young man went through a tough time and we went through a tough time. Why? Because of the injuries we incurred on the offensive line. That was probably the biggest thing. It just kind of shows the importance and significance of protecting your quarterback.''

He added, "And again, it goes back to you've got to protect your quarterback and put playmakers around him. We've got to do that. I'd like to believe that we're doing those things right now that we need to do in the offseason."