And so they begin.

Really, the Tony Romo trade rumors began months ago, as rookie Dak Prescott was leading the Cowboys to early-season wins in place of the 36-year-old quarterback. But now that Romo has conceded the throne in Dallas, the rumors are gaining merit.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said he has no plans to deal Romo — and, at least in the short term, why would he? Romo, a noted and self-proclaimed competitor, has other ideas, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.

"Romo, I'm told, already has eyes on the Broncos as a possible destination if general manager John Elway decides Paxton Lynch needs another year and that Trevor Siemian isn't the guy," Rapoport reported Sunday morning. "Other options, depending on a variety of factors, include the Bears, Jets, Cardinals and Bills."

Romo also is considering retirement, according to the report, even though Dallas tight end Jason Witten doubts that scenario.

As noted by SN's Jason Fitzgerald last month, if the Cowboys do eventually trade Romo, the sooner the better.

"The Cowboys have little left they can do with Romo’s contract to help the cap," Fitzgerald wrote. "Whether he’s cut or traded, the cap charge will be the same next year — $19.6 million. That number will be a hard pill to swallow, and it can cloud good judgment.

"But Dallas needs to look past that number and realize the benefits of moving on from Romo. The Cowboys need to plan for the long term, and carrying Romo at a $24.7 million cap charge just to have him next year does nothing for the team. They would still carry an $8.9 million charge if he’s released in 2018, so it’s better to get it all out of the way now."

Rapoport reports the Cowboys will have Prescott on a "long leash," meaning they see the 23-year-old as the undisputed starter and would only play Romo in the case of "a meltdown or a miserable four-game losing streak."

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As for Romo's targets, the Broncos and Cardinals stand out as contenders. Denver's rookie quarterback, Lynch, evidently hasn't progressed as quickly as Prescott and could remain on the bench for at least one more year. In Arizona, Carson Palmer's career is coming to a not-so-pleasant end, and the Cardinals don't have an obvious plan at QB for the future.

The Bears and Jets, facing different stages of a rebuilding process, don't make as much sense for Romo if he wants to contend for a title. The Bills might be committed to Tyrod Taylor at quarterback and will need to make that decision soon. Because Romo will need to renegotiate his contract, Rapoport noted, he'll be able to control his destination to an extent.

Given the way Romo has entrenched himself in the Dallas community over the years, he might stay put. If Romo retires, it's possible he stays within the organization, according to the report.