FRISCO, Texas -- Fundamentally, nothing has changed in regard to Tony Romo's status on the Dallas Cowboys or the potential for a trade.

According to sources, the Cowboys have allowed teams permission to speak with Romo and/or his agents directly. Although that sounds good, it does nothing to facilitate an actual trade.

Romo and a team can agree on a reworked contract, but what happens if that team and the Cowboys do not agree on the compensation required for a trade? Nothing happens. The best possible scenario regarding a trade for Romo, which was first mentioned by Bryan Broaddus of dallascowboys.com, involves the Cowboys and the mystery team swapping picks in a round.

In that case, the mystery team would be able to keep its full allotment of picks, and the Cowboys, who pick 28th in the first round, would move up a handful of spots in whatever round.

According to sources, the Cowboys have given teams permission to speak with Tony Romo and/or his agents directly. Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps the Cowboys have had some discussions with teams about a trade that make today’s news a little more interesting. But there has been no indication that any team, most notably the Houston Texans or Denver Broncos, would be willing to do anything to trade for Romo.

By allowing teams to speak with Romo, the quarterback will have his desire to interview teams himself. Does he see himself as a fit in Bill O’Brien’s offense? Does John Elway view Romo as a final piece in the Broncos' return to the Super Bowl? Would another team get into the bidding and possibly pay him more than anybody else?

To think teams have not had these discussions internally is folly. To think there haven't been any wink-wink, nod-nod discussions, at least hypothetically, between the teams and Romo’s camp is also folly.

At the scouting combine in February, Jerry Jones was asked if he would give permission for a team to speak to Romo, and he said that is not something the Cowboys allow. Now he is allowing it, but it does nothing for the most complicated part of a trade: the team-to-team compensation.

At least now Romo will have the chance to see what is available and if he wants to play. As stated countless times, he could get a sense of what is out there, not like what he sees and join the comforts of the broadcast booth at FOX or CBS.

Inch by inch, the Romo saga drags on as the inevitable parting of the ways draws closer.