Report: ESPN Ready to Offer Blockbuster Deal to Tony Romo if He Doesn't Return to CBS

ESPN is gearing up to pursue Tony Romo if he does not reach a deal with CBS before March, according to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post.

Romo's representatives and CBS are currently in an exclusive negotiating period but have yet to reach a deal. If the network does not have an agreement in place by next week, the former NFL quarterback can speak with other networks in March, reports Marchand.

If Romo hits the open market, ESPN will reportedly offer him a deal that could exceed $10 million per year. The network would like to add more NFL games to its schedule on top of Monday Night Football and hopes to join the Super Bowl broadcast rotation.

Romo made over $3 million last season—the final year of his first TV contract with CBS. Sources told Marchand that Romo would "likely only leave CBS if his schedule is primarily game-focused."

If Romo does not come to ESPN, the network could potentially reach out to Peyton Manning again to see if he's interested in work as a broadcaster. Manning could see an estimated offer of around $10 million to $12 million per season.