Training camp is still a month away but you don’t need daily reports from the grueling two-a-day sessions to see what players are going to have the heat turned up on them this season. I’ve complied a list of 10 players (in no particular order) who, not necessarily the same reasons, face make or break seasons in ’09.

1. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys
If Romo doesn’t get the Cowboys to the playoffs in 2009 will Jerry Jones look for other options at quarterback in 2010? No. But if you read between the lines, the Cowboys jettisoned Terrell Owens this offseason so that Romo will have every opportunity to be the team’s most influential leader and hopefully go from being a great quarterback to one of the elite. While it might not technically be a make or break season for Romo, his career is certainly at a crossroads. Romo’s numbers last year were solid – 3,448 yards, 26 TDs, 91.4 QB Rating – but his play faded over the last month of the season and the Cowboys imploded. Since then, Romo’s work ethic, offseason dedication and leadership skills have been questioned and it appears as though the QB’s career has come to a fork in the road. If he continues on the path his currently on, he might put up decent numbers and lead the Cowboys to the playoffs a couple more times before his days are done. That’s certainly not bad, but Jones and the rest of the Cowboy faithful want Romo to be extraordinary and if he completely dedicates himself to the game, maybe he can take this talented team to the next level. One thing’s for sure – with T.O. out of the way, this is now Romo’s team and it’s up to him where he and the Cowboys go from here.

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Kurt Warner and his agent must have read my latest column because apparently the free agent quarterback is on the verge of re-signing with the Arizona Cardinals according to ESPN.com. If the deal is completed, Warner is expected to receive $23 million over the next two years.

On Monday I speculated that Warner wouldn’t re-up with the Cards after making a free agent stop in San Francisco to talk with the 49ers. I concluded that with the departure of Todd Haley and the eventual/possible trade of Anquan Boldin, Warner might soon jettison as well.

Uh, not so much.

Click here for six observations on Super Bowl XLIII.

Lucifer himself might as well have created the Monday after Super Bowl Sunday.

Is that extreme? No.

The Monday after the Super Bowl signals the end of another NFL season and that means there is no football on the horizon unless you’re one of the 10 people that watches the Pro Bowl. There are seven months between now and the start of preseason games, which makes me sick to think about. If I could freeze myself for the next seven months and thaw just in time for the 2009 season, I would.

Is that extreme? No.

But fear not my football friends because even though there isn’t any football this Sunday, it doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to get excited about while looking ahead. Below are 10 things to look forward to now that the Super Bowl is over. (And so that you don’t have to freeze yourself for the next seven months.)

Before you read on, realize that I’m not going to copout and write about how free agency and the draft are things to look forward to. Of course they are, but let’s get more specific here, people.

Cardinals’ quarterback Kurt Warner is getting ready to face the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII this week, but by next week he could be shopping himself around to other teams.

Following Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Warner becomes a free agent.

Meanwhile, here in Chicago, Mark Bartelstein is hatching an all-inclusive plan that would give other teams a chance to make an offer to his client.

“The Bears obviously have to figure out which direction they want to go with the quarterback thing,” Bartelstein said. “It has, obviously, been a point of contention for quite a while. We have to wait and see what they decide they want to do.”

The Cardinals will have to decide whether they want to commit to Warner while young first-round pick Matt Leinart sits in the wings.

“Look, Kurt has had a great time (with Arizona). He loves the coaching staff and the guys on the team. He has built great connections with his teammates. So certainly I think he would love to get something done,” Bartelstein said.

“My view with players is always that once you get to free agency, you have earned the right to find out about yourself. You would be silly not to have an open mind.”

With the way he played this season, Warner does deserve the right to test the free agent market. And considering Arizona still has Leinart in its back pocket, Warner might get offered more money elsewhere because the Cardinals do have another quarterback on the roster with (albeit limited) starting experience.

But Warner has had a multitude of success in two places: St. Louis and Arizona. And in both situations, he played indoors and in a passing offense. Not that he couldn’t succeed elsewhere (like Chicago), but maybe the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t. In other words, I think Kurt’s place is back with Arizona if the Cardinals make him a reasonable offer. (Regardless of what happens in the Super Bowl.) Arizona just seems like a good fit for Warner.

The 2008 NFL Season has apparently rejuvenated Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Kurt Warner.

“Kurt’s and my approach has been, ‘Let’s enjoy the moment,’ ” Bartelstein said. “Kurt does not want to be a distraction in any way with his contract. That’s not his personality.”

Warner, 37, is in the last season of a three-year deal worth $15 million, not including incentives.

Warner leads the league in quarterback rating (105.1) and completion percentage (70.9). He is second in yards (3,155) and touchdowns (20). More important, the Cardinals are 7-3 and could clinch the NFC West title this weekend.

Clearly, it’s going to cost the Cardinals more to sign Warner now than it would have last summer, probably in the range of $8 million to $12 million a year.

There is plenty of incentive for both sides to reach a deal. The Cardinals are still optimistic about Leinart’s future, but there will be a learning curve to endure if and when he be becomes a starter. With Warner playing the way he is now, the Cardinals will continue to be a force in the NFC.

Warner knows, too, that he has found a place that suits him both professionally and personally. Not every team would give him the freedom and responsibility that the Cardinals have. And he’s not eager anxious to uproot his family to start all over again in a new city.

I was wrong about Warner when I wrote this summer that the Cards were likely to sink with him at quarterback. He’s been one of the best surprises in 2008 and if he continues to play the way he has, there’s no reason to believe he can’t compete for another couple of years.

But what do you do with Matt Leinart?

ESPN.com is stating that the Arizona Cardinals will name veteran Kurt Warner over Matt Leinart as their starting quarterback for Week 1.

Leinart had three interceptions in the first half and completed just 4 of 12 passes for 24 yards. His passer rating was 2.8. The Cardinals won the game 24-0.

The source said Leinart’s training-camp performance has been uneven, and the Cardinals are concerned about his arm strength and consistency.

After the game, coach Ken Whisenhunt said Leinart was still in the running for the Cardinals’ starting job.

“I know Matt’s down because he didn’t play as well as he would have liked,” Whisenhunt said. “This competition, being pushed by Kurt, has made Matt tougher. It’s one of the things you have to be as a quarterback.”

This is a good move by Whisenhunt. Yes the Cardinals used a high draft pick on Matt Leinart. Yes he’s supposed to be the future. Yes he eventually has to get experience. But the bottom line is that Whisenhunt is trying to establish a philosophy in Arizona that you have to earn you way onto the field, regardless of how much money you make or how high you were drafted.

Now, do I think Warner will hang on to the job? No. He looked absolutely disastrous when he lost the job two years ago and I doubt he’ll look better this year, but maybe this will light a fire under Leinart’s ass.