Doomsday101
03-03-2005, 12:13 PM
IRVING, Texas - While there have been several quiet days out at Valley Ranch this off-season, don't expect Thursday to be one of them.
The Cowboys have already made one big announcement Thursday morning, and that seems to be just the beginning.
The club introduced free-agent cornerback Anthony Henry, who signed a five-year deal worth $25 million, including an $11 million signing bonus.
"Anthony is a known commodity and he's a player who will help us," Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. "He'll improve us on defense. I'm proud to say he'll be a Dallas Cowboy for a long time."
Henry said reuniting with Todd Bowles, the team's new secondary coach who was in Cleveland for the past three years, helped make his decision.
"I'm excited to get this opportunity to come here to this great organization," said Henry, who had 17 interceptions in four seasons, including 10 in his rookie year. "Getting here with Todd again was important to me. But I'm excited about playing in a secondary with guys like Roy Williams and Terence Newman. I think we have the potential to be very good and take this to another level."
But that's not the only news the Cowboys will have today.
The team has tentatively scheduled another press conference for 2:30 p.m. (CDT) to likely announce the signing of former Jets defensive tackle Jason Ferguson, who agreed on a five-year deal that includes a signing bonus of $9 million. Ferguson, who was originally drafted by Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells back in 1997 with the Jets, has the experience to play in either the 3-4 or a 4-3 defensive scheme.
Ferguson, an eight-year veteran, has been linked to the Cowboys for quite some time, having both played for Parcells in the past, and the player and head coach sharing the same agent in Jimmy Sexton.
And that last link could land the Cowboys yet another free agent in Pro Bowl guard Marco Rivera, another Sexton client, who arrived in Dallas Wednesday night and could have a deal completed by Thursday afternoon as well.
Rivera, a nine-year veteran, has played his entire career in Green Bay and has started every game for the last six years at right guard. The Cowboys have had inconsistent play at that position the past two years, with Parcells looking for more production.
If the Cowboys can sign both Ferguson and Rivera, it would give the club five signings since the start of free agency on March 2.
Along with the three new players, the Cowboys also re-signed defensive tackle Leo Carson to a one-year deal worth $1 million, including a $200,000 signing bonus. And safety Lynn Scott also signed a one-year deal, totaling $700,000 for this season.
The Cowboys have already made one big announcement Thursday morning, and that seems to be just the beginning.
The club introduced free-agent cornerback Anthony Henry, who signed a five-year deal worth $25 million, including an $11 million signing bonus.
"Anthony is a known commodity and he's a player who will help us," Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. "He'll improve us on defense. I'm proud to say he'll be a Dallas Cowboy for a long time."
Henry said reuniting with Todd Bowles, the team's new secondary coach who was in Cleveland for the past three years, helped make his decision.
"I'm excited to get this opportunity to come here to this great organization," said Henry, who had 17 interceptions in four seasons, including 10 in his rookie year. "Getting here with Todd again was important to me. But I'm excited about playing in a secondary with guys like Roy Williams and Terence Newman. I think we have the potential to be very good and take this to another level."
But that's not the only news the Cowboys will have today.
The team has tentatively scheduled another press conference for 2:30 p.m. (CDT) to likely announce the signing of former Jets defensive tackle Jason Ferguson, who agreed on a five-year deal that includes a signing bonus of $9 million. Ferguson, who was originally drafted by Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells back in 1997 with the Jets, has the experience to play in either the 3-4 or a 4-3 defensive scheme.
Ferguson, an eight-year veteran, has been linked to the Cowboys for quite some time, having both played for Parcells in the past, and the player and head coach sharing the same agent in Jimmy Sexton.
And that last link could land the Cowboys yet another free agent in Pro Bowl guard Marco Rivera, another Sexton client, who arrived in Dallas Wednesday night and could have a deal completed by Thursday afternoon as well.
Rivera, a nine-year veteran, has played his entire career in Green Bay and has started every game for the last six years at right guard. The Cowboys have had inconsistent play at that position the past two years, with Parcells looking for more production.
If the Cowboys can sign both Ferguson and Rivera, it would give the club five signings since the start of free agency on March 2.
Along with the three new players, the Cowboys also re-signed defensive tackle Leo Carson to a one-year deal worth $1 million, including a $200,000 signing bonus. And safety Lynn Scott also signed a one-year deal, totaling $700,000 for this season.