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Cowboys' castoff impresses Payton
Baker expected to play QB most of second half against Bengals Wednesday, August 15, 2007By Mike Triplett
JACKSON, MISS. -- Matt Baker was a little surprised when he was released by the Dallas Cowboys last month after spending all of last season on their practice squad. But he had a few people in his corner.
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and former quarterback Drew Bledsoe put in phone calls to Saints Coach Sean Payton, suggesting he bring in Baker for a workout.
You can imagine how that conversation must have gone: "Hey Coach, it's Tony Romo. This kid could be the next me."
Payton took a look at Baker and signed him last week. Now he's thrusting him into action. Baker will get a chance to audition for the No. 3 quarterback job when he plays most of the second half Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"There's no time for naps and getting to bed early this week," Baker said during his first full week of practice with the Saints. "This week will be a lot of extra preparation, not only to learn Cincinnati's stuff, but to get more comfortable with our stuff.
"I'm definitely behind the 8-ball (compared with fellow quarterbacks Tyler Palko and Jason Fife). But obviously, there's no room for excuses."
Baker, 6 feet 3, 212 pounds, is in his fourth offense in the past 13 months. He signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted rookie out of North Carolina. Then he joined the Cowboys last August and went through a coaching change in the offseason.
"You know, actually it helps. At this point I feel like I've seen about everything, heard about every possible different terminology you can think of," Baker said.
The drawback, of course, was that the Cowboys' new coaches preferred their own young quarterbacks and deemed Baker expendable.
"I feel like it was a raw deal, but it's a tough game, and that stuff happens," said Baker, who said he didn't even look into going anywhere else after he got the invitation from Payton.
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/sports-3/118715789754460.xml&coll=1
Baker expected to play QB most of second half against Bengals Wednesday, August 15, 2007By Mike Triplett
JACKSON, MISS. -- Matt Baker was a little surprised when he was released by the Dallas Cowboys last month after spending all of last season on their practice squad. But he had a few people in his corner.
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and former quarterback Drew Bledsoe put in phone calls to Saints Coach Sean Payton, suggesting he bring in Baker for a workout.
You can imagine how that conversation must have gone: "Hey Coach, it's Tony Romo. This kid could be the next me."
Payton took a look at Baker and signed him last week. Now he's thrusting him into action. Baker will get a chance to audition for the No. 3 quarterback job when he plays most of the second half Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"There's no time for naps and getting to bed early this week," Baker said during his first full week of practice with the Saints. "This week will be a lot of extra preparation, not only to learn Cincinnati's stuff, but to get more comfortable with our stuff.
"I'm definitely behind the 8-ball (compared with fellow quarterbacks Tyler Palko and Jason Fife). But obviously, there's no room for excuses."
Baker, 6 feet 3, 212 pounds, is in his fourth offense in the past 13 months. He signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted rookie out of North Carolina. Then he joined the Cowboys last August and went through a coaching change in the offseason.
"You know, actually it helps. At this point I feel like I've seen about everything, heard about every possible different terminology you can think of," Baker said.
The drawback, of course, was that the Cowboys' new coaches preferred their own young quarterbacks and deemed Baker expendable.
"I feel like it was a raw deal, but it's a tough game, and that stuff happens," said Baker, who said he didn't even look into going anywhere else after he got the invitation from Payton.
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/sports-3/118715789754460.xml&coll=1
