Adios: Henson's Dallas days done
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Posted: August 23, 2006
Associated Press
IRVING, Texas -- Drew Henson won't be on the Dallas Cowboys roster this season, and the former third baseman once considered the team's quarterback of the future might be on the trading block.
"I just didn't see enough," coach Bill Parcells said Wednesday.
Henson's locker had already been cleaned out when reporters were allowed into the locker room before practice. For now, rookie free agent Matt Baker is the No. 3 quarterback behind Drew Bledsoe and Tony Romo.
"I'm really not at liberty to discuss the situation because I'm not privy to that information," Parcells said. "He's not going to be on our roster. That's all you need to know."
Parcells also reiterated that Bledsoe is the starting quarterback and that he is just trying to get a true evaluation of Romo, who has never thrown a pass in a regular season game, with extended play during the preseason.
Romo took every snap in the preseason opener, then played in the second half Monday night against New Orleans after Bledsoe was 12-of-16 passing for 156 yards and two touchdowns before halftime in his first preseason action. Romo is 25-of-33 for 373 yards would be Bledsoe. I am going to owe him that," said Parcells, who drafted Bledsoe with the first overall pick with New England in 1993. "We're not at that day right now.
"But I am happy with Romo's progress. I'm sure most of you can see why I was hoping this would kind of go, so we would have some hope for the future."
Henson had spent three seasons playing baseball in the New York Yankees' organization when the Cowboys acquired him from the Houston Texans in March 2003. The Texans, already with David Carr at quarterback, had the rights to Henson after drafting him in 2002.
Three years ago the Cowboys gave Henson an eight-year deal with a guaranteed $3.5 million -- the most ever for a sixth-round pick -- and sent a third-round draft pick to the Texans. The final four years of Henson's contract were voidable.
About $3 million of Henson's contract will count against the Cowboys' salary cap this year.
"I don't keep players that I don't think can play for us," Parcells said. "We tried very diligently with this guy. I really don't want to comment. This is a little bit of a limbo situation. There are a couple of moving parts."
Baker has taken most of the snaps with the third-team offense since being added to the Cowboys roster Aug. 7.
Henson's only start for the Cowboys came on Thanksgiving Day 2004 for an injured Vinny Testaverde, who then replaced Henson at halftime. Henson was the Cowboys' third quarterback all last season.
While calling Henson's performance during camp "average," Parcells insisted that the quarterback's roster spot wasn't in danger. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones still considered Henson "an excellent prospect," but admitted last week that he thought the quarterback would be further along in his development.
"It's accurate to say that I had higher expectations," Jones said then. "It wouldn't surprise me if we didn't wake up here and he was starting for a team in the NFL. ... Not right now, but in the future."
In Henson's first Dallas camp two years ago, he was shaking off the rust after being out of football since starting for Michigan as a junior in the 2001 Rose Bowl. Last year, he was competing with Romo for the No. 2 job. Now, he appears headed to another team.
Notes: Two-time Pro Bowl OT Flozell Adams missed practice because of a strained left calf. The good news is the injury isn't related to the right knee surgery that forced him to miss 10 games last season. He might be able to play Saturday. ... WR Patrick Crayton removed the boot he had worn on his sprained right ankle. Parcells is hopeful Crayton can play at least one preseason game. ... Mike Vanderjagt is still not kicking because of a groin problem. "That's bothering me because I haven't seen him kick in camp," Parcells said. ... The Cowboys traded linebacker Scott Shanle to the New Orleans Saints for an undisclosed draft pick. ... Dallas waived OL Stephen Peterman, CB Quincy Butler, TE Erik Jensen and LB John Saldi. Peterman was a third-round pick in 2004, and was picked after OL Jacob Rogers in the second round. Rogers was cut last year.
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:bravo::dance3::dance2:
:mchammer::mchammer:
