- Messages
- 79,281
- Reaction score
- 45,652
2:45 PM Mon, Feb 09, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg E-mail http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg News tips
This is the first of a 10-part series assessing each position on the Cowboys as well as free agent and draft possibilities.
PLAYERS SIGNED THROUGH 2009: Tony Romo, Brad Johnson
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT: Brooks Bollinger
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
TOP NAMES ON FREE AGENT MARKET: Kurt Warner, Arizona; Kerry Collins, Tennessee, Matt Cassel, New England-*; J.P. Losman, Buffalo; Byron Leftwich, Pittsburgh. (*- franchise player)
TOP DRAFT NAMES: Matt Stafford, Georgia; Mark Sanchez, Southern Cal; Rhett Bomar, Sam Houston State; Nate Davis, Ball State; Josh Freeman, Kansas State; Graham Harrell, Texas Tech.
HEALTH OF THE POSITION: While some question whether Romo will be a Super Bowl quarterback, he is the future.
Despite missing three games last season, Romo managed 26 touchdown passes, which was the fifth-best season total in franchise history. In his 41 career games (39 starts), he has 81 touchdown passes.
Romo is not a finished product. He needs to cut down on his fumbles, but his interception percentage went down in '08 from the previous year. What makes him dangerous to defenders also makes him dangerous to himself. He has the uncanny ability to make something out of nothing, which is good and bad. But he makes his linemen better and he makes his receivers better.
Johnson is under contract for 2009 but it is doubtful he will be back after a poor showing in Romo's three-game absence. The offense averaged 13.7 points a game with Johnson and he could not get the ball down the field. Bollinger signed on after the first week and there are some inside Valley Ranch who would like him back in a backup role.
Clearly finding a quality backup is a must. The Cowboys will not be players for guys like Kurt Warner, Kerry Collins or Matt Cassel, but there is an intriguing second-tier of quarterbacks that could answer the call if Romo were to go down again as well as push the incumbent in practice.
There was interest in Chris Simms last year but the Cowboys stuck with Johnson. He is healthy and rejuvenated after spending the year as Tennessee's No. 3 mostly following a tumultuous close to his tenure in Tampa Bay. He was a teammate of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett for a brief time.
Byron Leftwich helped himself with his work in Pittsburgh and should be looking more for a chance to start, but the man he replaced - because of injury - Charlie Batch - is also free. He has starter's experience but knows where he is in his career, which means he would not rock the boat, so to speak, as a backup. Luke McCown would have been high on the Cowboys list, but he re-signed with Tampa Bay. J.P. Losman and Kyle Boller possess strong arms but are not likely to find starting spots.
Not only do the Cowboys have to look to free agency for a backup but it's time to find a quarterback in the draft. They have drafted one quarterback since 1991 (Quincy Carter in 2001) and have to look to replenish the spot through the draft with a middle-round selection. Texas Tech's Graham Harrell struggled at the Senior Bowl some but should be available, as could Purdue's Curtis Painter.
Todd Archer http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg E-mail http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg News tips
This is the first of a 10-part series assessing each position on the Cowboys as well as free agent and draft possibilities.
PLAYERS SIGNED THROUGH 2009: Tony Romo, Brad Johnson
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT: Brooks Bollinger
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
TOP NAMES ON FREE AGENT MARKET: Kurt Warner, Arizona; Kerry Collins, Tennessee, Matt Cassel, New England-*; J.P. Losman, Buffalo; Byron Leftwich, Pittsburgh. (*- franchise player)
TOP DRAFT NAMES: Matt Stafford, Georgia; Mark Sanchez, Southern Cal; Rhett Bomar, Sam Houston State; Nate Davis, Ball State; Josh Freeman, Kansas State; Graham Harrell, Texas Tech.
HEALTH OF THE POSITION: While some question whether Romo will be a Super Bowl quarterback, he is the future.
Despite missing three games last season, Romo managed 26 touchdown passes, which was the fifth-best season total in franchise history. In his 41 career games (39 starts), he has 81 touchdown passes.
Romo is not a finished product. He needs to cut down on his fumbles, but his interception percentage went down in '08 from the previous year. What makes him dangerous to defenders also makes him dangerous to himself. He has the uncanny ability to make something out of nothing, which is good and bad. But he makes his linemen better and he makes his receivers better.
Johnson is under contract for 2009 but it is doubtful he will be back after a poor showing in Romo's three-game absence. The offense averaged 13.7 points a game with Johnson and he could not get the ball down the field. Bollinger signed on after the first week and there are some inside Valley Ranch who would like him back in a backup role.
Clearly finding a quality backup is a must. The Cowboys will not be players for guys like Kurt Warner, Kerry Collins or Matt Cassel, but there is an intriguing second-tier of quarterbacks that could answer the call if Romo were to go down again as well as push the incumbent in practice.
There was interest in Chris Simms last year but the Cowboys stuck with Johnson. He is healthy and rejuvenated after spending the year as Tennessee's No. 3 mostly following a tumultuous close to his tenure in Tampa Bay. He was a teammate of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett for a brief time.
Byron Leftwich helped himself with his work in Pittsburgh and should be looking more for a chance to start, but the man he replaced - because of injury - Charlie Batch - is also free. He has starter's experience but knows where he is in his career, which means he would not rock the boat, so to speak, as a backup. Luke McCown would have been high on the Cowboys list, but he re-signed with Tampa Bay. J.P. Losman and Kyle Boller possess strong arms but are not likely to find starting spots.
Not only do the Cowboys have to look to free agency for a backup but it's time to find a quarterback in the draft. They have drafted one quarterback since 1991 (Quincy Carter in 2001) and have to look to replenish the spot through the draft with a middle-round selection. Texas Tech's Graham Harrell struggled at the Senior Bowl some but should be available, as could Purdue's Curtis Painter.
