(03-13) 01:29 PST (AP) --
Drew Henson is headed to Dallas, where the Cowboys already have two former minor league baseball players at quarterback.
Henson will challenge starter Quincy Carter, who once played in the Chicago Cubs' farm system, and Chad Hutchinson, a former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher. The Cowboys acquired Henson from Houston for a 2005 third-round draft pick, then agreed Friday on an eight-year contract with the former Michigan quarterback.
Henson was selected in the sixth round by the Texans in last year's draft. Houston, which already has David Carr at quarterback, planned all along to deal Henson, who spent three full-time seasons playing baseball in the New York Yankees' organization.
Three other teams expressed serious interest in Henson: Cleveland, St. Louis and Buffalo. The 24-year-old Henson worked out for 20 teams in Houston earlier this offseason.
But Friday, Henson agreed to a contract with a guaranteed $3.5 million, the most ever for a sixth-round pick. He'll earn the minimum rookie salary of $228,000 this season, but with attainable incentives
: he can easily increase his earnings over the length of the deal.
The final four years of the contract also are voidable.
Neither team would comment on the deal Friday. Paperwork on the contract was expected to be complete some time next week.
Henson walked away from the $12 million remaining on his baseball deal and returned to football. He made little headway with the Yankees.
"Michigan, the Yankees and the Cowboys. That's a pretty talented athlete to be with those teams," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "I'm happy for him. He was in a position where he had some control of his situation. He's with a good organization and good coach (Bill Parcells)."
Henson had one stellar season at Michigan in 2000 and was projected to be a top draft pick in 2002 if he had another good year with the Wolverines. Instead, he signed with the Yankees and left school.
