Henson - Parcells - and our future

[rcaldw]

After watching Henson in NFLE I am more convinced than ever that the Cowboys have mishandled him. You can see him getting better week after week which confirms the thinking that all he needed was CONFIDENCE and EXPERIENCE.

I see mobility, a big arm, good decision making and leadership. What more would you want in a young QB?

Which gets to my question.

I am concerned when I read in another thread, one that recaps an interview with Mickey Spagnola, that "Parcells still likes Romo and if Henson comes back he will come back as the #3 with the chance of competing for #2".

I have been saying it since Parcells first arrived, he is stubborn to a fault, is petty in some areas, is an absolute control freak, and if we are all being honest with ourselves, hasn't proven a thing in Dallas so far except that he has upgraded the overall talent of the team. (While still not fixing some areas, i.e., the offensive line)

The question, then, is this. If Parcells has his way with the QB situation will Henson ever get a fair shot with him? Or, if you don't like it worded that way. Is Bill Parcells the coach to develop Drew Henson?

If the answer is no, then does Jerry Jones allow Henson to be a scrap heap project while Parcells goes about his business?

I would be interested to hear your perspectives on this.

 

[TheHustler]

JJ is going to be stubborn with Henson....

 

[Doomsday101]

After watching Henson in NFLE I am more convinced than ever that the Cowboys have mishandled him. You can see him getting better week after week which confirms the thinking that all he needed was CONFIDENCE and EXPERIENCE.

I see mobility, a big arm, good decision making and leadership. What more would you want in a young QB?

Which gets to my question.

I am concerned when I read in another thread, one that recaps an interview with Mickey Spagnola, that "Parcells still likes Romo and if Henson comes back he will come back as the #3 with the chance of competing for #2".

I have been saying it since Parcells first arrived, he is stubborn to a fault, is petty in some areas, is an absolute control freak, and if we are all being honest with ourselves, hasn't proven a thing in Dallas so far except that he has upgraded the overall talent of the team. (While still not fixing some areas, i.e., the offensive line)

The question, then, is this. If Parcells has his way with the QB situation will Henson ever get a fair shot with him? Or, if you don't like it worded that way. Is Bill Parcells the coach to develop Drew Henson?

If the answer is no, then does Jerry Jones allow Henson to be a scrap heap project while Parcells goes about his business?

I would be interested to hear your perspectives on this.

You have to remember though the last time we saw him prior to NFLE was last pre-season. The learning and development did not stop after the last day of training camp. I'm sure Henson has continued to work through that time up until today.

 

[chinch]

i stopped reading at "mishandled him".

ROTFLMAO.

 

[superpunk]

After watching Henson in NFLE I am more convinced than ever that the Cowboys have mishandled him. You can see him getting better week after week which confirms the thinking that all he needed was CONFIDENCE and EXPERIENCE.

No one was going to hand him a starting job because he was Drew Henson. He had been away for years, no way he was ready to get playing time to build his confidence and experience, nor did he deserve it. He hasn't done anything to deserve a starting job in the NFL yet. Maybe they should have sent him to NFLE straightaway, but I think he is being handled VERY well.

 

[aikemirv]

No one was going to hand him a starting job because he was Drew Henson. He had been away for years, no way he was ready to get playing time to build his confidence and experience, nor did he deserve it. He hasn't done anything to deserve a starting job in the NFL yet. Maybe they should have sent him to NFLE straightaway, but I think he is being handled VERY well.

I agree with that including the idea that he should have gone to NFLE earlier.

 

[rcaldw]

You have to remember though the last time we saw him prior to NFLE was last pre-season. The learning and development did not stop after the last day of training camp. I'm sure Henson has continued to work through that time up until today.

I agree with you Doomsday. I'm not saying that Dallas hasn't contributed to his development at all, from a football standpoint. I just don't think you can treat a young player like he has no ability, when it becomes plain watching him play for some extended time that he has major league ability. (no joke intended)

 

[RCowboyFan]

As much as I disliked BP handling of 2004 season, I think here is no Agenda on BP part with Henson/Romo. The best guy will get to play.

Now if you are talk between Bledsoe vs Romo/Henson, then we have an issue, since I do believe, even if lets say Romo/Henson prove to be slightly or equal to Bledsoe in TC, there is no doubt in my mind, BP will still go with Bledsoe.

And to be honest, with the signings we had, I wouldn't disagree with BP either, unless Bledsoe tanks during the season and BP refuses to bench him.

 

[Charles]

The question, then, is this. If Parcells has his way with the QB situation will Henson ever get a fair shot with him? Or, if you don't like it worded that way. Is Bill Parcells the coach to develop Drew Henson?

Yes, and Henson did get a fair shot, he just wasn't good enough in QB schools, mini-camps and training camps to EARN more playing time or follow the normal progression expected from a QB prospect.

Why would Parcells hold this guy back when he along with Jerry (as documented in JJT's Henson article) sought Henson?

Henson is getting playing time, hopefully it will horn his skills and he'll be able to translate his abilites into winning a roster spot, hopefully surpass Romo, hold onto the back-up job and push Bledsoe.......

Parcells system is a hierachy, the best players play.........unless Henson shows Parcells he's able to atleast perform better than other QBs in camp, he'll never get his shot. Its quite simple.............

Jimmy Johnson drafted Walsh.........Landry interchanged Morton and Staubach in the same offensive series. No one was given anything until they proved they could lead the team.............

Why should it be different for Henson?

He's taken positive steps in the last 4 weeks. A steady rise.......no valleys. Hopefully he peaks at training camp and blows this entire thing out the water, because if we have a young QB holding the reins look-out!!!!

 

[rcaldw]

No one was going to hand him a starting job because he was Drew Henson. He had been away for years, no way he was ready to get playing time to build his confidence and experience, nor did he deserve it. He hasn't done anything to deserve a starting job in the NFL yet. Maybe they should have sent him to NFLE straightaway, but I think he is being handled VERY well.

I disagree with you, respectfully. Tell me what any young QB that a team makes an investment in has done to be given a job? Tell me what Aikman had done? If you take that position a young player NEVER sees the field. I think the Testaverde season was the perfect opportunity to get Henson on the field for some extended time, and it was a blown opportunity. Thus, I say again, I don't think Parcells has developed him properly.

But forgetting the past, I'm thinking more in terms of the future. What now? What happens when he shows he has ability in NFLE?

 

[Doomsday101]

I agree with you Doomsday. I'm not saying that Dallas hasn't contributed to his development at all, from a football standpoint. I just don't think you can treat a young player like he has no ability, when it becomes plain watching him play for some extended time that he has major league ability. (no joke intended)

I agree but I don't think throwing him to the wolves would have been the right thing to do. Yes we did it with Aikman but there is a difference of having played the year before in college than a guy who had been away from the game as Henson was. The 8 year deal at least showed me they were willing to have patients with him and they are not in a hurry to toss him out there. Now this being his 3rd season coming up and having seen some live action as well as having some minor adjustments in his throwing I think the pressure will be a bit more heading into this years camp but at least he is in a better situation to overcome that pressure because he will have a better ideal of what he has to do to become successful.

 

[mperfection]

After watching Henson in NFLE I am more convinced than ever that the Cowboys have mishandled him. You can see him getting better week after week which confirms the thinking that all he needed was CONFIDENCE and EXPERIENCE.

I see mobility, a big arm, good decision making and leadership. What more would you want in a young QB?

Which gets to my question.

I am concerned when I read in another thread, one that recaps an interview with Mickey Spagnola, that "Parcells still likes Romo and if Henson comes back he will come back as the #3 with the chance of competing for #2".

I have been saying it since Parcells first arrived, he is stubborn to a fault, is petty in some areas, is an absolute control freak, and if we are all being honest with ourselves, hasn't proven a thing in Dallas so far except that he has upgraded the overall talent of the team. (While still not fixing some areas, i.e., the offensive line)

The question, then, is this. If Parcells has his way with the QB situation will Henson ever get a fair shot with him? Or, if you don't like it worded that way. Is Bill Parcells the coach to develop Drew Henson?

If the answer is no, then does Jerry Jones allow Henson to be a scrap heap project while Parcells goes about his business?

I would be interested to hear your perspectives on this.

Agreed, wholeheartedly. I, for one, am not a Parcells-lover, but would agree that he has significantly upgraded the level of talent on the team. A good GM, however, could do that. But a good GM would not necessarily make a good head coach either.

My only hope is that, somehow, Parcells is really trying to protect Henson by brining him along slowly.

I will go on record in stating that, given the opportunity and the RIGHT SYSTEM, Henson could go on to be a very good quarterback in this league - possibly for a SB contender.

 

[superpunk]

I disagree with you, respectfully. Tell me what any young QB that a team makes an investment in has done to be given a job? Tell me what Aikman had done?

How long had Aikman been away from the game when we drafted him? 1 year? 2 years? If you imagined that Henson was going to walk in and be allowed to grow with the team from day 1, you were setting yourself up for disappointment. He was given an 8 year contract for a reason - they knew from the get-go that this was gonna be a heck of a project to undertake.

If you take that position a young player NEVER sees the field. I think the Testaverde season was the perfect opportunity to get Henson on the field for some extended time, and it was a blown opportunity. Thus, I say again, I don't think Parcells has developed him properly.

And, if Henson got out there with our trifling team, how much confidence do you think he would have built? He's on a team now, they're winning, he's doing everything he needs to, and the confidence is coming. Losing, and getting the **** knocked out of you does not breed confidence, particularly for someone who has been away from football for years, which probably forces him to be skeptical of his abilities as a starter. The way it's been handled, has been near flawless, IMO. Putting Drew out there to take Vinnie's beating owuld have accomplished nothing but bad.

But forgetting the past, I'm thinking more in terms of the future. What now? What happens when he shows he has ability in NFLE?

I have to believe he'll be given every opportunity that a normal third string player would be given to advance as high up as he can in the hierarchy. No special treatment. I don't buy the BS about Parcells not going with young players, replacing his guys.....I see way too much evidence to the contrary to eat that load up. Henson will have his chance. What he does with it, is up to him.

 

[SultanOfSix]

I think the Cowboys mishandled him by trying to change his throwing motion in year two. I think he would be further along than he is now. In essence, I think year two was a waste for Henson and the Cowboys as far as his development was concerned "on the field." Mentally, I'm sure he learned a lot of different things. I'm glad he went to NFLE. He's making me a believer. As long as he continues to improve, I am going to keep rooting for him because I'm tired of dud QBs and want a franchise QB for the next 10 years. If we draft another one, it's another three to four years before they get acclimated and I don't want that.

I don't think BP has ANYTHING against Henson. He likes both QBs. And Romo outplayed Henson last year because he had one more year under his belt, and the Cowboys messed with the latter's throwing motion. If Henson is what he's supposed to be, it's only a matter of time before he surpasses Romo, and then Bledsoe.

 

[EveryoneElse]

I can't help but think that Drew's demotion to #3 last year was BP seeing if Drew could handle a bad situation. I don't think either Romo or Henson could have come in and been successful last year, so the #2 role last year was a crapshoot anyway. I remember BP saying that you can't tell anything about a player until things start to go bad. It doesn't get any worse than being demoted. Henson handled it well. He didn't, at least I didn't read anything, that said Henson asked about his role.

He's learning in NFLE, and he is progressing by the week. Romo has had no game experience.....Henson has that now. I bet Henson will be the #2 QB by the end of training camp. I don't think he'll ever start for a BP coached team again, unless Bledsoe goes down.

 

[rcaldw]

I have to believe he'll be given every opportunity that a normal third string player would be given to advance as high up as he can in the hierarchy. No special treatment. I don't buy the BS about Parcells not going with young players, replacing his guys.....I see way too much evidence to the contrary to eat that load up. Henson will have his chance. What he does with it, is up to him.[/QUOTE]

I think you make some really good points, but this third one is where I part ways with you. You don't take a bluechip QB prospect who demonstrates that he has all the tools for the NFL and treat him like any 3rd stringer. If you do you are just a fool. I'll make this prediction. Let Henson continue to do what he is doing in NFLE right now and there are a lot of teams that will be willing to take him off Parcells hands. And that, my friends, will be to our regret.

 

[Echo9]

After watching Henson in NFLE I am more convinced than ever that the Cowboys have mishandled him. You can see him getting better week after week which confirms the thinking that all he needed was CONFIDENCE and EXPERIENCE.

I disagree with the part about mishandling. There is no evidence of that. In fact his performance thus far in NFLE adds credibility that he's been handled CORRECTLY.

He's done well so far in NFLE. Great. Does that mean that if he'd gone to NFLE earlier that he'd have done as well? It certainly does not.

The time Henson has sent with the Cowboys these past 2 years has not been a waste just because we didn't get to see much of him. He's being groomed slowly. What is wrong with that?

After some time with an NFL organization, he'd now reached a point where NFLE would be an additional help to him.

He was signed to an 8 year contract for a very good reason. 4 of those years could have been voided if he blew everyones doors off out of the gate, but since the Cowboys have taken the slow patient route, he's now locked up for quite a while longer. He's already missed the clauses that would have shortened his contract.

I see mobility, a big arm, good decision making and leadership. What more would you want in a young QB?

Which gets to my question.

I am concerned when I read in another thread, one that recaps an interview with Mickey Spagnola, that "Parcells still likes Romo and if Henson comes back he will come back as the #3 with the chance of competing for #2".

I have been saying it since Parcells first arrived, he is stubborn to a fault, is petty in some areas, is an absolute control freak, and if we are all being honest with ourselves, hasn't proven a thing in Dallas so far except that he has upgraded the overall talent of the team. (While still not fixing some areas, i.e., the offensive line)

Spag's comment is the same old story. Parcell's once said that he likes Romo. Parcell's has not since denied that claim, therefore his original comment (made once) can be used over and over until expressly contradicted.

We necessarily shouldn't mistake re-hashes for new news. Regardless, the actual comment regarding Henson's battle for the #2 is basically irrelevant. Seriously, what else would Parcells be expected to say?

The question, then, is this. If Parcells has his way with the QB situation will Henson ever get a fair shot with him? Or, if you don't like it worded that way. Is Bill Parcells the coach to develop Drew Henson?

If the answer is no, then does Jerry Jones allow Henson to be a scrap heap project while Parcells goes about his business?

I would be interested to hear your perspectives on this.

In my opinion, I don't see anything wrong with the way Parcells and the Cowboys have been developing Henson.

1) He's not being handed anything, be it playing time before he is ready, or undue praise.
2) He's being given the chance to develop slowly without being 'ruined'
3) He's getting any potential ego problem whacked out of him by diffusing the old Michigan hype.

What's wrong with that?

 

[yesfan]

Those of us that are old enough to remember,Bill had
Sims and Hostetler,and at the time those in NY felt the
same way.Btw, they ultimatly both got to play,and had their
share of successes.

 

[superpunk]

I think you make some really good points, but this third one is where I part ways with you. You don't take a bluechip QB prospect who demonstrates that he has all the tools for the NFL and treat him like any 3rd stringer. If you do you are just a fool. I'll make this prediction. Let Henson continue to do what he is doing in NFLE right now and there are a lot of teams that will be willing to take him off Parcells hands. And that, my friends, will be to our regret.

Never going to happen. Listen to the interviews Henson does, talking about Parcells advice to him, telling him what they want to see from him. Parcells will not be letting him get away.

What would treating him different accomplish? Once he took that time off, he ceased to become a blue-chip prospect, and just became a talented prospect. It's up to HIM to prove he deserves more reps, more chances, etc. He isn't owed anything. Until this year, I was unimpressed with his apparent effort in that regard, as determined from the results (i.e. dropping to third string, looking terrible in action seen...) But this year, he's taking it on himself to prove he deserves more chances, and he's succeeding so far. To think the organization OWES him something, in terms of special treatment, is a huge mistake.

 

[Zaxor]

I sometimes am not sure what to think about it...but this much I am pretty certain about...as long as BP is coaching and Bledsoe is on the roster..Bledsoe will be starting even if he is the worse qb of the three...now if Bledsoe gets injured and one of the young-uns comes into play for lets say 7-8 games I don't think Bledsoe will be getting his job back so easy...I believe that given a half a year to either of the 2 young-uns would be enough to make them better than Bledsoe...jmho