theebs
Believe!!!!
- Messages
- 27,462
- Reaction score
- 9,207
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=FCC71ED7-96C2-7918-B86E069E017332AC
MCKINNEY, Texas - Jacques Reeves grew up in the Dallas-area and said he was fortunate to begin his professional career in his hometown where all of his family could see him play.
But while his roots are still here in Dallas, Reeves is now "a Houston guy" and said he couldn't be happier how his career has turned.
The cornerback, a former seventh-round pick of the Cowboys in 2004, signed a five-year, $20 million contract with the Texans before last season and started all 16 games in Houston, leading the team in both interceptions (four) and pass deflections (19).
The Cowboys never made a real strong move to re-sign Reeves, considering Terence Newman and Anthony Henry were returning as starters. Also, the Cowboys added Pacman Jones in a draft-day trade, and then added two more cornerbacks in the draft - first-round pick Mike Jenkins and fifth-rounder Orlando Scandrick.
For the Texans, they jumped at the chance to sign Reeves.
"We saw the athlete. We saw the speed and the work ethic and he came in and did a nice job," said Texans general manager Rick Smith. "He was a good fit for our football team, and he's one of the ones that worked out good for us."
And because of that, he should reap some benefits for the Cowboys in the 2009 draft.
Because Reeves was an unrestricted free agent who simply wasn't retained by the Cowboys, and the fact he contributed so mightily for the Texans, he will likely help the Cowboys receive a compensatory pick in this year's draft. Compensatory picks are determined by a formula that was developed by the NFL Management Council that awards picks to teams that lose players at a position and were unable to adequately replace them.
Compensatory picks can range anywhere from the third-round to the seventh. They are placed at the end of those rounds and cannot be traded. The Cowboys are hoping that Reeves can land them a fourth-round pick. They also expect to get a later compensatory pick for running back Julius Jones, who signed with the Seahawks.
The Cowboys already have lost unrestricted free agents Chris Canty and Kevin Burnett since the free-agent signing period began, were not expected to sign Zach Thomas and may not be able to retain Keith Davis, who was in serious talks with Kansas City. The club was willing to let those players test the free-agent waters with some consideration given to re-signing them early into free agency.
But that never was really the case for Reeves, who is currently spending this month working out in McKinney at Michael Johnson's Performance Center. Reeves said he plans to get back to Houston next month to start the Texans' off-season conditioning.
"I get good individual one-on-one work. I really like it," Reeves said of working at the facility, which reunites him with Todd Walker, one of Johnson's top trainers who spent some time with the Cowboys on the strength and conditioning staff. "I'm just coming up here and getting into shape. But I'm looking forward to getting back."
Reeves, who played four years with the Cowboys, and started 13 games in 2007, said he wasn't surprised at all about his former team's decline last year.
He said that feeling has nothing to do with the fact the Cowboys chose not to re-sign him in free agency, but Reeves said a major drop-off was easy to see.
"Honestly, no - not surprised. I've been in that environment," Reeves said of the Cowboys. "I know what's going on. No, I'm not surprised. Without giving any details, but seeing what went on this past off-season, I kind of expected it. I didn't hope it. Don't get me wrong. I certainly didn't hope that they did bad because they didn't re-sign me. That wasn't the case. But I kind of knew what was going on."
Reeves said the mentality in Houston was not only different, but noticeable from the first day he arrived.
"Yeah, we've got a good young team. We're hungry," Reeves said of the Texans, who went 8-8 last year. "The thing I saw when I got down there in Houston, rather than Dallas, we were a young, hungry team. It was real obvious that everyone there was working to get better. It was obvious."
With family members back in Dallas, and obviously still coming up to train, Reeves said he will always keep tabs on the Cowboys. But he is also aware that he was ridiculed by fans and media here in Dallas, something he says "just goes with the territory." "I heard it a little bit. We don't worry about the media," Reeves said. "I really don't care about what the people in Dallas are talking about. I'm just worried about making the Texans a better team. That's really where my focus is now." on."
Reeves said the mentality in Houston was not only different, but noticeable from the first day he arrived.
"Yeah, we've got a good young team. We're hungry," Reeves said of the Texans, who went 8-8 last year. "The thing I saw when I got down there in Houston, rather than Dallas, we were a young, hungry team. It was real obvious that everyone there was working to get better. It was obvious."
With family members back in Dallas, and obviously still coming up to train, Reeves said he will always keep tabs on the Cowboys. But he is also aware that he was ridiculed by fans and media here in Dallas, something he says "just goes with the territory." "I heard it a little bit. We don't worry about the media," Reeves said. "I really don't care about what the people in Dallas are talking about. I'm just worried about making the Texans a better team. That's really where my focus is now."
MCKINNEY, Texas - Jacques Reeves grew up in the Dallas-area and said he was fortunate to begin his professional career in his hometown where all of his family could see him play.
But while his roots are still here in Dallas, Reeves is now "a Houston guy" and said he couldn't be happier how his career has turned.
The cornerback, a former seventh-round pick of the Cowboys in 2004, signed a five-year, $20 million contract with the Texans before last season and started all 16 games in Houston, leading the team in both interceptions (four) and pass deflections (19).
The Cowboys never made a real strong move to re-sign Reeves, considering Terence Newman and Anthony Henry were returning as starters. Also, the Cowboys added Pacman Jones in a draft-day trade, and then added two more cornerbacks in the draft - first-round pick Mike Jenkins and fifth-rounder Orlando Scandrick.
For the Texans, they jumped at the chance to sign Reeves.
"We saw the athlete. We saw the speed and the work ethic and he came in and did a nice job," said Texans general manager Rick Smith. "He was a good fit for our football team, and he's one of the ones that worked out good for us."
And because of that, he should reap some benefits for the Cowboys in the 2009 draft.
Because Reeves was an unrestricted free agent who simply wasn't retained by the Cowboys, and the fact he contributed so mightily for the Texans, he will likely help the Cowboys receive a compensatory pick in this year's draft. Compensatory picks are determined by a formula that was developed by the NFL Management Council that awards picks to teams that lose players at a position and were unable to adequately replace them.
Compensatory picks can range anywhere from the third-round to the seventh. They are placed at the end of those rounds and cannot be traded. The Cowboys are hoping that Reeves can land them a fourth-round pick. They also expect to get a later compensatory pick for running back Julius Jones, who signed with the Seahawks.
The Cowboys already have lost unrestricted free agents Chris Canty and Kevin Burnett since the free-agent signing period began, were not expected to sign Zach Thomas and may not be able to retain Keith Davis, who was in serious talks with Kansas City. The club was willing to let those players test the free-agent waters with some consideration given to re-signing them early into free agency.
But that never was really the case for Reeves, who is currently spending this month working out in McKinney at Michael Johnson's Performance Center. Reeves said he plans to get back to Houston next month to start the Texans' off-season conditioning.
"I get good individual one-on-one work. I really like it," Reeves said of working at the facility, which reunites him with Todd Walker, one of Johnson's top trainers who spent some time with the Cowboys on the strength and conditioning staff. "I'm just coming up here and getting into shape. But I'm looking forward to getting back."
Reeves, who played four years with the Cowboys, and started 13 games in 2007, said he wasn't surprised at all about his former team's decline last year.
He said that feeling has nothing to do with the fact the Cowboys chose not to re-sign him in free agency, but Reeves said a major drop-off was easy to see.
"Honestly, no - not surprised. I've been in that environment," Reeves said of the Cowboys. "I know what's going on. No, I'm not surprised. Without giving any details, but seeing what went on this past off-season, I kind of expected it. I didn't hope it. Don't get me wrong. I certainly didn't hope that they did bad because they didn't re-sign me. That wasn't the case. But I kind of knew what was going on."
Reeves said the mentality in Houston was not only different, but noticeable from the first day he arrived.
"Yeah, we've got a good young team. We're hungry," Reeves said of the Texans, who went 8-8 last year. "The thing I saw when I got down there in Houston, rather than Dallas, we were a young, hungry team. It was real obvious that everyone there was working to get better. It was obvious."
With family members back in Dallas, and obviously still coming up to train, Reeves said he will always keep tabs on the Cowboys. But he is also aware that he was ridiculed by fans and media here in Dallas, something he says "just goes with the territory." "I heard it a little bit. We don't worry about the media," Reeves said. "I really don't care about what the people in Dallas are talking about. I'm just worried about making the Texans a better team. That's really where my focus is now." on."
Reeves said the mentality in Houston was not only different, but noticeable from the first day he arrived.
"Yeah, we've got a good young team. We're hungry," Reeves said of the Texans, who went 8-8 last year. "The thing I saw when I got down there in Houston, rather than Dallas, we were a young, hungry team. It was real obvious that everyone there was working to get better. It was obvious."
With family members back in Dallas, and obviously still coming up to train, Reeves said he will always keep tabs on the Cowboys. But he is also aware that he was ridiculed by fans and media here in Dallas, something he says "just goes with the territory." "I heard it a little bit. We don't worry about the media," Reeves said. "I really don't care about what the people in Dallas are talking about. I'm just worried about making the Texans a better team. That's really where my focus is now."
