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Jean-Jacques Taylor: Henson project could be sacked
Drew Henson's days in Dallas are numbered. That might be a good thing.
During last week's minicamp, coach Bill Parcells said he wasn't that impressed with Henson's performance in NFL Europe. Tony Romo has clearly passed Henson on the depth chart, and as long as Parcells is the head coach – of course that might only be for one more season – then Henson isn't going to move on the depth chart.
Parcells, a bottom-line kind of guy, didn't talk about the numerous dropped passes Henson had in NFL Europe. And he didn't mention how injuries essentially robbed the former Michigan star of his top four weapons – none passed their year-end physicals, according to Henson.
None of that bodes well for Henson in terms of his tenure with the Cowboys.
The Cowboys like his game management and his arm, but the NFL is about decision-making, and they seem to think he doesn't do it well enough.
It's not that he throws a lot of interceptions. It's that he stares down receivers and doesn't process information quickly enough to consistently make the best read based on the play selection and the defensive coverage.
That's not to say he wouldn't succeed in another scheme – he might – but time appears to be running out in Dallas, where Drew Bledsoe is probably going to be the quarterback for the next two seasons.
Henson can't afford to spend another two years on the bench. He needs to go to a team that believes in his future – and will give him a legitimate opportunity to compete for playing time.
Parcells already has made up his mind.
COWBOYS Q&A
Q: With Bill Parcells placing a premium on field position, does it make more sense to have a kickoff specialist on the roster as opposed to a backup lineman or defensive back?
Timothy Stearns
TAYLOR: It would've made more sense for owner Jerry Jones to spend another $500,000 or $700,000 to sign Adam Vinatieri. By the time the Cowboys pay a guy just to kick off, then it would've been a pittance to add Vinatieri. That said, Mike Vanderjagt is a quality kicker who will help the Cowboys. He says he can handle kickoffs, but since he hasn't done it in years, I refuse to believe he'll be handling kickoffs in September against Jacksonville. Field position is huge, and for a guy who likes versatility on his roster, Parcells is going to find himself a one-dimensional long snapper and a kickoff specialist.
• • •
Q: I think Greg Ellis should stop all his whining and just play ball. He's only a little above average at best. His pay seems to match his playing level, especially at this stage of his career. I realize how the business works, but Greg, wasn't that your name you signed on your last contract?
Greg Carrier, China, Texas
TAYLOR: I understand your point, but Ellis would argue that he signed his name on that contract to be a defensive end in the 4-3 – not a linebacker in the 3-4. I would also be curious if you take the same approach when a team asks a player to take a pay cut, even though he has a signed contract calling for a certain salary. The NFL is a business at every level, and Ellis is doing his best to ensure he isn't discarded at the end of the season. No 32-year-old – Ellis' age at the end of the season – wants to enter free agency with consecutive seasons of declining production, especially when the poor numbers are the result of the scheme and not the player's ability.
• • •
Q: What are your thoughts with this situation with Greg Ellis? He could probably move on to another team and have three to four more productive years. The Cowboys probably need to treat this situation like they did with La'Roi Glover, who has moved on to be a member of the St. Louis Rams.
Kerwin Price, Dallas
TAYLOR: That would be nice, but it's not going to happen because the Cowboys need Ellis as an insurance policy at defensive end and to rush the passer since DeMarcus Ware is the only other accomplished pass rusher on the roster. I understand both perspectives in this situation, which is why it's not going to be resolved. Ellis will be at training camp, but he's not going to be happy.
• • •
Q: Do you get the feeling Drew Henson regrets ever signing with the Cowboys? He must realize he'll never get a look while Bill Parcells is the coach. What do you think?
George McCabe, New York
TAYLOR: I think you have to look beyond Henson's lack of playing time in games and consider that he auditions every day for Parcells in practice. And don't forget that he and Tony Romo were essentially tied – alternating between the backup and third-string job – in Henson's rookie year. Now, Romo is the backup and Henson is third string, and they threw the same number of NFL passes last season: none. Maybe Henson isn't that good. He's a likable guy and I hope he succeeds, but maybe the time spent in baseball robbed him of the intangibles that made him a great player at Michigan.
• • •
Q: I've never cared for Parcells because of how he handles players. If Parcells was straightforward, then he would have sat down with Henson after the end of the NFL Europe season and done a face-to-face evaluation. Why does any player have to find out things via the media?
Efren Maldanado
TAYLOR: Maybe the fact that Parcells didn't go out of his way to talk to Henson about his performance in NFL Europe spoke volumes. Maybe since he didn't have anything good to say, he didn't want to say anything. Parcells is known for being honest with his players. I don't think that's going to change.
• • •
Q: Do you see either Andre Gurode or Al Johnson taking their game to the next level this season?
Kyle Lang, Crown Point, N.Y.
TAYLOR: I don't know. We'll have to let their performances speak for them. I will, however, say that the competition is so intense that you should get each players' best performance. Each understands there is no margin for error to become the starter. Trust me, Parcells wishes he had that type of competition at every position.
• • •
Q: About releasing Larry Allen, my understanding was that the huge roster bonus was a driving force in this action. I thought during the season that a big problem with him was that he was out of playing shape. In several games, he appeared to be gassed and just unable to play effectively. Am I remembering correctly?
Joe Taylor
TAYLOR: I don't think so. Allen's peers thought enough of him to put him in the Pro Bowl for the 10th time last season. He was released because he was good player being paid like a great player, and owner Jerry Jones really didn't want to ask him to take a significant pay cut because of the respect he has for him.
• • •
Q: In my opinion, Kevin Burnett really needs to become a big contributor this season in order for us to get better. What have you seen or heard that would allow you to have an opinion on his progress?
William Carrick, New Hartford, N.Y.
TAYLOR: I would say it's not a positive that he wasn't ready to practice in last week's minicamp. Then again, all indications are that he will be ready for the start of training camp. He wasn't much of a factor last season, so I can't really sit here and tell you how important he is to the Cowboys' success this season
• • •
Q: Will the Cowboys use a second- or third-round draft choice in the supplemental draft on Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks?
Irma Mascarenhas
TAYLOR: I don't think they'll use that high a pick on him. If they pull the trigger, I see it coming in the fifth or sixth round. Books is a phenomenal athlete who reportedly was running the 40-yard dash in 4.75 at 275 pounds a couple of weeks ago. He wants to weigh about 260 for his workout day later this month. Current defensive end Chris Canty said Brooks is the best player he's ever seen or played with. That may be true, but Brooks comes with a lot of baggage, and the thing Dallas and other teams must figure out is whether he's a bad guy or a guy who makes bad decisions. You can work with a guy who makes poor decisions. It's almost impossible to successfully work with a bad guy.
• • •
Q: Keith Davis and Rob Petitti were essentially rookies and had learning curves just like any other rookie. One season of experience could result in drastic improvement. Thoughts?
Eddie Arnold
TAYLOR: You make a good point. Davis needs to improve, but he's not the scrub some people think he is. It won't surprise me if he starts this year, although Pat Watkins and Marcus Coleman will get a long look. Petitti was serviceable last season when the Cowboys had Flozell Adams and could give Petitti help on most passing downs. He's physically better this year and he should be smarter, having spent an entire season in the system. Now, he just has to prove he can play at a consistently solid level. If he can, it makes Dallas a much better team.
__________________
Drew Henson's days in Dallas are numbered. That might be a good thing.
During last week's minicamp, coach Bill Parcells said he wasn't that impressed with Henson's performance in NFL Europe. Tony Romo has clearly passed Henson on the depth chart, and as long as Parcells is the head coach – of course that might only be for one more season – then Henson isn't going to move on the depth chart.
Parcells, a bottom-line kind of guy, didn't talk about the numerous dropped passes Henson had in NFL Europe. And he didn't mention how injuries essentially robbed the former Michigan star of his top four weapons – none passed their year-end physicals, according to Henson.
None of that bodes well for Henson in terms of his tenure with the Cowboys.
The Cowboys like his game management and his arm, but the NFL is about decision-making, and they seem to think he doesn't do it well enough.
It's not that he throws a lot of interceptions. It's that he stares down receivers and doesn't process information quickly enough to consistently make the best read based on the play selection and the defensive coverage.
That's not to say he wouldn't succeed in another scheme – he might – but time appears to be running out in Dallas, where Drew Bledsoe is probably going to be the quarterback for the next two seasons.
Henson can't afford to spend another two years on the bench. He needs to go to a team that believes in his future – and will give him a legitimate opportunity to compete for playing time.
Parcells already has made up his mind.
COWBOYS Q&A
Q: With Bill Parcells placing a premium on field position, does it make more sense to have a kickoff specialist on the roster as opposed to a backup lineman or defensive back?
Timothy Stearns
TAYLOR: It would've made more sense for owner Jerry Jones to spend another $500,000 or $700,000 to sign Adam Vinatieri. By the time the Cowboys pay a guy just to kick off, then it would've been a pittance to add Vinatieri. That said, Mike Vanderjagt is a quality kicker who will help the Cowboys. He says he can handle kickoffs, but since he hasn't done it in years, I refuse to believe he'll be handling kickoffs in September against Jacksonville. Field position is huge, and for a guy who likes versatility on his roster, Parcells is going to find himself a one-dimensional long snapper and a kickoff specialist.
• • •
Q: I think Greg Ellis should stop all his whining and just play ball. He's only a little above average at best. His pay seems to match his playing level, especially at this stage of his career. I realize how the business works, but Greg, wasn't that your name you signed on your last contract?
Greg Carrier, China, Texas
TAYLOR: I understand your point, but Ellis would argue that he signed his name on that contract to be a defensive end in the 4-3 – not a linebacker in the 3-4. I would also be curious if you take the same approach when a team asks a player to take a pay cut, even though he has a signed contract calling for a certain salary. The NFL is a business at every level, and Ellis is doing his best to ensure he isn't discarded at the end of the season. No 32-year-old – Ellis' age at the end of the season – wants to enter free agency with consecutive seasons of declining production, especially when the poor numbers are the result of the scheme and not the player's ability.
• • •
Q: What are your thoughts with this situation with Greg Ellis? He could probably move on to another team and have three to four more productive years. The Cowboys probably need to treat this situation like they did with La'Roi Glover, who has moved on to be a member of the St. Louis Rams.
Kerwin Price, Dallas
TAYLOR: That would be nice, but it's not going to happen because the Cowboys need Ellis as an insurance policy at defensive end and to rush the passer since DeMarcus Ware is the only other accomplished pass rusher on the roster. I understand both perspectives in this situation, which is why it's not going to be resolved. Ellis will be at training camp, but he's not going to be happy.
• • •
Q: Do you get the feeling Drew Henson regrets ever signing with the Cowboys? He must realize he'll never get a look while Bill Parcells is the coach. What do you think?
George McCabe, New York
TAYLOR: I think you have to look beyond Henson's lack of playing time in games and consider that he auditions every day for Parcells in practice. And don't forget that he and Tony Romo were essentially tied – alternating between the backup and third-string job – in Henson's rookie year. Now, Romo is the backup and Henson is third string, and they threw the same number of NFL passes last season: none. Maybe Henson isn't that good. He's a likable guy and I hope he succeeds, but maybe the time spent in baseball robbed him of the intangibles that made him a great player at Michigan.
• • •
Q: I've never cared for Parcells because of how he handles players. If Parcells was straightforward, then he would have sat down with Henson after the end of the NFL Europe season and done a face-to-face evaluation. Why does any player have to find out things via the media?
Efren Maldanado
TAYLOR: Maybe the fact that Parcells didn't go out of his way to talk to Henson about his performance in NFL Europe spoke volumes. Maybe since he didn't have anything good to say, he didn't want to say anything. Parcells is known for being honest with his players. I don't think that's going to change.
• • •
Q: Do you see either Andre Gurode or Al Johnson taking their game to the next level this season?
Kyle Lang, Crown Point, N.Y.
TAYLOR: I don't know. We'll have to let their performances speak for them. I will, however, say that the competition is so intense that you should get each players' best performance. Each understands there is no margin for error to become the starter. Trust me, Parcells wishes he had that type of competition at every position.
• • •
Q: About releasing Larry Allen, my understanding was that the huge roster bonus was a driving force in this action. I thought during the season that a big problem with him was that he was out of playing shape. In several games, he appeared to be gassed and just unable to play effectively. Am I remembering correctly?
Joe Taylor
TAYLOR: I don't think so. Allen's peers thought enough of him to put him in the Pro Bowl for the 10th time last season. He was released because he was good player being paid like a great player, and owner Jerry Jones really didn't want to ask him to take a significant pay cut because of the respect he has for him.
• • •
Q: In my opinion, Kevin Burnett really needs to become a big contributor this season in order for us to get better. What have you seen or heard that would allow you to have an opinion on his progress?
William Carrick, New Hartford, N.Y.
TAYLOR: I would say it's not a positive that he wasn't ready to practice in last week's minicamp. Then again, all indications are that he will be ready for the start of training camp. He wasn't much of a factor last season, so I can't really sit here and tell you how important he is to the Cowboys' success this season
• • •
Q: Will the Cowboys use a second- or third-round draft choice in the supplemental draft on Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks?
Irma Mascarenhas
TAYLOR: I don't think they'll use that high a pick on him. If they pull the trigger, I see it coming in the fifth or sixth round. Books is a phenomenal athlete who reportedly was running the 40-yard dash in 4.75 at 275 pounds a couple of weeks ago. He wants to weigh about 260 for his workout day later this month. Current defensive end Chris Canty said Brooks is the best player he's ever seen or played with. That may be true, but Brooks comes with a lot of baggage, and the thing Dallas and other teams must figure out is whether he's a bad guy or a guy who makes bad decisions. You can work with a guy who makes poor decisions. It's almost impossible to successfully work with a bad guy.
• • •
Q: Keith Davis and Rob Petitti were essentially rookies and had learning curves just like any other rookie. One season of experience could result in drastic improvement. Thoughts?
Eddie Arnold
TAYLOR: You make a good point. Davis needs to improve, but he's not the scrub some people think he is. It won't surprise me if he starts this year, although Pat Watkins and Marcus Coleman will get a long look. Petitti was serviceable last season when the Cowboys had Flozell Adams and could give Petitti help on most passing downs. He's physically better this year and he should be smarter, having spent an entire season in the system. Now, he just has to prove he can play at a consistently solid level. If he can, it makes Dallas a much better team.
__________________
