PFT: Cowboys Rumor Talk
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Source:
http://www.profootballtalk.com
POSTED 1:14 p.m. EDT, October 20, 2004
COWBOYS PASSED ON HUGGIES
Word out of Dallas is that the Cowboys could have sent receiver Antonio Bryant to the Chiefs for 2003 first-round running back Larry "Huggies" Johnson.
The Cowboys declined, instead shipping Bryant to Cleveland for receiver Quincy Morgan.
"The Cowboys didn't want to touch [Johnson]," the source said.
Johnson was drafted by the Chiefs in 2003 as a hedge against injury and contract questions regarding starter Priest Holmes. Johnson has yet to contribute to the team, and he had been the subject of trade rumors for weeks.
BRYANT A PAWN BETWEEN TUNA, JONES?
A league source tells us that the trade of receiver Antonio Bryant by the Dallas Cowboys was the final step in a power play between owner/G.M. Jerry Jones and coach Bill Parcells regarding the fate of the talented-but-tempestuous player.
Jones, we're told, wanted to keep Bryant -- and he wanted Bryant to have a greater role in the offense. Parcells, on the other hand, had been relying more heavily on Keyshawn Johnson and Terry Glenn.
Though we don't know the details, Jones finally gave in, allowing Bryant to be moved.
We wouldn't be surprised to learn that the Tuna, mired in a 2-4 start, said to Jones something along these lines: "Listen, one of us is going, okay? And it's either gonna be the young guy, or it's gonna be the old guy, okay? And if you wanna keep Bryant, then you can call Dave Campo to coach this team, okay?"
We're gonna keep a close eye on the doings in Big D. The Tuna honeymoon definitely is over, and we don't think that Jerry Jones can go much longer without being Jerry Jones.
Back to Bryant, word is that he's thrilled to be out of Dallas. Instead of being the No. 3 man in a team that's been using more and more two-receiver sets, Bryant has a shot at becoming the go-to guy in Cleveland.