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February 2008
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By Jean-Jacques Taylor The Drew Henson experiment is over. “Drew Henson is not going to be on roster this year,” coach Bill Parcells said Wednesday. “I just didn’t see enough. We tried very diligently with this guy." Henson, signed three years ago, was supposed to eventually be the Cowboys quarterback of the future. But he started only one game – Thanksgiving Day against Chicago in 2003 – and was benched at halftime. Tony Romo distanced himself from Henson last year, claiming the backup job. And Romo has been even more impressive in training camp and preseason games the past month as Henson fell more out of favor. In the past two weeks, Henson lost practice repetitions to undrafted free agent Matt Baker. Henson did not play in either of the Cowboys’ first two preseason games. He will count about $3 million against the club’s salary cap, though he’s no longer on the team. “I don’t keep players that I don’t think can play for us,” Parcells said. Parcells declined to talk about whether Dallas is trying to trade him. “I’m really not at liberty to discuss the situation because I’m not privy to that information,” Parcells said. “He’s not going to be on our roster. That’s all you need to know. This is a little bit of a limbo situation. There are a couple of moving parts.” Parcells said the Cowboys aren’t sure who will be their third quarterback when the season starts. They could keep Baker or attempt to acquire an experienced veteran. Dallas acquired the 6-4, 235-pound Henson from Houston for a third-round pick in 2003. At Michigan, Henson was considered one of the league’s top prospects after passing for more than 2,100 yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions as a junior. Then he took big money and signed with the New York Yankees, where he spent three seasons trying to hit curveballs. In NFL Europe this spring, Henson completed 53.6 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions and played well enough at the team’s off-season mini-camps that the Cowboys thought he might challenge Romo for the backup job. It never came. “I think he has a little trouble relaxing,” Parcells said of Henson last week. “I think he’s pretty smart and his mind races a little bit. I think one of the most beneficial things you can do for a player – I’ve tried to do this with hundreds of players – is to teach them a mechanism whereby in the battle they can learn to relax. “They can employ some kind of tactic that allows their mind and body to take a 10-second vacation between plays.” Owner Jerry Jones was encouraged by Henson's NFL Europe performance as well as his arm strength, mobility and ability to manage a game and limit mistakes. But that wasn’t enough to keep him on the roster. “It really doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks or says as long as you have confidence in yourself and keep pushing forward, keep working and keep the big picture in mind,” Henson said last week. “That’s kind of how I figured out how its best for me to go about my business. “…I can control only the things I can control. It has taken a while to develop that mentality. As I’m getting older, patience is a virtue. Instead of getting frustrated and trying to figure things out I just want to focus on the things that I do so I’m prepared when an opportunity comes.” Apparently, it will have to come wearing another team’s uniform. |
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Comments
Posted by Jr Haule @ 12:27 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
I am sure he is going to have a good future as a QB with some playing time on another team. I wish it was here but unfortunately it wont happen. Good luck to him.
Posted by john l. @ 12:27 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
I think this is a win-win for the club and the kid. He obviously wasn't progressing as fast as the team wanted and will get a fresh start with another team. Best for both, in my opinion.
Posted by Travis @ 12:31 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
Parcells really never gave him much of chance. He will eventally start for somebody else when coached properly. Dallas still needs to trade up in the draft for a top franchise QB like Aikman - Romo isn't it.
Posted by JT @ 12:42 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
Let's hope that this is the last time Jerry reaches for that "diamond in the rough" that everyone else overlooked as the next Aikman...
Posted by Brandon @ 12:51 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
I hope Bill's crystal ball has been properly maintained over the years and is functioning in the proper parameters. Considering Romo and Henson have a grand total of 6 quarters experience between them, I hope he is basing his choice on more than practicing with the 2nd and 3rd teams every day. Henson may not be the future, but when Bledsoe and Romo get hurt, I would much rather have Henson than Baker.
Posted by Wait a minute @ 1:12 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
If Henson was the next Elway, do you really think Houston would have traded him?
Posted by Don S. @ 1:15 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
Good thing Dallas isn't trying to start a baseball franchise. They're 0-3 in picking that kind of talent.
As for those saying Henson will start else where... I don't see Carter or Hutchinson any where else. Maybe Bill knows what he's doing?
Posted by Steve @ 1:18 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
Huge mistake! Between Bill, TO and Henson....getting tough to love the "Boys".
Posted by Patrick @ 1:24 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
Don't you love the arrogance of Tuna Fats. “I don’t keep players that I don’t think can play for us,” Parcells said. Tuna demonstrates zero compassion and has never learned the art of lifting someone up. This is business. And it's tough. But let Henson move on with dignity. Tuna may win a championship but he gives a black eye to the character of Dallas.
Posted by Wade @ 1:37 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
The fact that the Cowboys may need a kickoff specialist and the release of Henson have nothing to do with each other. He was only the "emergency" quarterback and only another quarterback can fill his roster spot on game day.
Posted by matt @ 1:40 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
Henson was not from the Jets. Not a northeasterner. Not from New Joizey. He was a Jones recruit. Thus Parcells did not like him. Henson could be a Pro Bowler and Parcells would still not like him.
Best of luck to Henson.
Parcells shows his bullheadedness once again.
Posted by bruce @ 1:44 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
Drew Henson could be slinging the ball around like Tom Brady and Bill would have still cut him. It was obvious he never liked the guy. I hope he has a successful career elsewhere. Just not in our NFC east. I have 20 bucks that says Parcells will bring in Jeff Hostettler before the season starts. Fasano better play hard every down or Phil McConkey will get his job.
Posted by Gary @ 3:15 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
Parcells never forgave Jones for interfering with the team by acquiring Henson; and his treatment of Henson has been his way of getting back at the boss. So we have no way of knowing whether Henson could have been a quarterback of the future.
All this doesn't bode well for Bill's future treatment of Owens, another bit of Jones' meddling.
Consider this as Jones' atonement for the way he treated Jimmy Johnson.
Posted by Emil Calomino @ 3:49 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
Everyone needs to get real with the criticism for Parcells drafting. Compare the 2006 Dallas roster to the one that Parcells inherited in 2003 and this team is 10X more talented! I don't care if you cut a 2nd and 3rd rounder if you find a starter or key player in the 7th round or as a free agent. Rather than criticizing Parcells for missing on Peterman and Rogers, how about a compliment for finding Proctor and Pettiti!
Posted by Emil Calomino @ 3:51 PM Wed, Aug 23, 2006
One more thing...Henson may be a heck of a nice guy but you can almost see "Chad Hutchinson disease" in him. He looks tentative and indecisive and I would be surprised if he is ever anything more than a back-up in this league. Can you say Rick Mirer with even less pedigree?
Posted by MaizeandBlueAlum @ 7:58 AM Thu, Aug 24, 2006
Being a Michigan man, I followed the Henson saga with great disappointment. I have no idea whether he is an NFL quality quarterback or not. After 3 years in Dallas, my impression of what happened is only a reflection of Parcells 1) Parcells never gave him a chance; 2) tough to perform with confidence when you know your boss is looking for you to fail (then he blames the kid for not being able to relax); 3) As I read in some article somewhere, Parcells is truly like "Biff" of "Back to the Future": arrogant, bully and not the sharpest tool in the shed (why not give the kid a chance to play two years ago when the season was going no where?). Too bad we judge people on wins and losses to often versus how they impact and develop people. Even his arrogance describing his progress, almost mocking his play in Europe and calling his play just "average" in training camp. Well, tuna, how would you describe your 25-24 record in Dallas?