It was the Summer of '69

Okay, Ill bite. Patience is a virtue, but at some point, Bill’s going to have to let this kid play. The man only took the field twice that I’m aware of. One time, he looked pretty damn good to me. The other time, not so much, but I felt like Parcells yanked him too quickly. He didn’t do anything worse than Vinny. I know, Parcells was trying to win that game, and felt like Vinny gave him the best chance to do that, but what about games where we got trounced, or the few games where it was clear we were going to win? Not even a snap for a kid you’re grooming to be the future? Just my humble opinion, but I think a number of opportunities to look at this guy were wasted last year. I’m not suggesting that he was ready to be the man, but just give him a few snaps to bring him along.

Patience is a virtue, but squandering opportunities, I just can’t get behind that. Okay, I’ve said what I have to say, so I’ll leave the floor open to those of you who disagree. I’d like to hear your thoughts on the subject. Let’s play coach for a day. How would you have handled it?

it must really be boring around the ranch for there not to be anything but what went on in 1969. i am sure that there wont be to many replies on this trend.

i had rather hear updates on who the rookies look now than what went on in the past. i know most of that.

however, i agree with you rob. i think that if henson is the future. he should have gotten some snap in time of blowouts. win or lose. i felt that there where some wasted opportunities. if bp was afraid that he might get hurt or something. well, this is the nfl. not pop warner. he is going to get hit. even behind the best offensive lines in the nfl. and he is going to throw int’s. that is part of the growing up process. that is why he plays in certain opportunities.

The similarities between Roger and Dreww are very interesting. Still, TunaMan needs to get him more than 18 pass attempts this year. I too grew weary when opportunities to let Henson play without affecting the team were squandered. He’s got a year under his belt now, I would like to see him get about 80 pass attempts this year. If he sits all the time this year, we will know that he is not capable of being the future or that Parcells is biased.

I’ve had lots of debates over this with other people who felt Henson should have been thrown in last year. I disagree. He did look good in a mop up against the Ravens, when Baltimore went into a prevent and didn’t blitz anybody in the last two minutes of a blowout. That’s like playing against a defense in the Pro Bowl. When he played a Bears defense that tried to fool him, they did. He completed what, one pass in the first half and had an interception?

Parcells has always maintained that he will play Henson when he’s ready. And I’m guessing Henson’s not ready. We can all point to Troy taking his lumps early on, but he had a great career in spite of getting battered, not because of it. And those concussions he took in his first two years didn’t do anything to lengthen it.

I go back in forth on this. I was furious when Bledsoe was signed because Parcells said late last year he could envision Henson starting in 2005. Henson has all the tools and is very intelligent. I think he has FAR more potential than any of the QB’s drafted last month. I think eventually he’s going to be very, very good but he needs to learn how to read defenses. And yes, BP had damn well better start giving him mop-up duty so he can start working on that. Being as immobile as Bledsoe is I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get hurt at some point and then we’ll see an awful lot of Henson by neccessity. I’m not wishing for Bledsoe to get hurt but it’s a scenario that I can easily see happening. If our defense and running game is as good as I think it will be then it would be a good way for Henson to be indoctrinated (ala Ben Roethlisberger).

This is a little off topic, but I was wondering with the trade talks around Glover, why not trade Ellis instead. My thought is to convert the undersized DT into an DE to replace Ellis. Glover has the speed and is bigger than Ellis, Ellis on the other hand will be destroyed in the 3-4 format as he is just to damb small. And the fact that Ellis has been constantly improving should make for decent compensation, possibly a playmaking FS or WR, or even a high draft pick for next year.

Rafael you are 100% on target, however, making a comparasiion between Stabauch and Henson is quite a stretch. I too share the fustration of my fellow bloggers in that if not now when for Henson. As Darrell M. eluded to, “this is not the Pop Warner”. In watching the little time Henson did play, I was somewhat (not completly) iimpressed. He has the size, the mobility, ensticnt, and the arm, the mental toughness and gamesmanship comes with the on field reps. Now that we’ve brought in Drew B. I just don’t see that happening. I trust in Bill, he selected D. Henson for a reason and this is why I hope he will be around for awhile..

Matt I see your point on Glover and Ellis, but dude, these are two studs and we need to find a way to get them some reps. Just look at what those two accomplished single handely last year without much help. Again, your point is good, but let’t not rush to judgement “YET”. Let’s see what happens 1 Jun and in training camp.

Here’s another possibility with Glover.

There is a big DT entering the sup. draft, Wright, what if the Cowboys were to trade up in that draft to get him. The trade would go something like this:
To Dallas: Wright DT, and a 3rd round pick next years actual draft.
To other team: Glover, and our first round pick in this years sup draft.

might help as Wright would seem to fit the 3-4 scheme better than does Glover.

Darrel W,

I know those two did a lot last year but they are both undersized for this scheme and over paid to only take 20-30 snaps a game.

As for Henson if Parcells chose him, he will play him, the thing is he was not ready last year, I don’t think he will be ready at the start of the year, but next year or even mid way threw next this year, watch out because he has potential.

Darrell W,

I understand the frustration, but Henson’s two quarters last year mean he’s played what , eight and half games of football since high school? I don’t care how talented you are, that’s a huge adjustment to make and it’s not something you learn on the job. I compare it to putting a young fighter into the ring against good opponents before he’s ready. The only thing you’re going to do is get him beaten up.

I remember the Bledsoe news conference. Drew Bledsoe saying yeah Bill told me I am the starter. Wondering if that was yet another psychology play from Coach Parcells.

Henson has been working hard this offseason. I think he has a lot to prove.

Learning to read Defenses and Pick up the Blitz………audible for it………and then hit a few completions to get em to back off is something that every young QB has to learn. Troy Aikman certainly did not do well against the blitz his rookie season. He was also pretty outspoken about Parcells removing Henson on Turkey Day, and said as much. However, Troy is talking from the QB perspective. Phill Simms can tell you how hard Bill is on his QBs, but the results have been pretty darn good. In addition to the results, a guy like Bledsoe comes back to play for Parcells. Drew Bledsoe said he prefers the games to practice just to shut Parcells up and all his criticism during practice. I have heard similar comments from Parcells player on both sides of the ball……….Bryan Cox has made similar comments.

We had so much faith in Aikman that we went after Steve Walsh in the supplemental draft. There is nothing wrong with signing a veteran like Bledsoe, one that will know Parcells offense………..and the coach………and letting Henson develop for another year or even longer. I see a transition between Bledsoe the starter, and Bledsoe the Backup. Drew Henson will be given the reigns………as his skills surpass that of Bledsoe, which as far as mobility goes Henson has that advantage………I think unlike the Chargers, Steelers, Bills, Giants, and 49ers that have to get results out of the high paid QBs on their teams. Dallas has a luxury to develop Henson and Romo, while still being competitive with the likes of Drew Bledsoe.

Rafael

A source I read says Henson has played nine and a half games since his junior year, including the half as a pro, starting eight; he played in sixteen games his first two seasons at Michigan.

Nice piece Jon.

I am a huge fan of Roger Staubach, of course, and I still favor him to any other Cowboys QB because of the Dodger in him and because I suppose I cling to that youthful awe he inspired in me. I was far too jaded by the time of Troy for that sort of hero worship. I still hold vividly those images of Roger’s comebacks and failed comebacks, and one he inspired without even being on the field, the Clint Longley comeback versus Washington. I lived and died by them.

While I would urge patience where Henson is concerned, for his sake and ours, I wouldn’t compare him to Staubach in many other capacities. Both know time away from the game before turning pro and both know waiting for their chance to shine. But, I look to the quality of the games last played as to where any comparisons should cease. Roger led the Midshipmen to heights they will likely never achieve again and he was awarded the Heisman Trophy for those efforts. I have high hope for Henson and I think Parcells wouldnâ€â"¢t waste time with him if he didnâ€â"¢t see something, like Landry did in Staubach.

While he also gives a nod to Quincy Carter, “as a fan”, here are some ringing endorsements on Henson by the Dodger himself that I clipped from a 2004 AP article:

“The psyche that you’ve got this layoff that’s going to affect you, that’s crazy,” Staubach said. “As long as he’s still competitive, still working out and still has a strong work ethic, he’ll be as good now as he would’ve been coming out of college.”

“I’m sure it’ll take time for him to get back in the swing of things. But from an ability standpoint, I know I was physically stronger at 27 than when I was coming out of college,” Staubach said. “I was also wiser, more experienced.”

“Quarterback is a physical position, but it’s also a leadership position,” Staubach said. “He’s got the attributes of being a quarterback and that will always stay with him. My skills didn’t erode because I was in the service. I don’t think you can erode them if you’re still young, still competitive.”

While Henson’s story has touches of Staubach, his size and arm strength are more like Troy Aikman.

Staubach’s advice to Henson is to keep working hard. His advice to the Cowboys is to bring Henson along slowly. “Sitting out as much as he has, I think it would be a mistake to throw him in this year,” Staubach said. “He needs some time to get into the groove.”

(not to be picky but it’s Jeff Hostetler, not Drew)

nice pieec starstruck…..i agree whole heartedly with staubach.

by the way, what is the SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT???

and scott,

when did BP say that he could envision HENSON as the starter in 2005, maybe i missed that. i know he said or JJ said that they could see VINNY as the starter but dont remember henson as the starter.

darrell m,

even though i agree that we need some more up to date DALLAS news, you are kinda bein a little greedy, i mean rafael gives us this site for free with daily updates. sometimes there arent always updates to be posted….but rest assured because RAFAEL will always write them up if they’re out there.

so what is the latest with PETER BOULWARE???

there is a story on ranchreport.com but i dont have a subscription. does anyone know if we are planning on lookin at him or signing him? i hoenstly hope we dont because you know he will be lookin for more money and we could really save that type of money for a FS or OT after JUNE CUTS. plus, that would mean that WARE and BURNETT would ge less playing time. i really hope WE PASS on him. someone reassure me….

Ya know guys, i know were all on the same team here and i know you guys all have knowledge of the game. But lets go back nomore thn four months ago. Drew Bledsoe ended the season with a record of 9-7 with recievers from the pracitce squad cuz moulds and their number two went down before the start of the season. Their offensive line had to be one of the wosrt ones i have seen in all of football my high school line was probably better. they had no running game untill game 5 when magahee came back and the only birght spot on the D was Spikes, and do i have to mentiono the AFC was a million times harder than the NFC last season?? and yet this man single handedly almost got his team to the brink of the playoffs. him im not worried about, who i am worried about is Henson. He just didnt impress me in his first start, granted no one usually is supposed to impress there first time out on the grid iron but i was expecting to see more flashes from a guy the cowboys gave a third rounder for and hyped up so much and the same guy were comparing to Roger Starbuch. Again, yes, i hope he comes along and i hope he can be the next Aikman, cuz god knows since Aikman we have been in serious trouble at the quarterback position. I just dont see why Bledsoe isnt being given a chance due to what he did last year with a ten times shittier team than the one we have here. as goes for Ellis and Glover, everything thinks just cuz we got a couple of young guys anticipated to be good we should just shove these proven vets out the door. I tend to disagree with that. i like what BP is doing, he is giveing our team a chance at something great right now, we dont have just one GREAT player, we have tons of good players. when one is done smackin you in the mouth the other comes right behind him in a never ending circle allowing our guys to never get ried and reck shop. the only thing i thnk this team ABSOLUTLY needs is Youth at WR and experience at Saftey. yes we need a star WR we havent had one since Big Mike. but that will be adressed soon. and as for S. i think all we need is someone smart, someone who can play, cuz with all thats going on in front of him he wont need to make miracles happen, thats why if we got Lance Schulters after a june first cut or go after Hall either would be a plus. We look like the best team on paper guys, dont try to get ride of the poeple that made it that way.

Quarterbacks are hard to come by. If we look towards next years draft we have leinhart who im not so positive we can get if he is high or he could fall like last years heisman winner and not even get drafted. i think theres a guy if he gets his head on straight could be a damn good compliment to whatever the cowboys bring to the table, that would be Marcus Vick. he will be eligable for next years draft. This man is Fast, not as fast as his brother but he has more accuracy than Mike. For whatever Mike lacks Marcus picks up and vise-versa. ya know we have takin chances on these guys who just got done with baseball season and decided to come back to football (chad hutchinson, Quincy Carter, Drew Henson, anthony Write) and we have takin chance on QB’s that never had anything good to bring to the table by the time they got to dallas (Ryan Leaf, Randall cunningham, vinny Testevarde, Tony Banks) and this is just since Aikman you guys in 2000. None of these guys have been Marcus Vick i think they should bring a mobil QB that can pass acuratly and can take a game over with his arm and legs much like Mcnabb. as much as i hate to say since he wear the eagle uniform he is a damn good QB, and i wish we had one like him.

Why all the talk about trading Glover and/or Ellis? I think that the point that is being overlooked here is that from what Parcells has said, this is not a total fulltime switch to the 3-4. The 3-4 will be the base which means probably 50 snaps a game.

On passing downs, the defense will probably line up with Ellis and Ware outside, with Glover and Spears inside to get all of the pass rushers on the field. There will also be times when a more conventional 4-3 (Ellis, Glover, Ferguson, Spears L to R) is employed just to give another look.

So if these guys can give us 15 snaps a game in the 4-3, and contribute anything to the 3-4 rotation, then there are the 20-30 snaps for the older guys.

And lets not forget, subtract Ellis and Glover from the equation, and the D-Line becomes very young, and very inexperienced very quickly.

Carl couldnt agree with you more, i think it would be absurd to trade them being they are the key to this defensive line

The veterans alone make this a playoff team, with the ones they have gotten through free agency and the ones they have gotten back from injury. back from injury we have dan campbell, glenn, both morgan and johnson were never playing 100% half of the year, julius jones is back in action as you saw last year. and the guys we got from free agency is a plus as well, glenn and henry add experience playmaking and depth to the DB’s going along with williams and newman. Rivera was an awesome and needed pick up to help out that right side now we have witten, allen, adams and rivera all pro bowlers on the same line, al johnons (our center) is completely underrated, and we also have dan back who is our best blocking tight end. and may the best man win at right tackle.

I would love to say that this is a definite playoff team, but I am scared to death about FS, RT, and WR. We’ve still got holes, but I dont think we should sign anybody else, we dont wanna be completely cap-strapped down the road. Maybe some guys like Keith Davis, Rob Petitti, and Quincy Morgan will step up.

Though I will admit that I was really mad when Henson was pulled. He looked completely lost in the Chicago game, so what is he expected to learn under those conditions? Plus Parcells has said that putting a player in that kind of situation only reinforces bad habits.

Henson has the physical tools and his mechanics are much better than Hutchinson or Carter in their first year, (Except for throwing sidearm.) The problem is how do I know how much of the pro game he understands and how quickly he reads it on the field. I only see him on TV and with half the field being shown. Based on BPâ€â"¢s words and deeds Iâ€â"¢m assuming that last year it wasnâ€â"¢t enough for Henson to even learn from a game. I mean, you canâ€â"¢t learn unless you know why you succeeded and why you failed. I think Henson came off the field after a series and only knew that players were flying all over the field at super speed and doing things he could barely comprehend. (Aikman had said during his rookie year that the pro level was a completely different world and he came straight from college after playing in a â€Å"pro style” system.) I think that until Henson understands the pro game enough for it to slow down, than he canâ€â"¢t even begin to grow. And as greatly as I admire Staubach, offenses and defenses were vanilla compared to todayâ€â"¢s game, so the transfer is much more difficult.

On a positive note, Henson seems to be very competitive and working very hard in the off-season so I do believe that will happen this training camp and we will see that potential for growth in the preseason. (I live in Los Angeles so I will be checking him out!!! Iâ€â"¢m so glad training camp is back here!) But if Henson does not show a â€Å"mental” next step this year, than we will be looking for a future QB in 2006.

Does anyone besides me think that Tony Romo is a better player than Henson?

Carl S.

Considering how little Iâ€â"¢ve seen of each, I find it difficult to rate one above the other. I definitely think Parcells likes Romo and that he viewâ€â"¢s them somewhat equally. Henson has the rep and that didnâ€â"¢t materialize from fantasy. I think Romo looked more acclimated to the game during 2004 preseason, reckless, fiery—like a guy who was responding well to the competition. There was something fun and exciting about him but scary too. He did stick his nose in there and play. I hope he sticks around. This training camp will be a better indicator of whoâ€â"¢s who and whatâ€â"¢s what.

So much commentary and so much to digest. I really wish we had this much positive information to kick around last year. Luxury of decesions. Something I’m glad we have. Based on what BP is saying, three things he is concerned with, but it’s a livable situation. FS, RT, WR. Providing the pass rush folks we have acquired should surely help our back field. (Ferguson, Ware, Spears, Burnett, Canty, Ratliff, BerryOH) Not to mention folks like Roy Williams Ellis, Glover, Dat, Newman, Henry Shanle, Kalen Thorton, B. James. On any team these guys would appear to be starting studs. Granted one snap as not occurred. At RT we have several viable candidates, Vollers, Pettiti etc and don’t forget at WR Glenn runs a 4.4 in the 40. What! Did I say 4.4 in the 40, yes that was quoted from BP himself. I personally think when healthy Q. Morgan will be a force to reckon with. All things equal. I can certainly deal with the problems BP has now verus last year.

We have a team if guided correctly by BP will be a force for other teams to game plan for. In reading a lot of commentary for you bloggers, you have convinced me that D. Henson should be the man. After all he was a 3rd round pick.

Oh, and someone mentioned early about this kid Wright. Who is he and what is his credentials?

Yes Carl, I agree that Romo has better pocket awareness,vision and a much more “get it done” type style than Henson…..

AndyZ you may be correct, however, BP and JJ is sold on Henson. I suppose that is why Rafael made the comparison of Stabauch and Henson. Granted, I’m thus far impressed with Rafael for spear heading the DC Blog for us Cowboy fans. I’m going to support BP. Also, I’m going to support my man Rafael, keep the news and commentary coming. You are awesome.

By the way, I found some information on that kid Wright. He was a backup DT to All American Cody at USC. He’s coming out early to hit the Suplemental Draft. His stats are not all that impressive. However, he is 6-6, 290. Space clogger for the 3-4.

by the way, what is the SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT???

and scott,

when did BP say that he could envision HENSON as the starter in 2005, maybe i missed that. i know he said or JJ said that they could see VINNY as the starter but dont remember henson as the starter.

the sup draft is a draft held for players who were did not enter the April draft. The order is split in three catagories
1. teams with less then six teams (lottery draw)
2. teams who were out of the playoffs( lottery draw)
3. Playoff teams(lottery draw)

I see and share many of the views expressed above. But, at the end of the day, I place my faith in BP. He has demonstrated over and over that he not only has an eye for talent (i.e. Julius Jones) when no one else thought it was a good idea (including me) to pass up Steven Jackson and Kevin Jones. We see SOME these players for a few hours every Sunday, BP sees them several times a day, nearly every day. Drew Henson was terrible against the Blitz and that was from the Bears, the Eagles, Ravens and Patriots would have killed him.

BP has earned the right to have us give him the credit for knowing a little bit about coaching and how to develop a player. Hey he selected the guy, which makes Drew Henson one of Parcells guys right off the bat and as many of you have expressed and I agree BP must have seen something in him or he NEVER would have selected him in the first place and more importantly he positively would not still be here if BP didn’t think he had what it takes.

Give the guys a little time to develop and don’t be too quick to rush him onto the field, or the same ones of you that are screaming for him to take the field now, will be the same ones yelling to get rat of him because he sucks, just like many did towards the end of Troy’s career. We really hadn’t had a great QB since Aikman left.

I really feel strongly that BP will develop Drew Henson into something special. Bill’s in the kitchen…Let him cook the meal.

so why didnt these ppl enter the draft? why do they choose to wait for the supp draft??

ryan— in one of BP’s last press conferences last year he did say that he could envision either henson or romo as the starter in 2005. he definitely did say that….. i remember it because i couldn’t believe that he said it. it’s a moot point now but as i said earlier we better start getting henson game experience in mop up duty. you can only learn so much in practice or meetings. he needs game experience even if it is trash time. in my mind bledsoe is just a temporary stop gap. bledsoe had nothing to do with buffalo winning all those games late in the season, it was their defense and mcgahee. i really believe that henson will be the man when given a chance.

scott

My sincere hope is that Bill Parcells………..like Tom Landry……….has a plan for Henson that none of us sees.

He will develop Hesnon………..while Bledsoe fillls the need.

Again in Parcells I will Trust.

Also, it was Jon Bartlett as a guest commentator that made the comments about Staubach not Rafael………

althought it appers he agrees with my premise………

Greetings ye old fellow bloggers. For those of us who are concerned about the WR position, it appears that we are doing okay within.

On the the “thedallascowboys.net” site It said the following, “We’ve received inside information that indicate the Cowboys young WRs Copper and Crayton have been making great strides during the offseason, they have added some muscle mass to their frames and hey have been working out with Henson catching all those +5000 passes”.

What ye say to this information. Sounds promising are am I reaching here?

Also, what is the deal with Crowder has he been switched to free safety or is he still trying out as WR, this dude has pure speed. I think I read somewhere that he runs a 4.4 in the 40.

And what of Love who was a WR converted to LB. I trust in BP, however, how does he find all the time for these projects?

NEWS FLASH THIS JUST IN

NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT FS ANY LONGER…IT HAS JUST BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT PETE HUNTER IS THE STARTER FOR SURE…I HAVE INSIDE COWBOY SOURCES THAT HAVE TOLD ME THEY HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH PETE HUNTER HIMSELF AND HE WILL BE THE STARTER…THIS INFO WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON BY THE COWBOYS CAMP…I AM PROUD TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO REVEAL THIS INFORMATION ON THIS GREAT COWBOYS WEBSITE…..WE WILL BE THE BEST DEFENSE THIS YEAR BY FAR…..IF NOW I CAN ONLY GET INFO ON A TOP WR TO PICK UP………SO FELLAS SCRATCH OFF THE FS DRAMA ….BIG P. HUNTER HAS SAID HE WILL BE THE CHOSEN ONE….

Ray thanks for the info…dude where did you get this piece of news. Do you have the walls of valley ranch bugged. lol. Wow, wander what made P. Hunter come around and see the light? This guy has the speed, weight, size and most importantly he has the instinct for the game. I guest Finnley is now odd man out. Like in my early blog entry, I eluded to finding WR within, maybe, just maybe.

Regarding the supplemental draft,

I haven’t seen anything that would get me to select the kid from USC. If there is a position the Cowboys could pursue on the front seven, it would be a kid who could play nose tackle. I’m fuzzy on the kid, since I don’t have his measurables in front of me, but wherever you pick him, it’s like an early 2006 selection. You lose that pick next year. I don’t want to give up any ’06 picks.

Rafael have you heard any news regarding Rays’ entry earlier concerning Pete Hunter switching to Free Safety?

HEY D
         IT JUST SO HAPPEN P. HUNTER IS FROM ATLANTIC CITY, NJ…I HAVE A FEW FRIENDS FROM THEIR AND I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH A PARTNER OF MINE WHO SAID HE SPOKE TO PETE….I THOUGHT I WAS THE BIGGEST COWBOY FAN AROUND BUT MY PARTNER MAN HE AS BIG OF DIEHARD THAN I AM….HE SAID HE WAS AT THIS GATHERING TO SEE THIS WEEKENDS FIGHT WHEN IN COME WALKING HUNTER…HE ALMOST FELL OUT OF HIS CHAIR….HE COULDNT WAIT TO CALL ME TO LET ME KNOW….THE MAIN THING IS HUNTER SAID HE IS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BEING AT FS….WHICH IS A BIG SWITCH TO WHAT WE HEARD….

Here’s some info on Pete Hunter received from the dallascowboys.com site.

"The Cowboys fifth round draft choice in 2001 (168th overall). His combination of outstanding size (6-2, 212-pounds), speed (4.34 40-yard dash).

Exactly D..
               True size to fit the FS position…This kid has the talent to make a big impact for us…..

A little late to this post but here are my thoughts on Drew Henson and maybe why B.P. didn’t go with him.The QB is the most important postion on the field.
which makes evaulating other positions very ,very hard if you’ve got a QB
learning on the job.Many people who wanted Drew to start ignore the fact
that this team was very bad at alot of positions.How can you evaluate wideouts if the QB is making the wrong reads or the lineman don’t have
faith in him?Things get ugly real fast and then everyone gives up.Throw
in the injuries at running back and wideout along with inconsistent O.L.
line play and I fail to see how Drew would have made any diffence except
to make things worse.Hey if the line is blocking well and JJ is running and
the wideouts are healthy then i think you got a case but not last year not
a good time to test a qb.

Its crazy how my partner keeps meeting these Cowboys players…It first started with Fullback Barnes who is also from what I understand from New Jersey…Actually Barnes dad is the head football coach of my old high school in NJ..My partner still lives in the area and happen to come to a high school game and there was Barnes….Now he runs into Pete…..Believe it or not all Pete Hunter and my partner talked about was the Cowboys….Really he had no other choice if he’s talking to my partner…After all the Hoop La of meeting Pete and telling me all about it….He then says and guess where I will be on June 21 or the 25th which ever night the fight is with Floyd Maywhether Jr in Atlantic City…Rubbing shoulders with not only Pete Hunter but Pete told him he was bringing Julius Jones with him to the fight…Yeah yeah make my life boring…..Oh and one more note…He did invite me even though he know I cant be there…Some Friend……..

Just to add to my above post is it really fair to drew to try and evaluate him
under those circumstances?In the first half of the Chicago game he made
the Bears D look like the Steel Curtain.

USC’s Wright did not want to come out in the draft. He intending on staying at USC. However, his grades were somewhat poor to say the least. He took off spring practice to try and raise them but was unsuccessful. Instead of sitting out next year b/c of academics, he chose to enter the supplemental draft. He isn’t worth a high pick…he’s a project. On the DLine we need a young backup nose if anything, wright would be a DE.

As for Pete being the FS, that would be great. He definately has the tools. However, I’d shy away from calling him starter. BP will definately make him earn it.

Trading Glover could get a decent return but we definately need him this year until we get a backup nose and/or a good replacement in the 4-3. The problem is that you have to wait to see how the young ones develop. Specifically Canty who could be a stud. Ellis is more expendable but we wouldn’t get a whole lot nor would we save a whole lot in the cap. Best to keep a solid veteran in the mix. I loved the Jimmy Johnson days where we had a bunch of lineman to shuttle in and out. The opposing Oline was totally beaten down by the 4th.

go cowboys.
thanks for the site Rafael, its a tough time for topics. BP doesn’t let out much information for us.

Ray,

If the situation with Pete is what your boy says it is, GREAT! That would make me happy, but it would not really surprise me. From what I can tell, Pete wants to play, and I think he knew it wasn’t about to happen at CB. He has the size, speed, and hopefully the talent to play FS, and that is what the team needs. I think he sees an opportunity to get out on the field and get some playing time. Silly if he doesn’t do it.

Now let me re-visit something I said earlier. Many of you disagree with me, but I still say Parcells squandered a number of opportunities last year by continuting to sit Henson when the game was no longer on the line. Hey, I too am in favor of bringing Henson along slowly, but the operative part of the statment is BRINGING HIM ALONG! For crying out loud, I just don’t see the benefit of depriving the kid of valuable development opportunities on the field.

Okay, so the guy has thrown a hundred thousand passes in practice (exaggerated, I know, but you see my point) so what? If he doesn’t at least get an opportunity, we’ll all be having this same debate in the offseason next year. If Henson is not going to be the man, as many of you clearly believe, then why not find out so we can start looking for the next guy.

Guys, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying start him right now, but when the game is obviously out of reach, for us or our victim of the week, (hopefully) then let the guy get a couple of snaps. Do that throughout the year, and you (1) get a better sense of what this kid can do (2) increase his game experience and hopefully his confiidence, and (3) give us a chance to see for ourselves that he can or cannot be trusted. Again, just my humble opinion.

Anyone read the ranch report? Is there any information on how the QB camp went? I know it was closed but thought some info might have leaked out.

Although the parallels are there, you can’t compare Drew Henson to Roger Staubach, who was the reason why I became a Cowboy fan back in ‘71. It’s just not fair to Henson, being compared to a HOF QB who won 2 SBs, and started 5 of them.

If BP feels that he’s not ready, then he’s not ready. I think BP’s been coaching long enough and has been a top notch coach long enough to know when a QB is ready. Come on guys, we’re not talking about Chan Gailey or Dave Campo, here!

 While you can put Henson in during mop up duty, when we have a big lead, I don’t think you can just throw him out there when we are getting our butts kicked, because he’ll get his butt kicked. If he’s injured, we’ll all be second guessing BP like we are now, and instead of learning the offense, and throwing 10,000 passes this off-season, he’s busy rehabbing whatever he broke, which will set back his development. We’ll then be talking about how they shouldn’t have thrown him to the wolves so soon!

As for BP saying that Henson could be the starter in 2005, I really don’t think it’s true, because Bledsoe would not have been signed. I don’t think that Bledsoe would have come here to be a backup. Would you?

As for the defense and trading Ellis or Glover, let’s get real! Do you really want a bunch of rookies on your D-Line? We not only need the depth, but the experience these guys bring. These are not stiffs we’re talking about. Ellis led the team in sacks, and Glover is a perrenial pro-bowler. You can’t say that oh, they’re too undersized to play the 3-4.

Come on, if you’re good, you’re good no matter the defensive alignment. Oh, Emmitt was undersized and lacked speed, Irvin lacked speed, and Aikman can’t run period! Oh, Deion couldn’t tackle, and Woodson was a linebacker in college, why is he at Safety? Wasn’t it these same undersized, slow, playing out of position guys that led the team to three Super Bowl victories? Four, if Jimmy didn’t leave!

So, before you cast off undersized Glover, Ellis, and Nguyen, enjoy the veteran leadership and depth that they provide, because without them, we’re 6-10 before you know it. Besides, they’re not going to ditch the 4-3 altogether, they’ll use both, depending on the situation. If you’re a player, you’re a player, period. Good coaches also know how to cover for player weaknesses, so they don’t get too exposed. Do you also think the injury bug will not rear its ugly head? WE NEED THE DEPTH!

I also don’t think that FS is as critical as it was before the draft. With the front seven that we’ll be able to throw out there, I don’t think opposing QBs will have too much time to think, so I don’t think you’ll need a pro-bowl FS. However, if Hunter does indeed agree to be a FS, then it would be terrific, and would explain why we didn’t sign Cory Hall, Brock Marion, or another vet. I will believe it if we don’t sign a FS after the June 1 cuts.

onepaniolo

Interesting point about Henson getting injured during mop up duty, but that could happen any time he’s in the game. You can’t be suggesting that we never put the guy in because he could get hurt. Bledsoe could get hurt too, and if Henson or Romo have not seen any playing time, the learning curve will be longer, and we’ll be screaming bloody murder because the Cowboys are losing.

I have to respectfully disagree with you on putting Henson out there when we’re getting our butts kicked. If the line can’t protect anybody, that’s one reason to maybe keep him out, but if the dogs are not chewing Bledsoe’s ass and we’re still getting stomped, the kid has got to learn what it’s like to be the captain of a sinking ship.

As for Parcells saying that he could envision Henson as the starter in 05, he absolutely did say that, but the comment came before they signed Bledsoe.

we ain’t been to training camp or preseason games yet.

Bill did not ship Drew to NFLE like he did Chad Hutchinson. So he must have seen something he liked. I think you will see him continue to work with Henson. Again they signed Henson to an eight year deal that was very cap friendly. This kid is making backup pay, and there is nothing wrong with letting him be just that for the time being.

Bledsoe basically brought the same thing Vinny offered, Veteran Pocket Passer with a strong arm and limited mobility. Bledsoe is younger and has the advantage of having been a starter last year. While I think Bledsoe will be the starter, do not be surprised if Henson plays well in preseason………which I think he will get the opportunity………we have ourselves a little bit of Quarterback controversey.

Bill is the guy that had the veteran Phil Simms……..a Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms………and went to the younger Jeff Hostetler during Phil’s injury and left Jeff out there for a Super Bowl victory. Who knows that might be what is keep Phil out of the HOF. Bill has loyalty to nobody but winning, and the best player to win the game is going to be on the field. Henson knows that. Henson has all the attributed and is a phenomenal athelete. If he learns the NFL game after a 4 year Hiatus from Football, and never having played in the pro game, and honestly limited College Experience……….

He has the resume, now it is can he do the job. They say his mechanics are improving at the Ranch Workout all offseason. I think he has shown maturity in dealing with his situation. He only every says the right things. However, I do not see a reason to rush the development of a qb that played baseball for 4 years and only had a full year under Center as the Starter at Michigan. While many Wolverine fans wanted Henson over Brady, Brady managed to keep his job. The experiment of using Henson here and there was failed like it always is. Just think if Henson beats out Brady in year 2…….Brady goes to the bench and is not even a 6th round pick. Brady was a skinny kid who could not keep 200lbs on his frame while Henson was 6’4" 230………Henson was a stud in high school football, baseball and basketball. His mobility was something Michigan was extremely excited about.

Personally I think Henson will be an NFL starter for the Dallas Cowboys. However, I do not see a need to rush him or have him out there getting killed and getting our team killed. Bill has done a pretty good job and knows how to play Coach, Father, Friend, worst enemy to his qbs………..just ask Phil.

Phil recalls one of his best games came after a half time pep talk from Bill who was really disappointed in the Giants play against Detroit. Phil went out and had a wonderful second half. Phil was rather proud of himself. The next day watching film he said as much to Bill Parcells. Parcells said it disappointed him that his expectations for Phil were so much higher than Phil’s own expectations for himself……..then walked away. Phil was sitting there basking in the glory of a great game, and Bill was like………you can still improve. Never rest on your laurels…………Bill is the great Motivator………..and he has every intention of making Drew Henson an NFL QB.

Remember for all this talk about Bill Parcells and Defense………he is an offensive coach and the Coordinator and has called plays for this team as well as others. Yeah the Giants were legendary on Defense, and hopefully so will the New Dallas Cowboys be………..but Parcells has his hands on both sides of the ball……….and plans on making both Drew’s better qbs………

Jon Bartlett,

You bring up a really good point on the Hostetler/Simms issue. BP will play whoever gives him the best option for winning, which really explains why he put Vinny in during the Thanksgiving game. He wanted to win, even if it is to the detriment of Henson’s development, as a lot of people here seem to agree. However, because BP wants so bad to win, I can see why he put Vinny in when he did, and why he never put Henson in when we were losing. He still wanted to try to win the game, and felt that Vinny gave us the best chance of winning. Although many of us disagree with him, we can’t really fault him for wanting to win, because in the long run, that’s why Jerry brought him here to begin with. Let’s just sit back and watch this man work his magic!

Rob2,

Your point is well taken, and makes a lot of sense. We do have to find out sometime if Henson can really play.

This conversation just goes to show you that there really is no clear-cut way to handle a situation like this, because history is loaded with QBs who have succeeded and failed with both methods: Waiting and grooming, or Thrown to the wolves.

Aikman was thrown into the fire, got beat up, but eventually succeeded. Same with Jim Plunkett. I remember when he used to get his ass whooped in New England, and yet came back to lead the Raiders to two Super Bowls. There was also Fouts, Elway, Marino, Kelly…. The list goes on.

Then there was Staubach, who sat and waited, then came out slingin’ when it was his turn. Same with Steve Young, who sat for a long time, and was even used as a running back when he was in the USFL. When he finally got his chance, he truly shined. Danny White? If he wasn’t also our punter, he never would have played in as many games, then shined when it was time.

I think that what this proves, is if you have the ability and the mental toughness, you will succeed, inspite of the situation you are thrown into. Those who have what it takes will eventually succeed, no matter the pounding they take. Doug Williams is a great example, who was obliterated many times in Tampa Bay, before winning the big one with the ’Skins when he finally had the supporting cast.

Now, to answer the big question, “Does Henson have what it takes?” Only Henson can answer that one. BP obviously thinks he has the tools, otherwise he would have been sent to NFLE, like Jon B. and a few others have mentioned, instead of staying behind to work at The Ranch. However, he either doesn’t think he’s ready yet and needs more grooming, or thinks he needs stiff competition to really light his fire. Hence, the signing of Bledsoe, who may or may not be the starter, depending on how Henson performs in the pre-season(Great point, Jon Bartlett.)

Ah, we all agree that BP is the master motivator, right? What better motivation than to bring in a solid, proven QB, annoint him the starter, and see what Henson’s mental make up is. The worst thing that can happen, is, Henson melts under the pressure, and we still have Bledsoe for two years as our starter, while the search for a QB continues, or Henson rises to the challenge and is the starter come opening day.

Regardless of the outcome, you can’t fault Jerry and BP for signing Bledsoe to provide some insurance. If they didn’t, we’d be asking why don’t we have veteran insurance? It’s the same question we’re asking about the FS spot. Where’s the veteran insurance? We’ll be fine at FS, our new front 7 and CBs will see to that!

If Henson truly is the future QB of this franchise, he will have no excuse for failing, because he has one hell of a supporting cast. He will have a good if not great OL, One solid running attack, and good receivers(barring injuries, our WRs are good enough!) Henson will also have a pretty solid defense as well.

Bottom line:

No matter who is the QB, they will not be able to complain about the lack of a running game(Thanks to Julius, Barber and A-Train.) They will have no excuses. I don’t think BP will hesitate for one moment to yank whoever is starting if they don’t produce. Their off season acquisitions have solidified this team, and it will be a winner. 12-4 is not out of the question, if injuries don’t derail this future powerhouse. Go Cowboys!!!!

This is absolutely the best place to talk Cowboys, because it is loaded with people who are not only pasionate about the ’Boys, but very knowledgeable as well. Thanks, Rafael!