Drew Henson

[DBAHO]

Damn, this is a great move especially for only a 3rd rounder.

 

The Houston Texans have traded the rights to quarterback Drew Henson to the Dallas Cowboys for a third-round draft choice in the 2005 NFL draft, ESPN.com has learned.

 

Henson and the Cowboys agreed on an eight-year contract that will void to four years with modest playing time. In all eight years of the deal, the former New York Yankees third baseman will make a guaranteed minimum salary. In 2004, Henson's salary will be $238,000.

 

Henson, however, is guaranteed at least $3.5 million over the next four years through a roster bonus that will trigger after any season in which he meets the predetermined playing time level. The Dallas Morning News reports that Henson will receive that bonus and void the last four years of the deal if he plays just 15 percent of the team's snaps in 2004. Henson's deal also has a $1 million escalator clause. The paper reports that clause will be triggered if Henson plays 70 percent of the team's snaps in any of his first three seasons.

 

There are no conditions that will elevate the draft pick to a higher round based on Henson's performance.

 

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones acknowledged earlier this week that his franchise remained "intrigued" by Henson. Certainly the addition of Henson, which will become official with just a few pen strokes, will dictate plenty of debate about the members of Dallas' current quarterback corps, and about the long-term future of incumbent starter Quincy Carter.

 

Carter started all 16 games in 2003 and led the Cowboys to a 10-6 mark and a wild-card playoff berth. But as has been the case throughout his career, Carter suffered stretches of inconsistency. Bringing in Henson could also eventually mean the end in Dallas for Chad Hutchinson, who is slated to play in NFL Europe this spring.

 

Ironically, two-year veteran Hutchinson, like Henson, left college early to pursue a career in baseball. He abandoned his baseball dream after four seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals organization and the former pitcher signed with the Cowboys in 2002.

 

Henson, 24, has not played a competitive snap of football since starting eight games for the Wolverines in 2000. He completed 61.6 percent of his attempts for 2,146 yards that season, with 18 touchdown passes and just four interceptions. For his career in Ann Arbor, he completed 214 of 374 passes for 2,946 yards, with 24 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.

 

But the strong-armed Henson, who in 2001 signed a six-year, $17 million baseball deal with the New York Yankees, started just eight times in his 27 appearances. He took 441 snaps, roughly 270 of them in junior season in 2000, so there is not a large body of work with which to evaluate him.

 

At various times in the process, there were as many as five or six teams viably interested in acquiring Henson via trade but, in recent days, the number of serious suitors settled in at about three.

 

There was little doubt, given that he walked away from a guaranteed $12 million remaining on the final three years of his baseball contract, that Henson became serious about his future in football in recent months. He had been working out in Bradenton, Fla., where IMG operates its own complex, with longtime NFL quarterbacks coach Larry Kennan. Last month, he auditioned in front of representatives from 21 teams, throwing about 75 passes at the Texans practice facility.

 

In a shrewd move, the Texans secured Henson's rights by investing a sixth-round pick on him in the 2003 draft. The move paid off for general manager Charley Casserly, since he was able to turn that sixth-round pick into a third-rounder, albeit two years later.

 

Casserly had maintained throughout that Henson was at least the equal of the quarterback prospects in this year's draft and was confident he would find a trade partner. From the day the Texans chose Henson, they publicly stated they intended to trade him.

 

If the Texans hadn't signed Henson by noon April 23, the day before the '04 draft, he would have gone back into the player pool, and could have been chosen by another team. But the upside to reaching a deal before the 2004 draft was that Henson could essentially sign with the franchise of his choice.

[Soxfest]

He will blow by s***ty QC in about 2 hours. Good trade for Cowboys

[witesoxfan]

Fuuuuuuuuuck.

[DBAHO]

Fuuuuuuuuuck. 

Why Buffalo wouldn't offer a 3rd rounder for him I don't know. I think they think they can get Roesthleberger now with their 1st pick to replace Bledsoe in the long run. If we can get Jackson or Kevin Jones with our 1st pick, I think we can definitely win a Superbowl in the next 3 years.

[cwsox]

Henson was the best pure quarterback I ever saw goig back to seeing Ken Anderson iun 1969 who went on to a long career with the Bengals.

 

There was no 2nd place. Henson was the best pure qb I ever saw.

 

Michigan was routinely kicking OSU's ass in football and Ohio's Steinbrenner (as in Steinbrenner Hall, the indoor facility at OSU) offered Henson obscene money to forgo his senior year at UM by playing minors for the Yankees.

 

and so it happened.

 

Henson's future is in the NFL and the team that has him has something good.

 

So Steinbrenner has f***ed up two sports, pro baseball and college football, with his money. What Henson would have been his senior season had he not been offered such a boatload of money from Steinbrenner, we''ll never know.

 

The asshole.

 

That is why always bet on Brady, who kept Henson on th bench for two seasons with no compalints from Michigan fans. Brady had that thing going, could't deny, still does, Mr I will the Game with 1.5 minutes left.

 

But Henson was the best quarterback in college ever despite he only started 8 games. Steinbrenner used his money and what he lost in Henson in baseball,. as a OSU fan he more than made up getting Henson out of UM for what would have been Henson's senior season.

[witesoxfan]

Why Buffalo wouldn't offer a 3rd rounder for him I don't know. I think they think they can get Roesthleberger now with their 1st pick to replace Bledsoe in the long run. If we can get Jackson or Kevin Jones with our 1st pick, I think we can definitely win a Superbowl in the next 3 years.

They'll need to trade up to get Roethlisberger, and quite frankly, I'm not sure what they have to trade that Arizona or New York or Washington would want. The Cards could probably use a decent halfback, but would they take McGahee and probably the first rounder for him, or would they just want Henry? I don't think there is any chance they can get SD's pick or Oakland's pick, and I don't think Detroit will trade their #6 pick and a chance at Sean Taylor. And another thing that comes up with this is that if they were to get New York's or Washington's or Detroit's pick, they would be playing a little Russian Roulette with the chance of Arizona taking Roethlisberger too. I'm sure they'd still be able to get Mike Williams or Fitzgerald with that pick, but you can't be so sure it'd fall. Also, I'd imagine that Cleveland would probably take him with 7 if he fell that far, but with Garcia there and Holcomb as the backup, I think it'd be kind of hard to move Holcomb to #3 QB, though they could always trade him elsewhere for a late-round pick. Kind of hard to say right now

 

It's either that, or draft Losman in the second round(if he falls that far).

 

Damnit, that really pisses me off. I had figured they'd send a 2nd round pick to Houston. My only guess is that they wouldn't have been able to get a deal worked out.

 

 

 

s*** this is still pissing me off. :puke

 

I want to use this smiley ----> :fyou but I don't know who to use it on.

[Mathew]

Buffalo will do what in 3 years?

[greasywheels121]

Good move for the Cowboys......

 

So Henson has gone from Steinbrenner to Jerry Jones.......

[DBAHO]

They'll need to trade up to get Roethlisberger, and quite frankly, I'm not sure what they have to trade that Arizona or New York or Washington would want.  The Cards could probably use a decent halfback, but would they take McGahee and probably the first rounder for him, or would they just want Henry?  I don't think there is any chance they can get SD's pick or Oakland's pick, and I don't think Detroit will trade their #6 pick and a chance at Sean Taylor.  And another thing that comes up with this is that if they were to get New York's or Washington's or Detroit's pick, they would be playing a little Russian Roulette with the chance of Arizona taking Roethlisberger too.  I'm sure they'd still be able to get Mike Williams or Fitzgerald with that pick, but you can't be so sure it'd fall.  Also, I'd imagine that Cleveland would probably take him with 7 if he fell that far, but with Garcia there and Holcomb as the backup, I think it'd be kind of hard to move Holcomb to #3 QB, though they could always trade him elsewhere for a late-round pick.  Kind of hard to say right now

 

It's either that, or draft Losman in the second round(if he falls that far). 

 

Damnit, that really pisses me off.  I had figured they'd send a 2nd round pick to Houston.  My only guess is that they wouldn't have been able to get a deal worked out. 

 

 

 

s*** this is still pissing me off.        :puke

 

I want to use this smiley ----> :fyou  but I don't know who to use it on. 

Most mock drafts now hav Fitzgerald goin to Chargers, then Gallery goin to the Raiders, Manning goin to the Cards, and the Giants now taking Vince Wilfork. I actually think there's a very good chance that Ben will slip down til at least #11 where the Steelers will prob pick him.

FoxSports Mock Draft

 

Very interested to see what will happen to Travis Henry, I think there's a good chance he could be traded if he's not Mularkey's type of back, and McGahee is. 2 days ago, I wasn't too happy at the way we were playing FA, now we just signed Wiley a good pash rusher, and traded for Henson. I think we're definitely winners now, and I think we can win the NFC East now.

[witesoxfan]

Buffalo will do what in 3 years?

 

Probably 3 consecutive last place finishes.

[WillieHarris2]

Henson was the best pure quarterback I ever saw goig back to seeing Ken Anderson iun 1969  who went on to a long career with the Bengals.

 

There was no 2nd place.  Henson was the best pure qb I ever saw.

 

Michigan was routinely kicking OSU's ass in football and Ohio's Steinbrenner (as in Steinbrenner Hall, the indoor facility at OSU) offered Henson obscene money to forgo his senior year at UM by playing minors for the Yankees.

 

and so it happened.

 

Henson's future is in the NFL and the team that has him has something good.

 

So Steinbrenner has f***ed up two sports, pro baseball and college football, with his money.  What Henson would have been his senior season had he not been offered such a boatload of money from Steinbrenner, we''ll never know.

 

The asshole.

 

That is why always bet on Brady, who kept Henson on th bench for two seasons with no compalints from Michigan fans.  Brady had that thing going, could't deny, still does, Mr I will the Game with 1.5 minutes left.

 

But Henson was the best quarterback in college ever despite he only started 8 games.  Steinbrenner used his money and what he lost in Henson in baseball,. as a OSU fan he more than made up getting Henson out of UM for what would have been Henson's senior season.

RIDICULOUS! thats all i got to say.

 

 

oh one more thing....GO BLUE!

[southsider2k5]

It will be interesting to see how quickly Parcells can turn this kid into the starter.

[Mathew]

Most mock drafts now hav Fitzgerald goin to Chargers, then Gallery goin to the Raiders, Manning goin to the Cards, and the Giants now taking Vince Wilfork. I actually think there's a very good chance that Ben will slip down til at least #11 where the Steelers will prob pick him.

FoxSports Mock Draft

 

Very interested to see what will happen to Travis Henry, I think there's a good chance he could be traded if he's not Mularkey's type of back, and McGahee is. 2 days ago, I wasn't too happy at the way we were playing FA, now we just signed Wiley a good pash rusher, and traded for Henson. I think we're definitely winners now, and I think we can win the NFC East now.

Pittsburgh and their fans would cream their panties to get Ben at 11, they would pick him at #1 overall let alone 11. Thanks to Cleveland and Washingtion getting Qb's, I can only hope right. That mock draft is reterded though to think Pittsburgh would take a corner if Big Ben was there.

[witesoxfan]

It will be interesting to see how quickly Parcells can turn this kid into the starter.

How fast will he turn him into a starter? Do you mean a respectable QB in the league or the starting QB of the Dallas Cowboys?

 

The answer to both questions is Week 1 of the regular season. MHO anyways

 

Matt...I agree fully. I've read that Pittsburgh has had a ton of interest in Roethlisberger, but the odds of him falling that far are very small. Just as a question, what do you think the odds are that the Steelers will try to move up and get a top 3 pick, maybe trading Burress and their first rounder to Oakland or San Diego even?

[DBAHO]

Here's a really interestin article of how da Boys got Henson,

 

Organization's focus pays off when quarterback winds up in mix

 

By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News

 

 

IRVING – Every time Cowboys owner Jerry Jones talks about Drew Henson, his mind drifts to champagne showers and Super Bowl trophies.

 

Every time Jones sees videotape of Henson playing at Michigan, he remembers Troy Aikman as the epicenter of an offensive machine that helped the Cowboys win five consecutive NFC East titles and three Super Bowls to earn the title of Team of the '90s.

 

So it should come as no surprise that Henson will be wearing the Cowboys' fabled blue star on the side of a silver helmet when the 2004 season begins.

 

After all, Jones has coveted the 6-5, 233-pound quarterback since he read Cowboys scout Jim Garrett's glowing report after the 2000 season.

 

And on Friday afternoon, Henson became an official member of the Dallas Cowboys, when the NFL finally approved a trade that sent a third-round pick in 2005 to the Houston Texans for the 24-year-old.

 

"I commend them for being imaginative, creative and aggressive in doing this," Houston general manager Charley Casserly said. "This kid is as good as any quarterback in the draft. He hasn't played in a while, but he'll overcome that eventually."

 

Setting the table

 

Jerry Jones phoned Dan Henson the day before the 2003 draft, as did representatives from five other clubs. Each team knew Henson's son was struggling at Triple-A and wanted to know if Drew was still committed to playing baseball.

 

Henson, considered one of the top players in the nation after passing for more than 2,000 yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions as a junior at Michigan, quit football to sign a six-year, $17 million contract with the New York Yankees.

 

"I told him that Drew was still committed to playing baseball, but there might be a better matchup to his physical and mental skills in football," said Dan Henson, who coached football at several Division I colleges. "I think he missed the athleticism. He missed running around and making a play, because in baseball, you're confined to a three-foot spot at third base or home plate."

 

The next day, as the draft moved into the middle rounds, Jones phoned Dan Henson again.

 

"I thought there was a chance Dallas was going to draft him," Henson said. "There were two to three teams that called me and wanted me to tell them that Drew was going to play football, but I couldn't do that. Charley Casserly was intuitive enough to know that it wasn't as big a risk as other people thought."

 

That's because the Texans had talked to numerous baseball scouts and sources within the Yankees, making Casserly convinced Henson would return to football.

 

Houston selected him in the sixth round.

 

"I called Dan and told him, 'The only reason we drafted Drew was to trade him,' " Casserly said.

After hitting .233 with the Columbus Clippers, Henson decided to return to football.

 

Soon after that happened, Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and Bill Parcells met in the scouting department to discuss how seriously they should pursue Henson.

 

It was the first of several meetings.

 

They asked each other questions such as: "How does a young quarterback fit our quarterback situation?" "How will he fit with our team? "What's his talent level?"

 

There were few negatives, so they decided to pursue him.

 

A trade made sense because it would give Houston an opportunity to receive a premium draft pick while allowing Henson to choose where he played. If he returned to the draft, he would have had no say in which team selected him.

 

Houston retained Henson's rights until April 23, but Jones had a different timetable.

 

He wanted a deal done in March.

 

Then Henson could participate in the entire off-season program and have an additional month to learn the offense and work with the coaching staff before the club's first rookie camp.

 

The Senior Bowl

 

At the end of a Senior Bowl practice in mid-January, Stephen Jones spoke with Henson's agent, Tom Condon, concerning his client's intentions.

 

"We understand Drew might be considering playing football. Is that the case?" Stephen Jones asked.

 

"Yes, he's definitely going to play football," Condon said.

 

"Are you going to advise him to go back in the draft, or would he entertain something where he didn't have to go back in the draft?" Stephen Jones said. "Is there a way to do the contract where Drew could be happy and not go back into the draft?"

 

"Yes, because the appealing thing about not going back into the draft is that you can pick your team," Condon said.

 

Now, Dallas could intensify its efforts.

 

Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, in town because Wolverines running back Chris Perry was going to receive the Doak Walker Award, visited Valley Ranch in February and met with Stephen Jones and Parcells, an old friend.

 

Jones liked what he heard during their 30-minute meeting.

 

"My college coach said I won't have any problems with his style of coaching," said Henson, "and I agree."

 

On Feb. 12, Henson worked out for 20 teams in Houston. Quarterbacks coach Sean Payton, scout Walter Juliff and offensive assistant David Lee represented the Cowboys.

 

Parcells and Jerry Jones remained in Dallas because they didn't want to alert the rest of the NFL just how much they wanted Henson.

 

Payton, a longtime friend of Henson's father, returned with glowing reviews.

 

The combine

 

When Jerry Jones arrived in Indianapolis at the NFL's Scouting Combine on Feb. 19, meeting with Casserly and Condon was near the top of his priority list.

 

He needed a feel for the compensation Houston wanted and the contract Condon desired.

 

Three days later, Jones met with Casserly in the RCA Dome.

 

They sat in the stands near the finish line of the 40-yard dash and discussed compensation for about 15 minutes.

 

Casserly wanted a conditional third-round pick in 2005 that could become a first-round choice if Henson performed at a certain level or a second-round pick in 2004.

 

But Jones doesn't like conditional picks because he always assumes the player he's acquiring will perform at a high level, thus the team he's trading with will get a better draft choice.

 

Toward the end of their conversation, Casserly agreed to let the Cowboys put Henson through a personal workout soon after the combine.

 

"I wanted to keep the momentum going," Casserly said.

 

Jones returned to the Cowboys' bus, a $500,000 luxury vehicle painted in the club's colors, after meeting with Casserly.

 

Jones drank Dr Pepper while he, Condon and Stephen Jones discussed parameters of a contract.

 

The deal would have to be creative because Henson was going to have to be compensated like a first-round pick even though he was a sixth-round pick.

 

"If it's not a traditional contract, then a lot of people in the league don't want to do it," Stephen Jones said. "It's not like there's something hidden under a rock that's going to bite you."

 

Dallas workout

 

Bill Parcells didn't want anyone to know Henson was conducting a personal workout for the Cowboys on Feb. 23; he didn't want blaring headlines in the local newspapers or television trucks lined up in the parking lot of the club's Valley Ranch training complex.

 

"We're having a secret workout on Monday," he told members of the coaching staff a few days prior to the workout. "I'm not telling anyone who it is."

 

Henson, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, arrived in Dallas from Tampa, Fla., on American Airlines Flight 1209. A team official picked him up, took him to his hotel and then drove him to Al Biernat's, an upscale steakhouse on Oak Lawn where many of the city's power brokers dine.

 

Al Biernat's would provide privacy for Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and Parcells as they met with Henson, who had changed into dress slacks and a button-down shirt. In a private room, all but Parcells, who opted for seafood, dined on steak.

 

"We were trying to get a good feel for whether this guy has the personality and is he the type of person who can handle being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys," Stephen Jones said.

 

The dinner lasted about 2½ hours as the most powerful members of the Cowboys' organization tried to sell Henson on their team and their vision.

 

They also wanted to look into his eyes and make sure his dream of professional baseball had ended.

 

Once dinner ended, the men shook hands. Parcells and Henson left in the coach's white Lincoln Town Car. Henson learned a lot during the 30-minute drive to his hotel.

 

"It was interesting," Henson said with a chuckle. "Just to hear him talking let me know he's intense about everything in life – not just about football."

 

Much of the scouting and coaching staffs – and Troy Aikman, at Jones' request – attended Henson's 20-minute workout the next morning.

 

When it ended, Jones asked Aikman to speak to Henson. Aikman told Henson about the highs and lows he could expect if he became the starting quarterback for America's Team.

 

"There's a lot of pressure. You're going to get a lot of recognition," Henson said, recounting Aikman's advice. "There are going to be a lot of eyes on you. They expect great things of you."

 

After the workout, Henson visited with Parcells. Then he met with Jones for about 20 minutes in the owner's office.

 

"I'm certainly interested in playing for the Cowboys," Henson said.

 

"We'll be talking to Tom and Houston," Jones replied. "We're going to be pushing this down the road."

 

The contract

 

The Cowboys didn't want to get down to nitty-gritty trade discussions until Stephen Jones had the parameters of a contract in place with Condon because he didn't want to give Henson or the Texans too much power during negotiations.

 

The Cowboys watched every snap Henson played at Michigan and dissected every throw. Ultimately, they decided Henson was a late first-round or early second-round pick, so Stephen Jones began creating a contract that would pay him that way.

 

"Once both sides decide they want to get it done," said Stephen Jones, "it doesn't take but five minutes to get a deal done."

 

The heart of the deal was completed March 12, the day the Cowboys signed former Chargers defensive end Marcellus Wiley.

 

Stephen Jones spent much of the day on the phone with Condon.

 

Between conversations, he walked down the short hallway to his father's office to keep him informed about negotiations. Periodically, Parcells poked his head into Jones' office for an update.

 

"Are we getting close?" the coach asked.

 

On Friday afternoon, Jerry Jones phoned Casserly and told him Dallas had an agreement with Henson.

 

"Look, I'm not interested in committing to a conditional adjustment if he does well," Jones said. "How about a four ... I know that's a little different than when we talked."

 

"If I couldn't do better than that four," Casserly replied, "I'd just let him go back in the draft."

 

"If that's the case," Jones said, "on a nonconditional basis, I'll go the three."

 

"We got a deal," Casserly replied.