Dallas Cowboys sign QB Drew Bledsoe

By Hugo Guzman  |   Thursday, February 24, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

Dallas Cowboys
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IRVING, Texas - Drew Bledsoe once went to the Super Bowl with Bill Parcells and Terry Glenn. The three will try to get there again. The Dallas Cowboys announced the signing of Bledsoe at a Wednesday afternoon news conference. Terms were not disclosed.

The veteran quarterback became a free agent after being released by the Buffalo Bills. "We thought we got the very best option available to us," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "It was a decision Bill and I are very much in agreement with. We thought it was the best direction to take."

A four-time Pro Bowler, Bledsoe was selected first overall in 1993 by Parcells, who was coach of the New England Patriots. By Bledsoe's fourth season, the Patriots went to Super Bowl XXXI and lost to the Green Bay Packers, 35-21. After the Super Bowl, Parcells left the Patriots and became coach-general manager of the New York Jets. Bledsoe stayed with New England through the 2001 season, when he was injured and lost his starting job to Tom Brady.

The Buffalo Bills acquired Bledsoe in 2002, but he failed to lead them into the playoffs, compiling a 23-25 record in three years. Last season, Bledsoe passed for 2,932 yards and 20 touchdowns with 16 interceptions. Bills coach Mike Mularkey released Bledsoe for salary cap purposes and handed the starting job to J.P. Losman, the team's first-round pick in 2004.

Bledsoe, 33, likely will replace the 41 year-old Vinny Testaverde as the Cowboys' starter. Testaverde, who is an unrestricted free agent in March, threw for 3,532 yards and 17 touchdowns with 20 interceptions in his only year with the Cowboys.

The agreement with Bledsoe is a bad sign for Drew Henson, who has not gained Parcells' confidence. Henson signed a four-year contract with Dallas after being acquired from the Houston Texans, but flopped in his only start on Thanksgiving and was benched at halftime. Henson spent the previous three years playing third base in the New York Yankees' farm system.

Bledsoe's lack of mobility could hurt the Cowboys - he was sacked an astounding 140 times in three seasons with the Bills. In 172 career games, Bledsoe passed for 39,808 yards - ranking 10th all-time - and 221 touchdowns with 181 interceptions. He threw for more than 3,000 yards eight times and for more than 4,000 twice.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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