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SpursFanInAustin
06-03-2004, 08:15 PM
www.dallascowboys.com/new...BEE6704C7A (http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=EB6BE7E5-9462-4478-FD1A11BEE6704C7A)

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Testaverde Eyes Opportunity To Start


Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
June 3, 2004, 5:00 p.m. (CDT)

IRVING, Texas - At the beginning of the off-season back in February, suggesting Vinny Testaverde would sign with the Cowboys after June 1 was not a bold prediction

All along, the veteran quarterback was expected to be released by the Jets on Tuesday, which he was, and that he would then reunite with Bill Parcells and sign with the Cowboys - which he did Thursday.

But while initial reports indicated Testaverde would be joining the Cowboys as a backup to Quincy Carter, it appears the 40-year-old quarterback has every intention of competing for the starting job.

And according to owner and general manager Jerry Jones, that is the Cowboys' plan as well.

"We have an incumbent in Quincy Carter," Jones said during Thursday's press conference at Valley Ranch. "But we want to be better than we've been at quarterback and competition creates that. There will be competition at quarterback. We know this is going to make us better. Vinny came here to play and he came here to compete. He came here to compete as a starter. He knows he'll be given that kind of opportunity and that will make us a better team."

Testaverde signed just one-year contract with a $1.1 million base salary and no signing bonus. But the deal is laced with incentives, mostly centering on his playing time. According to Testaverde's agent, Michael Azzarelli, the quarterback could earn another $4 million next year if he is the starter for most of the season.



"Realistically, if he's somewhere around the (starting) 14-game range, he'll make around $5 million bucks," Azzarelli said. "But it is just a one-year deal. If Vinny is playing, I wanted the ability to negotiate another year and if he's not playing and for whatever reason the situation didn't work, I wanted Bill to be able to move on. But I think it'll work out well."

Despite turning 41 in November and having 17 years of experience under his belt, Testaverde said competing for the starting job is still the goal and the reason he's still around.

"The fire still burns inside for me," said Testaverde, who was accompanied at the press conference by his wife and three children. "I'm just very excited to get started. I'm excited about reuniting with Coach Parcells, and some other former teammates like Keyshawn Johnson and Richie Anderson. To me, June 1 couldn't get here fast enough. I'm just excited about this opportunity and I can't wait to get things going."

Testaverde also said he is excited about the Cowboys' three-day mini-camp, which begins Saturday at Valley Ranch, involving the veterans and selected rookies. The Cowboys will also conduct on-field practice sessions from Tuesday to Friday of the following week.



"I look forward to working with Drew (Henson) and Quincy and Tony (Romo)," Testaverde said of the other three quarterbacks participating in the mini-camp. "I'm hoping I can share some of my experiences to help them become better quarterbacks. I've helped Chad Pennington with the Jets in the same kind of role. You go out every day and prepare yourself to be the best quarterback you can be. They're going to pay attention to some of the things you do and hopefully apply some of those things to the practice field. I just try to make sure the communication is always there and try to become friends (with the quarterbacks). I think that's the best approach you can take."

But make no mistake, Testaverde's main goal is to become a starting quarterback once again, and he admitted Dallas would not have been so attractive had Parcells and Jones not given him the opportunity to at least compete for the starting job.

"No, probably not," Testaverde answered when asked that question. "The only thing I know about Coach Parcells is that he's fair. And you really can't ask for anything more than that. I know at the end of the day, he is going to play the best man for the job. I won't be disappointed if it's not me. I trust (Parcells) and I know he's going to make the best decision for the team."

Testaverde was obviously linked to the Cowboys from the beginning, because of his relationship with Parcells, who coached him two seasons (1998-99) with the Jets. But Testaverde played just one full season under Parcells, leading the Jets to a 12-4 record in 1998 and a spot in the AFC Championship Game. But the following season, Testaverde ruptured his left Achilles tendon in the season opener and the Jets never recovered, finishing 8-8 in what turned out to be Parcells' final season with the Jets.

As Testaverde enters his 18th NFL season, this will be his fifth different team in the league. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 1987 draft, Testaverde played his first six seasons in Tampa Bay, before moving to Cleveland for three years (1993-95). He stayed with the franchise that moved to Baltimore from (1996-97) before playing the last six seasons with the Jets.

But handling a role as the backup won't be easy for Testaverde, who has started at least one game in all 18 previous seasons, including the first seven games last year when Pennington was out with a broken wrist.

The Jets lost their first four games, but the team, and Testaverde, improved to win two of their next three before Pennington returned to the lineup. New York finished with a 6-10 record.

The Jets made it no secret they would release Testaverde on June 1, to split up his remaining prorated signing bonus over two years. Testaverde will now count $3.5 million on the Jets' salary cap this year, and another $4 million next year.

But less than two days after being released by the Jets, Testaverde already found a new home in Dallas, a decision his agent said was rather easy to make.

"Once we talked to Bill and realized that Vinny would have an opportunity to compete for the starting job, there wasn't anywhere else he wanted to go," Azzarelli said. "It went very quick. We talked (Wednesday) and I made arrangements for Vinny and his family to come out here (Thursday). I knew it was a deal we could get done rather easily and we did."

What won't be easy for the Cowboys is divvying up the practice reps for all of the quarterbacks, which current count is five, including Chad Hutchinson.

But the two-year veteran who lost his quarterback competition with Carter last year in training camp, is currently rehabbing a shoulder injury in Birmingham, Ala. Hutchinson suffered the injury while playing this summer in NFL Europe. While there are speculations he could be released before the start of training camp, Jones said he is still in the mix, for now.

"Five quarterbacks is more than you can work with," Jones said. "We'll have to look at that. We will address that in the future. But the big energy sitting here today is that Vinny became available and it's great opportunity for us. We'll handle our numbers at quarterback at a later time."

And while the bottom of the quarterback depth chart is sure to see some changes, it sounds as if changes at the top are a possibility as well.

netsfan549
06-10-2004, 02:51 PM
I hope he gets to start

Chris Duel
06-15-2004, 11:34 PM
Vinny will start by Week Three.

Cowboys will go to the Playoffs.

Cowboys will go to the NFC Championship Game or further.

And I'll be listening to all the games on...

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