Johnson gives Cowboys a backup plan
09:07 PM CDT on Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Brad Johnson is going to be a good fit in Dallas as a backup, whether he's ready to admit it publicly or not.
Johnson, ruffled a bit when asked if he was here to be Tony Romo's mentor, knows his days as a starter are over. Otherwise, he would've chosen another team. Romo is the starter here for the next several years.
But Johnson gives the Cowboys a player who's still good enough to challenge Romo a little bit in training camp. More important, if the Cowboys were to lose Romo to injury for a couple of weeks, they would feel perfectly comfortable starting Johnson.
The veteran is an intelligent player who makes few mental mistakes. He doesn't move well, and his arm strength is limited, but he makes up for it by making good decisions. He also protects the ball and throws few interceptions, though he's been criticized for throwing too much to his check-down receivers.
Dallas hasn't used its backup quarterback much over the last few seasons, but now the team is good enough that the Cowboys don't want the season ruined because of an injury. Johnson gives them insurance.
It's a policy the Cowboys hope they don't have to cash.
COWBOYS Q&A
Q: There's been nothing in the news about Drew Bledsoe, and I am curious if he will play next year. If so, what opportunities does he have?
TAYLOR: Drew has made it pretty clear that he has no interest in being a backup – and I can't really blame him. The former No. 1 pick overall has been an above-average quarterback for his entire career. Don't forget, the Cowboys averaged about 28 points per game with him as a starter before his lack of mobility and penchant for ill-timed interceptions put him on the bench. If some team loses a starter in training camp, then I can see Bledsoe getting a call to come save the day. Other than that, I think his career is over. And it was a good one.
•••
Q: Flozell Adams, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis and Marc Colombo have all gotten some publicity this off-season, but what about Kyle Kosier? What kind of player is he?
TAYLOR: Kosier had a solid season as the Cowboys' left guard. He struggled in some pass-blocking situations, but was a dependable run-blocker who did a nice job of consistently getting to the second level and getting to linebackers after making his initial block.
•••
Q: Is Marc Colombo really the answer at right tackle? I appreciate his size and street fighter attitude, but isn't he still fairly limited in terms of mobility? Or did he really turn a corner in his comeback this year and it takes a more expert eye to recognize that?
TAYLOR: What you have to understand is that every player on the team isn't going to be great. You have to have some average players, in part, so you can afford to pay your really good players. Colombo is an average player, and there's nothing wrong with that. He plays hard, makes few mental mistakes and will compete to the end of every game. There's something to like about that.
•••
Q: I've haven't watched the Cardinals much, what is the knock on Davis, exactly?
TAYLOR: When you're the second player selected in the draft, people expect you to be great – not good. Davis has been solid, but he hasn't been knocking people on their butt every play. I think he can be an outstanding guard because it maximizes his strengths and hides his weaknesses.
•••
Q: Jerry's projected starting offensive line for 2007 looks awesome. But why not flip-flop Columbo and Davis?
TAYLOR: For one, Colombo has never been a guard. Davis has been a guard-tackle all of his career. Davis is OK at tackle, but like I said, he has the potential to be a much better guard.
•••
Q: What would the Cowboys have to give up to get Lance Briggs from Chicago? Would a draft pick and Marcus Spears be enough?
TAYLOR: I would suspect the Bears would want at least a No.1 pick and maybe a No. 3. Of course, I've been way off this off-season on what I thought it would take to get certain guys. I don't think Dallas would spend the combination of draft picks and money that it would take to get Briggs. He's a special player, and the cost is high to get players of his ilk.
•••
Q: Has everyone forgotten about Kevin Burnett?
TAYLOR: It's time for Burnett to make some plays. He's frustrated with his lack of playing time, but it's up to him to force his way into the lineup. One way to do that is by excelling on special teams, which is what Ryan Fowler did and why Tennessee just paid him $10 million over four years.
•••
Q: It seems to me that the problem at both safety positions the last couple of years has been the lack of quality competition for starting jobs. I'm curious how Roy Williams would handle competition for his job since he's never really had any. Would he get selfish and indignant or would he step up?
TAYLOR: I like your thought process, but let's be serious. When you give a player $12 million, there is no competition for his starting job. This is more about the Cowboys putting Williams in better position to make big plays and finding a true ballhawk – perhaps Florida's Reggie Nelson – to play free safety.
•••
Q: I keep reading about how they are thinking about shifting Anthony Henry to free safety and then drafting or signing a second corner. What do you think?
TAYLOR: Moving Henry to safety isn't going to happen. He has a hard enough time staying healthy at cornerback, which isn't nearly the physical position that safety is. Besides, the Cowboys don't want to use a guy they gave a $10 million signing bonus to at free safety.
•••
Q: What will be the status of Tyson Thompson? Will he go back to special teams or backup tailback?
TAYLOR: He is fully recovered from everything I've heard and will compete for a backup running back job as well as kick returner with Miles Austin. He made really good strides as a kick returner, but Austin seemed to be more natural. It will be a good competition.
•••
Q: Every time I have watched Troy Aikman do a Dallas game on Fox, I am left thinking that he has a burr under his saddle for the Cowboys. He always seems very critical of what they do on the field, good or bad. When commenting on other teams, he rationalizes their shortcomings almost to a fault. What gives?
TAYLOR: I think you're reading too much into his comments. I've always thought he was pretty fair and unbiased. His job, these days, is not to root for the Cowboys. It's to give you an accurate assessment of the game.
Brad Johnson is going to be a good fit in Dallas as a backup, whether he's ready to admit it publicly or not.
Johnson, ruffled a bit when asked if he was here to be Tony Romo's mentor, knows his days as a starter are over. Otherwise, he would've chosen another team. Romo is the starter here for the next several years.
But Johnson gives the Cowboys a player who's still good enough to challenge Romo a little bit in training camp. More important, if the Cowboys were to lose Romo to injury for a couple of weeks, they would feel perfectly comfortable starting Johnson.
The veteran is an intelligent player who makes few mental mistakes. He doesn't move well, and his arm strength is limited, but he makes up for it by making good decisions. He also protects the ball and throws few interceptions, though he's been criticized for throwing too much to his check-down receivers.
Dallas hasn't used its backup quarterback much over the last few seasons, but now the team is good enough that the Cowboys don't want the season ruined because of an injury. Johnson gives them insurance.
It's a policy the Cowboys hope they don't have to cash.
COWBOYS Q&A
Q: There's been nothing in the news about Drew Bledsoe, and I am curious if he will play next year. If so, what opportunities does he have?
TAYLOR: Drew has made it pretty clear that he has no interest in being a backup – and I can't really blame him. The former No. 1 pick overall has been an above-average quarterback for his entire career. Don't forget, the Cowboys averaged about 28 points per game with him as a starter before his lack of mobility and penchant for ill-timed interceptions put him on the bench. If some team loses a starter in training camp, then I can see Bledsoe getting a call to come save the day. Other than that, I think his career is over. And it was a good one.
•••
Q: Flozell Adams, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis and Marc Colombo have all gotten some publicity this off-season, but what about Kyle Kosier? What kind of player is he?
TAYLOR: Kosier had a solid season as the Cowboys' left guard. He struggled in some pass-blocking situations, but was a dependable run-blocker who did a nice job of consistently getting to the second level and getting to linebackers after making his initial block.
•••
Q: Is Marc Colombo really the answer at right tackle? I appreciate his size and street fighter attitude, but isn't he still fairly limited in terms of mobility? Or did he really turn a corner in his comeback this year and it takes a more expert eye to recognize that?
TAYLOR: What you have to understand is that every player on the team isn't going to be great. You have to have some average players, in part, so you can afford to pay your really good players. Colombo is an average player, and there's nothing wrong with that. He plays hard, makes few mental mistakes and will compete to the end of every game. There's something to like about that.
•••
Q: I've haven't watched the Cardinals much, what is the knock on Davis, exactly?
TAYLOR: When you're the second player selected in the draft, people expect you to be great – not good. Davis has been solid, but he hasn't been knocking people on their butt every play. I think he can be an outstanding guard because it maximizes his strengths and hides his weaknesses.
•••
Q: Jerry's projected starting offensive line for 2007 looks awesome. But why not flip-flop Columbo and Davis?
TAYLOR: For one, Colombo has never been a guard. Davis has been a guard-tackle all of his career. Davis is OK at tackle, but like I said, he has the potential to be a much better guard.
•••
Q: What would the Cowboys have to give up to get Lance Briggs from Chicago? Would a draft pick and Marcus Spears be enough?
TAYLOR: I would suspect the Bears would want at least a No.1 pick and maybe a No. 3. Of course, I've been way off this off-season on what I thought it would take to get certain guys. I don't think Dallas would spend the combination of draft picks and money that it would take to get Briggs. He's a special player, and the cost is high to get players of his ilk.
•••
Q: Has everyone forgotten about Kevin Burnett?
TAYLOR: It's time for Burnett to make some plays. He's frustrated with his lack of playing time, but it's up to him to force his way into the lineup. One way to do that is by excelling on special teams, which is what Ryan Fowler did and why Tennessee just paid him $10 million over four years.
•••
Q: It seems to me that the problem at both safety positions the last couple of years has been the lack of quality competition for starting jobs. I'm curious how Roy Williams would handle competition for his job since he's never really had any. Would he get selfish and indignant or would he step up?
TAYLOR: I like your thought process, but let's be serious. When you give a player $12 million, there is no competition for his starting job. This is more about the Cowboys putting Williams in better position to make big plays and finding a true ballhawk – perhaps Florida's Reggie Nelson – to play free safety.
•••
Q: I keep reading about how they are thinking about shifting Anthony Henry to free safety and then drafting or signing a second corner. What do you think?
TAYLOR: Moving Henry to safety isn't going to happen. He has a hard enough time staying healthy at cornerback, which isn't nearly the physical position that safety is. Besides, the Cowboys don't want to use a guy they gave a $10 million signing bonus to at free safety.
•••
Q: What will be the status of Tyson Thompson? Will he go back to special teams or backup tailback?
TAYLOR: He is fully recovered from everything I've heard and will compete for a backup running back job as well as kick returner with Miles Austin. He made really good strides as a kick returner, but Austin seemed to be more natural. It will be a good competition.
•••
Q: Every time I have watched Troy Aikman do a Dallas game on Fox, I am left thinking that he has a burr under his saddle for the Cowboys. He always seems very critical of what they do on the field, good or bad. When commenting on other teams, he rationalizes their shortcomings almost to a fault. What gives?
TAYLOR: I think you're reading too much into his comments. I've always thought he was pretty fair and unbiased. His job, these days, is not to root for the Cowboys. It's to give you an accurate assessment of the game.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:36 PM
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