Tuesday, September 15, 1998

Cowboys banking on backup Jason Garrett

By Jean-Jacques Taylor

The Dallas Morning News

(KRT)

IRVING There are two approaches to backup quarterbacks in the NFL: spend money for a former starter or save money with a less-experienced player.

The Cowboys have used both approaches.

In the past, owner Jerry Jones has signed former NFL starters such as Bernie Kosar, Rodney Peete and Wade Wilson to back up quarterback Troy Aikman.

This season, Jones went with six-year veteran Jason Garrett, who will make his third career start Monday night against the New York Giants.

"Finances had nothing to do with it," vice president Stephen Jones said. "We could go buy another $2 million quarterback like the Bengals. But most of the premier teams have a guy like Jason or a veteran who costs the minimum. We liked Jason more than any other guys out there."

Among the 12 teams that made the playoffs last season, eight employ backups who have been full-time starters in the NFL before.

But with the Cowboys pressed so snugly against the NFL's $54.2 million salary cap, they can't spend $1 million on a high-priced insurance policy without restructuring several contracts.

Garrett counts $300,000 against the Cowboys' $54.2 million salary cap. Besides, Dallas spent five seasons grooming him for the job.

Garrett earned it with his practice performances and a conscientious approach to his role. Last season, former offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese, who now has the same job with New England, told Jerry Jones that Garrett was ready to move up.

When Dallas hired Chan Gailey in February, he held the same opinion.

"You know he's going to give you a complete, consistent, intelligent performance," Zampese said of Garrett. "He knows what he wants to do within the game plan on every play. He knows where everybody is and where he wants to go with the ball."

The Cowboys are counting on that.

(c) 1998, The Dallas Morning News.

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