IRVING, Texas -- Brad Johnson signed a contract Monday night
with the Dallas Cowboys, who wanted a veteran quarterback to team
up with Tony Romo.
Johnson's agent, Phil Williams, said the quarterback got a
three-year contract. Williams wouldn't discuss financial details of
the deal.
Dallas officials said they didn't plan an announcement Monday
night regarding Johnson and didn't confirm the signing. On their
Web site, the Cowboys reported they were "close to adding"
Johnson to the roster.
The 38-year-old Johnson became an unrestricted free agent last
week when the Minnesota Vikings, in a long-expected move, released
the 15-season veteran. Johnson won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay
after the 2002 season.
Romo replaced Drew Bledsoe as the Cowboys' starter in the
seventh game last season and earned a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl
team. Dallas made the playoffs as a wild-card team, but lost in the
first round of the playoffs at Seattle after Romo's botched hold on
a short field goal attempt in the closing seconds.
The Cowboys last week released Bledsoe, the first overall pick
in the 1993 draft by New England. Bledsoe, due a $1 million roster
bonus, would have made $4.5 million next season. He said he wasn't
interested in being a backup.
Minnesota coach Brad Childress indicated at the end of last
season that Johnson would be welcomed back in a mentoring role. But
Johnson -- who has a fierce competitive drive that belies his
easygoing demeanor -- said he still believes he can be a starter.
The Cowboys want Johnson to be a mentor to Romo, who didn't take
a snap in his first 3½ seasons before taking over midway through
last season.
When Williams was asked what Johnson's role in Dallas would be,
he responded, "He just signed the contract" and wouldn't
elaborate.
Johnson started the first 14 games last year for the Vikings
before rookie Tarvaris Jackson was the starter the final two of a
6-10 season. Johnson has started 122 of his 145 career games with
Minnesota (1993-98, 2005-06), Washington (1999-2000) and Tampa Bay
(2001-04).
"I'm sure they are going to get a good guy in there," Romo
said earlier Monday when asked about Johnson's visit and the search
for another quarterback. "You need two quarterbacks in this league
these days."
Johnson has completed 2,620 of 4,237 career passes (61.8
percent) for 28,548 yards with 164 touchdowns and 117
interceptions. He passed for 2,750 yards last season with nine TDs
and 15 interceptions -- only the third time in his career with more
interceptions than TDs.
A ninth-round draft pick by Minnesota in 1992 out of Florida
State, Johnson revived his career when he returned to the Vikings
in 2005. He took over as the starter following a season-ending knee
injury to Daunte Culpepper, and led the Vikings to a 7-2 record
before they just missed the playoffs at 9-7.
After replacing Bledsoe this season, Romo started 5-1 but
finished 1-4. The only other quarterback on the Dallas roster is
Matt Baker, signed as an undrafted rookie free agent out of North
Carolina last year.
The Cowboys on Monday completed a seven-year contract worth
nearly $50 million for free agent offensive lineman Leonard Davis,
the former No. 2 overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals six years
ago. The team also re-signed kicker Martin Gramatica, who came to
Dallas after Mike Vanderjagt was released in November, to a
two-year deal. Gramatica also played with Johnson in Tampa Bay when
the Bucs won the Super Bowl.