OT: Speak of the Devil

[la73hof]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/column...len&id=1866094

Monday, August 23, 2004


By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

Free-agent quarterback Quincy Carter, released by the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 4 after allegedly testing positive in violation of the NFL substance abuse policy, flew to New York on Monday night and will meet Tuesday with Jets officials, ESPN.com has learned.




League sources said that, if the session goes well, Carter might fairly quickly sign a one-year contract to serve as a backup to Chad Pennington. Several teams have inquired about Carter but most had opted to wait for a resolution of his proceeding in front of a special master, in which the NFL Players Association has charged the Cowboys violated statutes of the collective bargaining agreement in releasing him.


The CBA stipulates that a player cannot be released solely for violating the substance abuse policy. Dallas officials have insisted they were well within their rights to cut the player who has been their starting quarterback the past three seasons.


New York apparently was more aggressive than other teams interested in Carter, in part because it has no experienced depth at the backup spots. Carter has not been suspended by the league and is free to sign with any team.


The projected primary backup to Pennington, second-year veteran Brooks Bollinger, is sidelined by a sprained knee. The No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart is former CFL star Ricky Ray, who is in his first NFL training camp.


Basically, the aim of Carter is to get back into a structured football environment, maybe get some snaps this season, and then go back into the free agent market next spring as an unrestricted player.


Carter, 26, was the Cowboys' second-round pick in the 2001 draft. In three years, Carter started 31 games and completed 507 of 902 passes, for 5,839 yards, with 29 touchdown passes and 36 interceptions.




Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.