Jerry Jones wants Anthony Miller back next year

By Jean-Jacques Taylor / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS -- Owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday he'd like to have receiver Anthony Miller, who will be a free agent after the season, on the Cowboys' roster next season.

Miller voided his two-year contract by catching more touchdown passes this season than he did in 1996.

Miller has caught 41 passes for 596 yards and four touchdowns this season, but he has not consistently given the Cowboys the downfield threat they envisioned when he was signed as a free agent in June.

"Anthony Miller did some good things this season and I think he can help us in the future," Jones said. "He's a good, tough receiver and I've seen him do some things, such as go across the middle, in the last game that people said he couldn't do. He has speed and experience and he can help us."

Miller has not had a 100-yard game this season, and has only five catches of more than 25 yards this season. He has, however, improved in the last seven games, catching 24 passes for a 16.4 average.

"I came here knowing that I wasn't going to get that many opportunities to catch passes, so you can't compare this year to other years I've had," Miller said. "You have to have a good running game to open up opportunities to pass the ball, and we haven't had a good running game all season."

Coach Barry Switzer said he thinks Miller has had a good season, despite dropping too many passes.

Since Michael Irvin became a dominant receiver in 1990, the Cowboys have never had a No. 2 receiver with as many catches as Miller. The Cowboys' offense also revolves around the tight end, so Switzer said there aren't a lot of opportunities for the second receiver to make an impact. The Cowboys' tight ends have caught 63 passes for 558 yards and two touchdowns.

"I think Anthony Miller can be a good player in this system," Switzer said. "We missed him on some deep balls this year, but Anthony Miller can do a good job for us. He has made some plays." Miller said he'd like to return to the Cowboys next season. But he also understands the business of the NFL.

"If I stop playing today, then I've had a successful career," he said. "The one thing that would bother me is that I didn't play in a Super Bowl. That's the main reason I came here. I thought this was going to be my best opportunity."

(c) 1997, The Dallas Morning News.

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