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Thursday, March 13, 1997

Barry Switzer says Troy Aikman will evaluate draftees

By Rick Gosselin

The Dallas Morning News

(KRT)

PALM DESERT, Calif. - Cowboys' Coach Barry Switzer, free of club owner Jerry Jones' gag order for a day, revealed Wednesday that Troy Aikman's Pro Bowl right arm could become a part of the club's personnel department this off-season.

Switzer spoke at the coaches-media breakfast at the NFL's annual spring meeting and offered comments and opinions on a variety of topics. But the most intriguing was the club's invitation to Aikman to help hand-pick his supporting cast.

Age, injuries and free agency are costing Aikman his weapons on offense. A back injury forced Pro Bowl tight end Jay Novacek to miss the 1996 season, and fullback Daryl Johnston and wide receiver Kevin Williams are both free agents this off-season. So there could be a major retooling on offense this spring.

"Troy needs help," Switzer said. "He needs receivers, tight ends ... a supporting cast. We've talked to him about going around and working out receivers and tight ends, actually throwing to them. He'd like to do that. The fact that we would ask him to be a part of that selection process is so important. He needs to be a part of it."

That could mean appearances by Aikman on college campuses from Bethune-Cookman to Northern Iowa, James Madison to Wyoming.

"The key is making the right decision on the third- and fourth-round picks like San Francisco did last year with that kid from Tennessee-Chattanooga (Owens in the third round)," Switzer said. "We want Troy to be a part of this. A lot of guys don't want to work out for you - but they would if they knew Aikman was coming in to throw to them."

That also would give Aikman a feel for their pass-catching skills. He would know the strengths and weaknesses of a receiver before the Cowboys ever drafted him. His input in the evaluation process would be encouraged and expected.

Switzer hasn't spoken publicly since Jones imposed a gag order on club employees in late January, designating himself as the Cowboys' lone spokesman. But the coach had plenty to say when Jones gave him the go-ahead to answer questions Wednesday.

Here's a stockpile of off-season developments and Switzer's responses.

- DEVELOPMENT: Deion Sanders signs with the Cincinnati Reds, making him a part-time player once again for the Cowboys.

SWITZER: I guess I have an empathy for an athlete trying to accomplish what Deion wants to do. He's got a very short time frame. The window is closing on the guy, and he has the ability to play both. Because of that, he captures the market place - endorsements, advertisements, image. He's the only one out there doing it. He can hit a home run on Saturday and run a punt back on Sunday. I'd rather him be with us all the time, but the guy's doing what he has the right to do.

X X X

- DEVELOPMENT: Emmitt Smith has off-season surgery to remove six bone spurs from his ankle.

SWITZER: Emmitt wasn't Emmitt last year. After he had the operation, the doctor told us he don't know how he played (in 1996). He played with constant pain. Physically, when your ankles or knees aren't 100 percent, you can't stop, start and accelerate. You're not the same type of player. Now he can be the player he was (in 1995). Emmitt thinks that. We all think that.

X X X

- DEVELOPMENT: Johnston's potential departure in free agency.

SWITZER: That concerns me because that's a hard position to fill. If we lose him ... fullback is really a mental position, movement position, formation position. Not many guys accept a role that you have to go lead block 30 times in a game. He's a dinosaur. There aren't but three or four guys in the league that can do that. (Arizona's Pro Bowl fullback Larry) Centers isn't a fullback. There just aren't many of those guys around. He's so valuable to us. He's just a hard guy to find. I don't think we can replace D.J.

X X X

- DEVELOPMENT: Punter John Jett's departure in free agency to Detroit and the potiential departure of placekicker Chris Boniol, who signed a $2.45 million offer sheet from the Philadelphia Eagles.

SWITZER: We have a different philosophy than a lot of people. We have a kicking coach (Steve Hoffman). Not many staffs have kicking coaches. You pay him $100,000, and he's going to find two guys you can bring in that are going to make the $130,000 minimum. Every three years he's going to do it again. I don't want to lose Chris. He's a great kid. But that ($2.45 million) is more than our coach and two kickers (are making). That's more than our philosophy.

X X X

- DEVELOPMENT: There's been little progress reported in the back problems of Novacek and defensive end Charles Haley, who also missed the majority of 1995.

SWITZER: I think Jay's career is probably over. I don't even think about him in our game plan today. I don't think about Haley in our game plan today. We're talking about all-pro players. Their careers are over because they're injured. I'd be amazed and thrilled to death if they could (come back). But we've gone ahead in our planning that they're not going to be there.

Switzer also said the Cowboys may practice with the St. Louis Rams in Austin this summer, either before or after the two teams play an exhibition game at Texas Stadium on Aug. 15. That game will be telecast nationally on Fox.

Also, the Cowboys' pre-season game with the Raiders on Aug. 3 will be telecast nationally by TNT.

(c) 1997, The Dallas Morning News.

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