DALLAS--The Dallas Cowboys scored big in the free agent market last week when they signed former Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe. The team announced the signing on Thursday and said they were thrilled to have 1996’s top QB on their team.

“This is a great day for our organization,” said owner Jerry Jones. “We all know Drew Bledsoe as the man who had 27 touchdown passes in 1996 and threw for a whopping 4,086 yards. He led his team to the Super Bowl with his amazing accuracy and powerful arm. Now he is a member of the Dallas Cowboys and we couldn’t be happier with the way things have turned out. I guess it was a blessing in disguise that Phil Simms wasn’t available.”

The Cowboys are Bledsoe’s third team since he was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1993. He also had a stint in Buffalo after being traded there in 2001, but he enjoyed his greatest success in New England under head coach Bill Parcells.

“Drew and Bill have a great working relationship,” continued Jones. “When Bledsoe was a young quarterback, Parcells took him under his wing and guided him to greatness by relentlessly tormenting and belittling him. Then they reached the Super Bowl and got routed by the Packers. Then Bill left the team abruptly. So you see, there’s a wonderful history there.”

After experimenting with 41-year-old Vinny Testaverde as his starting quarterback last year, Parcells is excited about the prospect of going with the youthful, 33-year-old Bledsoe. He’s been monitoring Bledsoe’s career over the years, and has always been impressed by his consistency and professionalism.

“When I coached Drew in New England, he was very young, very immature,” said Parcells. “I had to spend a lot of time babying him and holding his hand. Now I can see that he has grown up a lot and no longer needs that kind of coddling. He had some bad luck in New England after I left, and his stint in Buffalo wasn’t that great, but I blame the system and the coaches for those problems. Drew is blameless. Once he gets back with me he will magically revert back to his 23-year-old self, just like his old teammate, Terry Glenn, who signed with this team and then promptly disappeared forever.”

In a press conference to announce the signing, Bledsoe said that he looked forward to reuniting with Coach Parcells, and that he was excited to be part of an offense with so many weapons. He specifically mentioned Keyshawn Johnson, who, he pointed out, was one of 1998’s best receivers.

“You’re talking about a guy who in 1998 was considered one of the elite receivers in the game,” Bledsoe told reporters. “He had over 1,100 yards passing and 10 touchdown catches. And who was his coach back then? That’s right, you guessed it: Bill Parcells. Yea, I know he was his coach last year, too, when he only had 6 touchdowns, but that was before I showed up. Things are going to change now. I don’t care if he’s blanketed by 3 defenders, I’m still going to fling lots of ill-advised passes in his general direction.”

The Cowboys will most likely be Parcells' final coaching job, and he and Jerry Jones are making a push to win now instead of rebuild for the future. That’s why young prospect Drew Henson continues to sit on the bench rather than be asked to carry the team. For his part, Henson is happy to see Bledsoe join the team and looks forward to replacing him midway through this season.

“Drew can be somewhat of a mentor to me,” Henson said. “I know I have a lot to learn and he has a lot to teach. Plus, the guy has a track record of being replaced by young quarterbacks. He might start off the season good, but eventually the offense will get bogged down and Parcells will be forced to go with me, a backup quarterback from the University of Michigan. Sound familiar?”

Henson may be the quarterback of the future but the quarterback of today is Drew Bledsoe, and the Cowboys love their chances despite his advanced age.

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