ORLANDO. Fla. – The NFL teams that have asked the Detroit Lions for permission to speak with outgoing quarterback Joey Harrington is a growing fraternity. The Cowboys are now members.
Lions general manager Matt Millen on Tuesday granted the Cowboys permission – the seventh team that has expressed an interest in Harrington, who spent the last four years as Detroit's primary starter.
The Cowboys join Cincinnati, Denver, Kansas City, Miami, Oakland and Seattle as teams with permission to speak with Harrington. He visited with the Dolphins on Tuesday and has a visit scheduled with the Bengals today.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said his pro personnel staff has studied Harrington, but "I haven't talked to Bill [Parcells] about it at all."
Harrington, the third overall pick of the 2002 draft, has two years left on his contract, but the Lions have given him permission to seek a trade. He is scheduled to earn $4.45 million in base salary in both 2006 and '07. He's also is scheduled to receive a $4 million roster bonus June 15.
Harrington has compiled an 18-37 career record as a starter. He was 4-7 with the Lions in 2005, passing for 2,021 yards with 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. But fell out of favor this month with new coach Rod Marinelli.
"I think it would be a good match for him," Millen said. "I really don't want to send him down to Dallas, but I want to get the best deal for us. I think Parcells would be really good for him."
The Cowboys have Drew Bledsoe at quarterback with two inexperienced backups in Drew Henson and Tony Romo.
FILE 2004/Staff photo
Joey Harrington, the No. 3 pick in the 2002 draft, is 18-37 as an NFL starting quarterback.
"We've got to keep our options open," Jones said.
Preseason opponents set: The Cowboys know their opponents for the preseason, just not the dates. They will visit Seattle in the opener, then play New Orleans in Shreveport, La., on national television Monday, Aug. 21. The Cowboys will finish the preseason home games with back-to-back home games against San Francisco and Minnesota. The full preseason schedule will be announced today at the NFL spring meetings.
E-mail rgosselin@dallasnews.com
