Dallas Cowboys cut quarterback Quincy Carter

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) _ Quincy Carter was cut by the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, leaving the team with 40-year-old Vinny Testaverde as the starting quarterback. <br/><br/>``We made a decision to move in

Wednesday, August 4th 2004, 12:37 pm

By: News On 6

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) _ Quincy Carter was cut by the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, leaving the team with 40-year-old Vinny Testaverde as the starting quarterback.

``We made a decision to move in a different direction,'' owner Jerry Jones said at a news conference. ``This on my part was not a difficult decision at all, though it is very disappointing, very disappointing.''

The third-year player, who started all 16 games last season, came to camp expecting to be the team's No. 1 QB.

I'm saddened by this turn of events, I really am,'' coach Bill Parcells said. ``I just couldn't keep him in the plans.''

Jones and Parcells declined to give specifics on why the move was made.

``I'm not going to get into a definition of what it was about,'' Jones said.

Carter's agent, Eugene Parker, did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

After practice, Parcells gave the players some sort of explanation about Carter's departure, but players declined to comment on the discussion.

``I think I probably speak for all the guys of how disappointed we are that Quincy is no longer going to be part of this team,'' Testaverde said. ``But at the same time we know we have to look forward to getting things down and go out and win games.''

Testaverde said Carter stopped by camp Wednesday morning and told him and several other players goodbye. Testaverde said he didn't know why Carter was cut and didn't want to speculate.

``We're shocked, just like everybody else,'' safety Roy Williams said. ``We're mind-boggled like everyone else is.''

The Cowboys drafted Carter in the second round out of Georgia in 2001. He was picked as the starter to replace Troy Aikman during his first training camp, but he struggled and only started the first eight games. He went 3-5, completing 90 of 176 passes for 1,072 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The next season, he was the starter out of camp again, leading Dallas to a 3-4 record before losing the job to Chad Hutchinson.

Last season, the Cowboys went 10-6 with Carter starting and returned to the playoffs in Parcells' first year in Dallas. Carter threw for 3,302 yards, but had 21 interceptions and 17 touchdowns. He was intercepted at least twice in a game six times.

Wednesday's surprising move leaves three quarterbacks in camp for the Cowboys: Testaverde, who is reuniting with Parcells; Drew Henson, an NFL rookie after trying to play major league baseball; and unproven second-year player Tony Romo.

Dallas opens the regular season at the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 12.