Shortly after his rookie season ended — one that included no snaps and lots of clipboard duty — his Hall-of-Fame coach delivered a message. Joe Gibbs says he was joking. And Jason Campbell smiled when he heard the words.
Besides, they were words Campbell wanted to hear.
“OK, you’ve had your year on the sidelines,” Gibbs told him. “Now you have to go to work.”
Gibbs, launching into his high-pitched laugh, tacked on something about Campbell now earning his money.
Again, that’s fine with the second-year quarterback, who feels the same way. The 2005 first-round pick did not come to the NFL to sit.
And wait.
And wait.
“You’re a competitor; it’s not easy,” Campbell said. “Deep down inside you’d like to compete and I hate when people question, ‘Why aren’t you playing.’ I have no control over those situations. Mark [Brunell] is the guy who took us to the playoffs, so he rightfully comes back and starts this season.
“At my position, you have to be patient. People think just because you’re a first rounder, that the guys there before you should be moved aside. That’s not the case.”
But Campbell knows this summer will be different. Gibbs has said Campbell will receive the bulk of the playing time this summer.
He played well at times last year, displaying the strong arm and poise the coaches love. He also played like a rookie, hesitating with decisions, leading to interceptions or near-disasters.
Campbell has received extra solo sessions with the coaches this spring. They’ve focused on his dropbacks and quick deliveries, a crucial part of new offensive coordinator Al Saunders’ offense. Campbell has quizzed fellow quarterback Todd Collins — who came from Kansas City along with Saunders — about the playbook and learned from sitting in the meetings last season.
“Jason has had a full year, which is great,” Gibbs said. “Now it’s really stepped up. Now he’s very much in the plans. He knew last year he wasn’t going to play. This year he knows it’s different.”
One NFL source said the word on Campbell before he was drafted was that it would take him a couple years to learn an NFL offense. So he came to the right place, where he had a coach who could let him grow slowly.
“This preseason will tell a lot for me,” Campbell said. “How well I do and how comfortable I feel there will dictate what happens in the future. It’s been a long time since I’ve played in a game. It’s tough to watch, but it can also be helpful.”
The learning curve
» Campbell was the 25th overall pick in 2005.
» When Campbell left Redskins Park one day last week, he carried with him a four-inch thick playbook courtesy of new offensive coordinator Al Saunders.
» Todd Collins was signed as a free agent to be the No. 2 quarterback. But he may be more of an insurance policy if Campbell isn’t ready rather than starter Mark Brunell’s backup.
