John Beck is emerging as the top choice.
With Rex Grossman unable to practice until Thursday, Beck has had nearly a week head start to prove that Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan is right. Every good throw kept Beck as the projected starting quarterback. It was a solid six days.
Welcome to the Beck-oning. Hopefully, it won’t be a reckoning.
“That’s the mindset. I really feel it’s just me,” Beck said. “I know I have to believe, and I firmly believe. I’ve been working really hard these last few years. Really my whole life. This has been my goal since I was a little kid. Those same dreams I had as a little kid I have now.”
With his own three young children nearby donning Redskins jerseys, Beck is maturing from a virtual unknown to a potential starter. Maybe it’s an open competition, but it’s smarter for Beck to begin the season rather than Grossman. If Beck fails, at least Grossman has the experience to counter a losing streak. But if Grossman fails first, Beck has no resume to turn around a team.
Grossman is a journeyman capable of good days but also capable of producing many crummy ones. His three starts last season were progressively worse. Beck, meanwhile, is getting a fresh start. He has not made an appearance since he played five games in 2007 for the 1-15 Miami Dolphins.
“I’m really fortunate to have an opportunity,” Beck said. “In this league, you sometimes only get one shot, and it may be a bad situation. I was there. I know exactly how it feels. I’ve been lucky to have a coach who says, ‘Let’s see what you can do right now.’?”
Shanahan and his son and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan obviously like Beck’s ability to be coached. Unlike Donovan McNabb, who as a 12-year veteran didn’t want to change into Team Shanahan’s robopasser last season, Beck has no problem working on his footwork and tempo. Kyle Shanahan joked of finally telling Beck to leave him alone.
That’s why Beck is the new favorite.
Ironically, a Redskins fan base that always loves the next quarterback has been a little reserved on this quarterback competition. It seems to want neither. Beck is the underdog, though. He should get the nod from fans rooting for a long shot who hasn’t thrown a regular-season pass in nearly four years. Indeed, having only two or three quarterbacks in camp instead of the usual four left Beck with a sore arm.
Not that it showed the past two days. Beck is steadily improving. On Wednesday, he completed a handful of deep balls but more importantly beat defenders on short passes by threading coverage. Those are the balls that will decide whether Beck starts.
Still, practice with a friendly pass rush means nothing. Beck must seal the job when he faces the defenses of Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Baltimore in coming weeks.
“This league’s crazy,” he said. “You never know what will happen.”
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
