With Donovan McNabb set to leave the organization and Rex Grossman a free agent, the Washington Redskins do not have a clearcut starter at quarterback. Many analysts pegged them as a team interested in drafting a quarterback, but they completely ignored the position despite having 12 picks.
It’s quite possible that the Redskins didn’t like any of the quarterbacks in the draft class or that they didn’t feel one was worth taking where they were selecting. Cam Newton, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, and Christian Ponder were all gone before they picked in the first round. Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton were off the board when they picked in the second. Whether it was by design or by coincidence, the Redskins did not add an arm.
It’s starting to sound like that was the plan.
Both Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen popped on ESPN Saturday afternoon and reported that the Redskins like John Beck and are preparing to enter the season with him as the starter. Beck is a former second-round pick by the Dolphins who only lasted two seasons in Miami before being released. He was with the Ravens in ’09 and the Skins last year as their third quarterback. The BYU product hasn’t thrown a pass in the league since 2007 and he only has one touchdown and three interceptions in his career.
According to Schefter, the Skins are big believers in Beck and feel he gives them a better chance to win than any other quarterback in the draft. Try to contain your laughter, but let me remind you that Schefter is generally nails when it comes to information on the Skins. He’s tight with Mike Shanahan, so you can believe what he’s reporting is for real.
My inclination is to think the Redskins are crazy, but if there’s anyone who can maximize a quarterback’s talents it’s Mike Shanahan. He turned Jake Plummer and Brian Griese into Pro Bowlers. Maybe it’s not a stretch to think he can make the former second-round pick halfway decent.
