NFL.com: Beck stepping up into starter's role

[Thinking Skins]

Not to be an ass, but for all you folks who say "John Beck has talent/potential, let's give him a shot!" I'm just wondering what the hell you guys are thinking?

What has he ever done at this level that makes you think he will just magically start producing? He doesn't throw a good ball... I can't help but think when your receivers drop a TON of your passes that you just don't have the right touch.

He looks "jumpy" to me... the poise isn't there and he will get swallowed behind our o-line. You can also hear it in his voice, there is nothing calming or confident about the way he speaks.

This guy is not a punter or a placeholder, he's trying to play QB in the NFL... You don't just "throw" a guy out there when he's at best a career backup. There are much better options in the free agent market including (I can't believe I'm going to say this) Rex Grossman.

We need somebody to take snaps at QB. This guy is an NFL caliber player who hasn't gotten a chance to play in 3 seasons, kinda reminds me of Todd Collins. Doesn't mean he can't play it just means he hasn't. If he's a bum then so be it. But we're a team thats had the likes of Heath Shuler, Gus Ferrotte, Tony Banks, Shane Matthews, Danny Wuerfell, Patrick Ramsey, etc at QB. Lets not act like starting a bum at QB is anything new for this team. If Grossman's better than him, then we should sign them both and let the two compete. But this guy was a second round draft pick, so lets not act like he has no talent or that nobody thought highly of him. He's not some bum off the street that we hired and gave the keys to the car.

I'm all about realizing that this team is rebuilding, and part of that is letting the younger players get an opportunity to compete. Given he's not that young (age-wise), but we (the fans at least) still don't know what we have in him. He could be another Trent Green, or he could be another Colt Brennan. Heck, he could even be a Gus Ferrotte. I don't really care. I just want to see us commit towards rebuilding for once.

---------- Post added May-12th-2011 at 07:23 PM ----------

Again... Another Schaub comparison. Why? Forget the meaningless stats. People in the league knew Schaub had skills and praised the trade for him. Beck was handed to us like thrift store clothing. Joe Gibbs said he saw something in Campbell.How did that work out? He had a better rep for finding QB gems than shanny. Shanny brought in McNabb in the biggest fail ever and people stand by his words like its gospel. Shanny will have to gain my trust before I start thinking he has asolid plan. I wish fred agency would start so we could have some answers.If we target any QB as a starter it will put this BS to rest. Beck is a project that you take gamble on cuz its cheap and worth a look. I don't understand why fans are so into tanking the season already. Im sure shanny wants to win now.

Man, the lockout may have been the best blessing the Redskins have ever gotten. For once, they're forced to build the team through the draft and not allowed to go out and lavishly spend money (although they did throw some money at the FS). The last thing we need is another overpriced bum to come in here and lead us to somewhere between 6-10 and 10-6 and have the fan base thinking that "we're back" only to see us get old and fall apart, yet again.

[Backpack3r]

Damn this team is grasping, lmao john beck. Ahh well, rebuilding year

[Hitman21ST]

Great read and if you were impressed with Beck reaching out to rookies and organizing practices then you may fall in love with him after that article. You can question his skill set all you want but you certainly can't question his work ethic and dedication. Unfortunately dedication and hard work doesn't always equal success in the NFL. It’s still hard for me to believe that if Beck showed so much potential in practice that Baltimore would have traded him for next to nothing. But he certainly seems like the type of high character guy with great work ethic that this team is starting to build around so who knows.

It would definitely be a steal of a trade if he turns out to be successful. Beck was coming into Baltimore with little to no chance of there being a true quarterback competition, what with the way Flacco performed. By the time we traded for him, the Ravens had Flacco, Troy Smith (who Flacco replaced as the starter) and Beck on their roster. When you're a free agent coming in, and there's are two quarterbacks already there, both drafted and both having started, you've got no shot, no matter how much potential you may have. He was taking all the "extra" snaps, with the practice squad. I doubt he got any legitimate looks from the coaching staff as to his potential or skill.

[jivelikenice]

Does anyone have video of Beck from last preseason?

[Hitman21ST]

Does anyone have video of Beck from last preseason?

You're not going to like it, because Beck had 10 days to learn the playbook before he took snaps.

[Last Fan Standing]

It would definitely be a steal of a trade if he turns out to be successful. Beck was coming into Baltimore with little to no chance of there being a true quarterback competition, what with the way Flacco performed. By the time we traded for him, the Ravens had Flacco, Troy Smith (who Flacco replaced as the starter) and Beck on their roster. When you're a free agent coming in, and there's are two quarterbacks already there, both drafted and both having started, you've got no shot, no matter how much potential you may have. He was taking all the "extra" snaps, with the practice squad. I doubt he got any legitimate looks from the coaching staff as to his potential or skill.

Fair enough. I recall the trade happened shortly after the Ravens lost Domonique Foxworth for the season so they may have been desperate. The optimist in me wants to believe that Beck has untapped talent that multiple coaches have failed to recognize. But the realist in me believes he'll be a quality back up at best.

[TD Riggo]

lol. Typing with a PS3 controler is no bueno.lol

I have a laptop that has a "normal" keyboard and it misses a lot of characters.

[redskins55]

Beck.... the new Redskins flavor of the month! :doh:

[Last Fan Standing]

Another article about Beck's work ethic.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/nfl/2011/05/byu-coach-beck-will-succeed

[IceBlue33]

If John Beck is our starting QB for Week 1, I will close my ES account and convert to mormonism because whichever God he prays to is the real one.

Where would you like me to send the Book of Mormon to? lol

[Wildbunny]

Fair enough. I recall the trade happened shortly after the Ravens lost Domonique Foxworth for the season so they may have been desperate. The optimist in me wants to believe that Beck has untapped talent that multiple coaches have failed to recognize. But the realist in me believes he'll be a quality back up at best.

And what is a quality back-up by the way?

Obviously that's a guy that can get the job done, move the chains, make the plays and lead the offense. Except if your QB was Brett Favre in Green Bay when he was never hurt.

[Hitman21ST]

And what is a quality back-up by the way?

Obviously that's a guy that can get the job done, move the chains, make the plays and lead the offense. Except if your QB was Brett Favre in Green Bay when he was never hurt.

Or you're wearing a horseshoe on your helmet.

[Rocky21]

If you guys haven't read Jason Reid's piece in the Post yesterday, you should. It is full of Ouch. And I'm afraid, he's right.

John Beck as Redskins’ starting quarterback would be quite a gamble

At first, I dismissed the comments. I figured Washington Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan was just doing his misdirection thing again recently when he intimated inexperienced quarterback John Beck could be the team’s starter next season.

But then people at Redskins Park informed me otherwise. They reminded me how much the Shanahans, Mike and his offensive coordinator son Kyle, believe in Beck, which was part of the reason the Redskins did not draft a quarterback. They told me that although the team hopes to re-sign Rex Grossman, Beck really is the Shanahans’ first option at the game’s most important position. And unlike last year when they were split on acquiring quarterback Donovan McNabb (Kyle was strongly against it), the Shanahans are united behind Beck, who has started just four NFL regular season gamesand none since 2007.

With the Shanahans apparently determined to promote the former third-stringer, one thought comes to mind: For their sake, this had better work.

Mike Shanahan had an awful first year leading the team, which included his disastrous trade for McNabb, and Kyle played a key role in the six-time Pro Bowler feeling betrayed by the organization.

Click the link for the rest.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/if-shanahans-go-all-in-with-beck-theyre-taking-quite-a-gamble/2011/05/12/AF0OSmyG_story.html

[redskins55]

"Bill Parcells had Beck in Miami and released him. Ozzie Newsome traded Beck from Baltimore to Washington for little. Joe Flacco is entrenched as the Ravens’ starter, and Beck was fourth string, but if Beck’s potential was so evident, wouldn’t Newsome have found a way to keep him?"

This is all I'm worried about!!!!

Bill and Ozzie... Two of the most PROVEN football minds in the business didn't think enough of Beck to keep him around. But we're supposed to trust Kyle Shanahan's judgement over theirs? But hey... its their team so they can go any route they want to. But as fans sometimes you just gotta call a spade a spade.

[B.A.M.F.]

If you guys haven't read Jason Reid's piece in the Post yesterday, you should. It is full of Ouch. And I'm afraid, he's right.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/if-shanahans-go-all-in-with-beck-theyre-taking-quite-a-gamble/2011/05/12/AF0OSmyG_story.html

Here's the thing, while he makes some good points, those same points he made would be true of any inexperienced QB. Would it not be the same "gamble" to start a rookie? I do believe some people around here were in favor of drafting and starting a rookie. Beck has had more experience in the league (I know, not starting experience) but with his work ethic and film study I have to believe he has a leg up on any rookie we would have brought in. If he has the skill set you look for, and more knowledge than a rookie, what do you have to lose?

The only consistent knock on Beck I have seen is due to his age. "Oh no! He is going to be 30 at the start of the season!" Relax everyone. He is not a RB, he is a QB who hasn't been getting hit much in the last 3 years. If he pans out he could start for as long as 6 to 10 years. When is the last time we had a starter at QB for more than a couple?

[Last Fan Standing]

And what is a quality back-up by the way?

Obviously that's a guy that can get the job done, move the chains, make the plays and lead the offense. Except if your QB was Brett Favre in Green Bay when he was never hurt.

In my opinion a quality back up is someone who knows your offense inside and out, is a solid game manager who you are confident wont lose you games and may be able to win you some games, but isn't quite good enough to take you to the next level where you're a playoff caliber team and competing for a championship. In my opinion Jason Campbell is a quality back up QB in the NFL not a quality starting QB. Someone who can manage the game well, make smart decisions to keep the game competitive and wont lose you games. But a QB that doesn't have the skill set to go out and win you enough games to compete for a championship.

Maybe Beck does have the ability to do more than just manage games. But if nothing else what I've read regarding his work ethic makes him sound like the type of guy that the coaches would be comfortable plugging into a game knowing he is well prepared and can keep the team competitive. Only time will tell whether he also has the skill set to do more than just manage the team and move the chains but can also take the team on his shoulders and actually win games in the clutch. With a year in this offense and the coaches willing to make this an open competition for the starting job, now will be the time to prove what he can really do. But if another QB comes in cold with a shortened offseason and beats him out for the starting job then I think he is destined to be a career backup.

[scruffylookin]

Reid is a clueless.

Does he really think Beck was plan A?

The mistake Shanahan made was the trade for McNabb in the first place and then sticking with him way too long.

McNabb isn't coming back.

So we have a FA in Rex and Beck. So first thing we do is look at the QBs in the draft. Problem is outside of Locker, maybe, clearly none of them were guys Shanhan(s) felt comfortable in investing the teams future in.

So now we are in fallback mode. Either roll with Rex as a stopgap, give Beck (a guy Shanahan liked best from 2007) a shot or maybe get a cheap reclaimation project in Young. Either way we either get lucky and they perform or, more likely, we are picking early again and the crop of QBs next year are far more appealing to Shanahan(s) than the '11 group.

To suggest that Shanhan is declaring Beck "the guy" and that if Beck fails that somehow Shanahan should be canned is laughable.

[Hooper]

Reid is a clueless.

Does he really think Beck was plan A?

The mistake Shanahan made was the trade for McNabb in the first place and then sticking with him way too long.

McNabb isn't coming back.

So we have a FA in Rex and Beck. So first thing we do is look at the QBs in the draft. Problem is outside of Locker, maybe, clearly none of them were guys Shanhan(s) felt comfortable in investing the teams future in.

So now we are in fallback mode. Either roll with Rex as a stopgap, give Beck (a guy Shanahan liked best from 2007) a shot or maybe get a cheap reclaimation project in Young. Either way we either get lucky and they perform or, more likely, we are picking early again and the crop of QBs next year are far more appealing to Shanahan(s) than the '11 group.

To suggest that Shanhan is declaring Beck "the guy" and that if Beck fails that somehow Shanahan should be canned is laughable.

Wonderful post. Reid is almost as terrible and biased as JLC. I mean, we're talking about a guy who has acted as Fletcher Smith's mouthpiece from day one.

[prsnljournalst3]

I got faith in beck, dude could be the next glenn beck if he wanted to

[Conn]

Damn this team is grasping, lmao john beck. Ahh well, rebuilding year

Its posts like this that really add to the conversation. :doh:

[terpskins10]

I got faith in beck, dude could be the next glenn beck if he wanted to

:puke:

[Conn]

Great stuff from the article posted on the last page:

“He has always been tough, he is extremely bright and coming out of college, we just thought he was extremely accurate, and that is still true to this day,” Cameron said. “Just like most guys, it takes time to develop. There is no doubt he has starting NFL ability.”

Last season, while he was learning offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s playbook, Beck spent every Tuesday – usually NFL players’ off day – breaking down game film on his own and throwing to practice squad receivers.

When the Redskins convened last month for a voluntary two-day workout organized by the players, Beck flew from San Diego to take part. Rex Grossman, who is a free agent after he started the last three games of 2010, was there as well.

When the NFL announced on April 28 that it would comply with Judge Susan Richard Nelson’s ruling to lift the lockout, Beck took the first flight out of San Diego so he could spend time with Kyle Shanahan the next day.

“Every decision I made, I felt it was the best decision to take me in the direction I was trying to go,” Beck said. “I was trying to put myself in position to battle for a starting job.”

Beck spent only a few hours with his offensive coordinator. After going over some film, they were breaking down plays when Mike Shanahan walked in and announced that an appeals court had granted the NFL permission to reimpose the lockout, meaning Beck would have to leave.

[Truant]

"Bill Parcells had Beck in Miami and released him. Ozzie Newsome traded Beck from Baltimore to Washington for little. Joe Flacco is entrenched as the Ravens’ starter, and Beck was fourth string, but if Beck’s potential was so evident, wouldn’t Newsome have found a way to keep him?"

This is all I'm worried about!!!!

Bill and Ozzie... Two of the most PROVEN football minds in the business didn't think enough of Beck to keep him around. But we're supposed to trust Kyle Shanahan's judgement over theirs? But hey... its their team so they can go any route they want to. But as fans sometimes you just gotta call a spade a spade.

Let's stop this one right here. John Beck ASKED for his release. Reid is a terrible journalist.

“So when the season ended, I went in and asked for a release. I kind of saw the writing on the wall. I don’t want to be the backup. That’s not why I play the game. I’m not the type of person who can be happy getting a paycheck and not playing. I want to be the guy playing, and I went and asked for a release, and me and Bill got into it a little bit there. So at this point, I’m not the biggest Tuna fan.”

[Elbaryn]

I don't know what it is with the Post but maybe they should be like the times and shutter the doors on their sports section. All they do is complain about EVERYTHING, no team in this town can do anything right no matter what they do. Redskins do good in the draft: Oh no they didn't get a quarterback, Nationals get Jason Werth: too much money. I mean WTF do they want?

[mossomo]

I mean WTF do they want?

Wins, titles and championships