qb review

[citigent]

this is off of reskins.com

Roster Review: Quarterbacks

01/28/2004

By Gary Fitzgerald

Redskins.com

In the first of a series prior to free agency and this April's NFL Draft, Redskins.com takes a look at players on the current roster and how they might fit in with the team next season: Joe Gibbs has won three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks, so he knows how to get the most out of players at that position. He will certainly look to improve a pass offense that finished 21st overall in 2003.

The Redskins currently have three young quarterbacks on the roster in Patrick Ramsey, Tim Hasselbeck and Gibran Hamdan.

Ramsey showed marked improvement in 2003, starting 11 games and completing 179-of-337 passes for 2,166 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions for a 76.4 QB rating. He started off the season with a bang, leading the Redskins to a promising 3-1 record in September.

In Week 2 at Atlanta, Ramsey set career highs in completions and passing yards, going 25-of-39 for 348 and two touchdowns. A week later, he became the first Redskins quarterback since Mark Rypien to record back-to-back 300-yard passing games when he was 23-of-45 for 348 yards and two touchdowns in an overtime game against the Giants.

Ramsey’s season was cut short with a bone bruise in his right foot—and he admitted after surgery in December that there were times during the season that he had to compensate for the injury as he planted his foot and threw the ball.

In just a few weeks of watching game film, Gibbs has come away impressed with Ramsey’s throwing arm and toughness. Ramsey himself says he is eager to get the learning process underway as he rehabs his foot injury.

Hasselbeck was a remarkable story midway through the season. He signed with the Redskins on Oct. 22 and in five short weeks had ascended to the starting job when Ramsey was injured.

Despite having never thrown a NFL regular-season pass, Hasselbeck started the Redskins’ final five games. He completed 95-of-177 passes for 1,012 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Late in the season, Hasselbeck seemed to be growing into the position. In the Week 16 game at Chicago, he was 16-of-25 for 209 yards and two touchdown passes, both to Laveranues Coles. He nearly caught a touchdown pass himself on a lateral play, but officials ruled it incomplete.

Hamdan, the Redskins’ seventh-round draft pick last year, spent the bulk of the season on the practice squad. He was signed to the active roster in late November when Ramsey was injured. He backed up Hasselbeck for four games.

In the Redskins’ 31-7 season-ending loss to Philadelphia, Hamdan managed to get in the game late in the fourth quarter. He was 1-of-2 for seven yards in brief playing time.

Hamdan is expected to be among the Redskins assigned to NFL Europe this spring.

In the Final Analysis:

The Redskins have plenty of youth and potential at the quarterback position, but not a great deal of experience, at least compared to some other NFL teams. Ramsey has started 16 games in his two-year pro career and there’s only one way for a quarterback of his caliber to gain experience—and that’s by playing.

Ramsey knows there are no guarantees with a new coaching staff in place. He knows he’ll have to adapt to the new offense this offseason and impress coaches in spring mini-camps and quarterback clinics.

Gibbs has always preferred to have a veteran quarterback as a backup on the roster, so it’s possible that the Redskins could seek to sign a free agent for added experience at the position.

Whether the Redskins sign a veteran QB or not, Hasselbeck knows he’ll have to prove himself to the new coaching staff, too. That's nothing new for the second-year player; he's had to prove himself to new coaches each year he's been in the NFL.

Meantime, Hamdan will look to hone his skills in NFL Europe and then compete for a roster spot in training camp.

[Mo. Redskins22]

I like our QB situation for the most part, I would keep Ramsey as the starter bring in a veteran for the backup but only one that will not cost us a huge amount of money and one that knows that he is the backup and that is it. Make sure when he comes in that you beat that in his head so he doesn't make a stink into the season. I seen in some other articles that Gibbs will keep 3 QB so I would say if we are going to keep a 3rd QB we need one we can put on the practice team and keep Gardner around at the #2 WR instead of trading him and use him as the 3rd QB for a week if it comes down to it, so all that say we need to trade Gardner I think he needs to stay to free up one spot for another position.