Jim Zorn has announced that Todd Collins is officially the Redskins backup quarterback for the season. Not only that, but he described the #3 spot as an open competition between Colt Brennan and Chase Daniel, and went on to praise Daniel's performance in Saturday's preseason game:"He had a very productive game. He did a lot of good things. He had a big scramble for a first down and showed he could move around out of the pocket. He was accurate with most of his throws. He knew what to do and I think he'll continue to improve. So, yeah, he helped himself, and there's a real battle going on right there."
Brennan's shaky performance in each of the first two games has clearly disturbed Zorn. Daniel, who initially was thought to only have a chance to make the roster if Colt beat out Collins, very suddenly looks like he's in a position to put up a fight for a job.
And while I have nothing at all against Colt Brennan, I'm rooting for Chase Daniel. When Colt played will last year it always appeared that he was improvising and getting away with things. This indicates that he has enough natural talent to be worth keeping around, but does not prove he can develop into a reliable NFL quarterback. Daniel, to my untrained eye, looked like he was running the offense. In Fred Davis' words, "It's like he knew what he was doing." Combine that with the athleticism he displayed and I already have an easier time picturing him stepping onto the field during the regular season. And yes, I am fully aware that it was one preseason game and Daniel is very likely to disappoint me against New England before quietly fading into football oblivion. But my interest has been peaked.
And for the record, Tandler called it weeks ago.
Whichever QB loses the #3 slot will likely go onto the practice squad, right? So they could still be around...
ReplyDeleteMaybe. A player can turn down practice squad assignments (Like Marcus Mason did last year). Given that Colt is, to put it mildly, confident in his ability to succeed at the NFL level, I wouldn't be surprised if he decided he had a better chance elsewhere rather than accept a demotion. Also, practice squad players are free to sign on to another team's active roster at any time. Daniel, on the other hand, might figure he's better off sticking with a coach who he knows has already noticed him and hope that Collins gets squeezed out next year.
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