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Drawing the battle lines

Many quarterbacks face intriguing camp

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After filling in admirably for an injured Jeff Blake, Aaron Brooks will fight for the Saints' starting spot. Tom Hauck/Allsport

By Bob Harris, Special to CNNSI.com

The first of a five-part series previewing this year's major training camp battles -- whether they are traditional or less than traditional -- from a Fantasy perspective. This week: Quarterbacks. Next up: Running Backs.

Arizona Cardinals: Jake Plummer vs. Joe Montana

In light of those totals and the 9-23 record Arizona has posted the last two years, Cardinal head coach Dave McGinnis has gone to great lengths to help the former Arizona State star pull out of his two-year nosedive. Because of his efforts, the Cardinals head into camp this summer with a new offensive coordinator, Rich Olson, who is installing a quarterback-friendly, run-oriented attack that features low-risk, high-percentage passing opportunities. Geep Chryst, who served as Plummer's position coach in 1998, is returning to that post after two seasons as offensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers. Plus, the Cardinals have a revamped offensive line featuring two first-round draft picks, a second-round pick and a pair of high-profile free agent acquisitions.

All that, and I still wouldn't touch Plummer with a 10-foot pole come draft day this fall.

Your first clue should be the never-ending stream of inane prattle exaggerating his "intangibles." Whether it's McGinnis trying to preach to the faithful that Plummer and Chryst have created "magic" in the past, Chryst selling the notion that confidence alone can win ball games or, my personal favorite, Olson telling reporters, "I know Jake, I know his personality, he's a winner."

A winner? C'mon now. If Plummer was a winner, Vince Tobin would still be head coach, McGinnis would still be the team's defensive coordinator and Olson would be plying his trade elsewhere. Just in case you're wondering, there's only one reason coaches hype a player's intangibles: There's nothing else to hype.

A cursory review of Plummer's career totals says it all. In his four seasons as a pro, "The Snake" has racked up a rather pedestrian total of 54 touchdown passes while throwing an alarming 80 interceptions. He finished the 2000 season with a passer rating of 66 -- which ranked 31st among all qualifying NFL starters -- giving him an almost embarrassing career rating of 66.7. I'll also note that Plummer isn't exactly a physically imposing guy, and I don't like the litany of injuries -- finger, thumb, hip, rib, sternum and groin -- that have cost him time over the last two years.

The bottom line? Plummer doesn't necessarily have to live up to all the "second-coming of Montana" hype heaped upon him two years ago, but he darned well better outplay Jennifer this year.

Atlanta Falcons: "The Past" vs. "The Future"

The 6-0, 214-pound Vick -- with 4.36-speed in the 40, a 37-inch vertical leap and a rocket launcher for a throwing arm -- brings what might be the most unique combination of running and passing skills the NFL has ever seen on the table. Those skills were displayed prominently during a two-year career at Virginia Tech in which Vick passed for 3,504 yards with 22 touchdowns and rushed for 1,313 yards and 18 scores while leading the Hokies to a pair of 11-1 seasons.

"This selection is great for this franchise and great for this city because Vick is an exceptional talent," head coach Dan Reeves said. "He is a young man who comes along in my opinion just every now and then. We were fortunate that we were in a position to get Michael to come here."

Not surprisingly, Reeves has gone out of his way to minimize any pressure on the newcomer by making it clear that Chris Chandler, the "Quarterback of the Past," will be the Falcons' starting quarterback.

"Chris is our starting quarterback," Reeves stated on June 17. "He's our starting quarterback, and I think that's a great situation for Michael to be able to learn from a veteran guy that's been in the league for a long time. We'll have to try to get Michael involved in some packages that create some problems for the other team because he has that kind of speed and that kind of ability. We've got to utilize it some way."

Hold up for just a second. I want to make sure you caught that final sentence.

Done? Good. Let's jump ahead to Friday July 6 when Reeves told reporters he would prefer to carry only three quarterbacks into the regular season, once again adding that he wants to put in special packages each week for Vick.

Doug Johnson, who started two games for the Falcons last season, seems to have a solid understanding of the whole situation. "You take a guy with the first pick and give him all that money -- he's going to be ahead of you," he correctly explained.

That's especially true when you're dealing with a player like Vick. Veteran cornerback Ray Buchanan said it best: "He's just got to learn his own strength. He's got one of the strongest arms I've seen. He has mad potential. The kid's talented, I'm not going to lie."

That's exactly why Reeves is going to use Vick on a situational basis this year -- even if it means chiseling the rookie's name into stone as the No. 2 man behind Chandler right now. Which it does. In case you forgot, a league rule makes it very difficult for teams to use their No. 3 -- or emergency -- quarterback for anything other than emergencies

It's a point Reeves readily conceded by saying, "We've got to get Mike ready to be that number two."

My contention, however, is this: If Vick opens the season as the No. 2 man, he's going to play a more prominent role than Reeves and his henchmen are letting on. After all, Chandler has yet to make it through a full 16-game schedule in his 13-year NFL career. The veteran will be 36-years old when he hits the field for this year's regular season opener, and at some point he'll have to be scraped off the field, and Vick will be thrust into the spotlight.

I've got a hunch that once Vick is under center, it's not going to be easy to put him back on the bench.

With that thought in mind: Vick says he currently has full command of one-fifth of the playbook, which Reeves considers ahead of the curve for a rookie quarterback.

Baltimore Ravens: Elvis Grbac vs. Trent Dilfer

The Ravens signed former Kansas City signal caller Elvis Grbac, who threw twice as many touchdown passes (28) as interceptions (14) and posted the league's only 500-yard passing effort last year, to a long term contract in March.

The newcomer made an immediate impression on the team's receivers.

"He just throws a very catchable ball," Qadry Ismail explained. According to Ravens offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh, "What he brings to us is a guy who has skills that we felt we didn't have the last couple of years at that position. He's a natural thrower who can complete balls and has all the different kinds of throws. He has touch. He's got zip. He can throw it downfield."

Grbac is indeed a better pure passer than Dilfer, which is exactly what offensive-minded head coach Brian Billick was looking for, and he'll almost certainly ask Cavanaugh to take advantage of Grbac's abilities early and often.

A word of warning is in order, however. Whatever Dilfer lacked as a passer, he more than made up for as a leader; and if there's been one knock on Grbac in recent years, it's been his inability to win over teammates.

A few final notes on this situation: According to Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun, Grbac managed to complete 76 percent of his passes over four mini-camps (16 workouts) despite 11 dropped passes by his receivers.

Quote worthy I: Grbac on the Ravens' future -- "For the next four or five years, we can be like a Dallas. We can be the team that makes that run. I won't think any other way."

Quote worthy II: Second-year receiver Travis Taylor -- "I know we're going to score points. In the past, we've played a little conservatively, but that's because we had to. Now we have so many weapons on this offense, we know we can score. People are going to be surprised about how different we look this season on offense. We will be one of the best offenses in the league."

Quote worthy III: ESPN senior writer Len Pasquarelli on the Ravens' treatment of Dilfer -- "That his former employers treated he and his representatives like a collection agency, dodging phone calls and acting in an altogether callus fashion, transcended goofy. Heck, for the sake of alliteration, let's try gutless as the adjective of choice. It's the equivalent of winning the billion-dollar government contract for your company one day and being rendered homeless the next. Never has the winning quarterback in a Super Bowl game been treated so shabbily or had his football future relegated so quickly to tenuous."

Carolina Panthers: Uhhh. ... That one guy vs. ... Ummm - the new guy

The release of Pro Bowl QB Steve Beuerlein, who completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 3,730 yards and 19 touchdowns last year, leaves the Panthers facing the rather daunting prospect of opening camp as the only team without a quarterback who has started at least one regular season game.

Even though head coach George Seifert considers former Bronco Jeff Lewis, who has attempted only 54 passes during his five-year NFL career, as the early favorite, he won't hand him the job.

"We want to put the best quarterback on the field, but right now we have our pecking order. I have stated that I plan to go into camp with Jeff as the starter, but we know it can be a competitive situation -- as it should be."

Of course, the man most likely to challenge Lewis for playing time is former Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke. The 28-year old rookie has a ton of big-game experience, which makes him one of the few fourth-round picks you'll ever see compete for a starting quarterback spot in the NFL right out of the chute.

According to a Carolina front office employee, "It's a unique situation. When we decided that we had to move on without Steve [Beuerlein] and get younger at quarterback, we figured Jeff Lewis would clearly be the guy. He probably still will be, but he'll have to earn it, because Weinke is going to get playing time in the preseason games. It's early, I know, but the guy seems unfazed by the pressure."

Both QBs reportedly looked sharp during voluntary coaching sessions held the first week of June. In fact, Lewis reportedly threw the ball extremely well and looked more comfortable under center than he has since he's been with the team. Weinke is said to be learning the offense quickly.

Chicago Bears: Shane Matthews vs. Jim Miller vs. Cade McNown

Of course, the company line coming out of Halas Hall remains unchanged: There is no favorite.

"Jim, Cade and Shane are all getting equal numbers of snaps," offensive coordinator John Shoop told the Chicago Tribune on June 19. "They've all been with the [starters] an equal number; they've all been with the [second string] an equal number. We're very conscious of it, so no one has had more reps with the [starters] than anyone else."

However, those who follow the team closely say McNown simply isn't playing at the same level Matthews and Miller are. Those same observers also note that McNown's status as a first-round draft pick and the general belief he has more upside potential than his older teammates won't be factors this summer because head coach Dick Jauron doesn't have time for potential; he must win now.

Given the bind Jauron is in, my best guess says that Matthews winds up as the man under center when the Bears' offense hits the field for the first time this fall with Miller and McNown coming in second and third, respectively.

Not that my best guess rules out the possibility of McNown nailing down the starting job this summer, but he'll have to learn from past mistakes and demonstrate more maturity than he has to date. The modified West Coast offense Chicago will run this year shouldn't pose any problems. McNown ran a similar scheme at UCLA, and Matthews is familiar with it from his days as a backup in Carolina.

It's also worth noting that Miller's recovery from a torn Achilles' tendon suffered last November is ahead of schedule, and the veteran has reportedly looked sharp during recent workouts. But he's not yet 100 percent healthy, and coaches might not want to risk a setback by rushing him back too soon.

A few final miscellaneous notes on this situation:

Asked about the possibility of the competition turning ugly, Matthews said, "I don't think it will for any of us. I know it won't bother me at all. It all comes down to performance. You want to play well in practice but practice to me -- I don't want to say 'overrated' --- but it all comes down to performing when you put the real uniform on and you go out in front of the crowd. If you play well then, that's where you show people if you could play well or not."

Shoop plans to simplify the passing attack; instead of asking receivers to make complicated reads and adjust their routes on the fly, they'll simply run routes as called in the huddle from here on out.

New general manager Jerry Angelo didn't hesitate to weigh in with his thoughts on the team's quarterbacks during an introductory press conference the former Buccaneers exec told reporters, "I'm very suspect of the quarterback situation. Any time you have an open competition, that's tough."

When told of Angelo's assessment, McNown responded by saying: "There's always a sense of urgency, that's the NFL. There's not added pressure with Jerry Angelo here. We've been evaluated from Day 1. It's going to be someone else doing the evaluating, but nevertheless I just need to put my best foot forward and hopefully that will be recognized."

Cincinnati Bengals: The Good vs. The Bad vs. The Ugly

The Bad: While there's no doubt Akili Smith has the arm and the talent to win this job, other aspects of the job cause him problems. Among the former first-round pick's weaknesses would be his skill as a ball-handler. According to one long-time Bengal observer, Smith "telegraphs" his handoffs by hanging the ball out for everyone to see; and he carries it like a "loaf of bread" when runs with it. However, Smith's most glaring weakness still appears to lie in his off-the-field study habits.

The Ugly: By all accounts, Scott Mitchell has demonstrated the greatest command of the offense during recent workouts, and depending on whom you listen to, he might be the starter if the season opened today.

Bengals.com online editor Geoff Hobson recently sat down for a roundtable discussion with the team scouts Paul Brown, Jim Lippincott and Duke Tobin after the Bengals' May workouts were over. Here's what they had to say about Kitna, Smith and Mitchell.

Brown: I thought all three of them did pretty well. The one I was probably surprised by the most was Mitchell. I thought he looked very comfortable and confident in the offense. It looks like it's going to come down to a lot of competition in camp. I would think it's pretty even.

Lippincott: I don't see it all that equal right now. Nobody matches the ability of Akili, but the other two have had excellent practices. I agree with Paul that Mitchell was the biggest surprise.

Tobin: The only way quarterbacks separate themselves is when the heat is on in pressure situations. When you know you're going to get hit, when you have to escape the pocket, when you have to finish plays. We haven't seen that yet because we've only seen them in controlled situations. In seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 when they know they aren't going to get hit. A veteran guy like Mitchell will look better in situations like that. It's too early for a projection or to make an assessment.

Hobson: Dick thinks Akili came back a more mature player.

Lippincott: I do, too. I've seen a lot of improvement there. But I still don't see the mental grasp that Mitchell has.

Interesting stuff, eh? I'm going to stand by the prediction I made when Kitna signed on with the team back March; he's my favorite to beat out Smith and Mitchell. However, there are no guarantees with this group.

In fact, heading into camp, head coach Dick LeBeau says the three men are in a dead heat. "The thing I liked about that situation," he explained, "depending on which day you were watching, your opinion shifted. That meant each quarterback was taking his turn at shining, and I liked that. When we get into training camp and playing the games, I'm confident someone will surface. At this point, it's a pretty even race." Keep a close eye on the competition this summer and adjust your projections accordingly.

Look for a final answer shortly after the Bengals host Buffalo in the third preseason game (Aug. 25). The team can't afford to wait any longer than that.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Mark Brunell vs. Lingering Bitterness

However, Brunell insists there won't be any lingering bitterness -- at least on his part. "I wouldn't describe this process as ugly," he told reporters shortly after agreement was reached. "It's a relief and I'm real excited about it. From the beginning of the process, I wanted to be a Jaguar."

It'll be interesting to see if that enthusiasm is reflected in his play this year. Especially if head coach Tom Coughlin continues to bother Brunell as much as he did last season.

Those who follow the team closely view Coughlin's decision to promote quarterbacks coach Bob Petrino to offensive coordinator -- a role Coughlin has handled the last two seasons -- as an attempt to make Mark Brunell happy. If nothing else, Petrino can act as a much-needed buffer between Brunell and the frighteningly intense, autocratic -- and some might say paranoid -- Coughlin, who was quick to blame Brunell for the team's failures early last year.

For example, the veteran QB found himself riding the pine after muffing a pair of snaps during an Oct. 25 loss to Baltimore even though both fumbles were clearly caused by the (backup) center (one went off his shin, another off his thigh).

More than one observer has pointed towards Coughlin's tendency to abandon the game plan in mid-battle as one of the Jags' biggest problems. Others noted that instead of providing his players with a calming force, Coughlin simply grew meaner and nastier when things went south.

New Orleans Saints: Aaron Brooks vs. Jeff Blake

If you'll recall, Brooks moved into the starting lineup when Blake fractured his right foot against the Raiders on Nov. 19; and according to teammates, he showed up in the huddle prior to his first play and announced: "I'm next."

He apparently meant it. Brooks was the top student in the Saints offseason quarterbacks school; winning a small glass trophy as the valedictorian and he has reportedly put in eight hours a day, four days a week, studying everything put in front of him without fail. As Brooks explained it, "I can't sit back now. I've thought about it, but I can't line up all those people who doubted me before and say, 'Screw y'all, I made it.' That's not my thing. My whole life, my thing has been, I'm gonna turn you into a believer, whether you want to be or not. Trust me, sooner or later I am gonna make you believe in Aaron Brooks."

You know what? Even though the Saints insist the two men will battle it out in open competition for the starting job in camp this summer, I tend to agree with Blake, who recently noted: "There's no such thing as open competition. I've been through that and it doesn't work. You either have a quarterback or you don't. I will give it everything I've got, and if that ain't good enough, well, hey, I'll just have to go somewhere else."

Look for the younger, bigger, faster, more athletic Brooks to get the nod when coaches make it official shortly after the Saints' second exhibition on Aug. 18.

Philadelphia Eagles: Donovan McNabb vs. the "Chunky Soup Curse"

Once the season had ended and the dust settled McNabb had accounted for 75 percent of Philadelphia's offensive output by throwing for 3,365 yards, 21 TDs and 13 interceptions while rushing for another 629 yards and six TDs.

Nevertheless, we recommend thinking twice before you burn that first-round pick on McNabb after he signed on to replace Denver Broncos' running back Terrell Davis as one of two national endorsers for Campbell's Chunky Soup in its biggest marketing effort ever.

That's right, McNabb will be featured along with St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner, who has been working with the soup company for a couple of years, in a multimedia blitz that is scheduled to begin on Sept. 9 when the Eagles and the Rams play in Philadelphia in the season opener.

It might sound like a relatively harmless endeavor -- or at least I thought it sounded like a relatively harmless endeavor, until my good friend, Value-Based Draft guru and footballguys.com honcho Joe Bryant pointed out the Chunky Soup curse!

Laugh if you will, but...

Davis, coming off the 1999 Super Bowl victory over Atlanta -- becomes a Chunky Soup man, and gets hurt that fall.

Warner, coming off the 2000 Super Bowl win over Tennessee -- becomes a chunky soup man, and gets hurt that fall.

Go ahead and draft McNabb ... if you dare. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

Washington Redskins: Jeff George vs. Marty Schottenheimer

You see. So far, George, Marty and Marty's son Brian Schottenheimer, the Redskins quarterbacks coach, have been getting along just fine.

Which was hardly a given before the elder Schottenheimer met George, who immediately impressed the coach with the effort he's put into learning his third offense in as many years.

"You come out here, bust your butt and lead by example," George explained. "Every year is a new experience, but for the first time in my career, this is a good challenge. This is the best coaching staff I've been around. They command respect and have the discipline needed for success."

"He's a talented guy," Schottenheimer said of George. "It's important to him, I think, to be successful. Having said that, we have a way we want to do it. He's indicated he feels very comfortable in that regard.

"Jeff and I have discussed a number of things I feel are important, but I don't want to discuss them publicly. He's a bright guy. He's a good person. I have no issue with that. Somehow, some way, the dynamics have got to work. That's part of my responsibility and his responsibility."

My guess says it took a little time for Marty to feel comfortable with the idea of working with a guy who's been known to pass the ball when he's supposed to hand it off, a habit that Schottenheimer won't tolerate.

Is Schottenheimer confident the Skins can win with George under center?

"I am," he said, "with the understanding it's done the way we expect it to be done."

Bob Harris is Editor and Webmaster of the TFL Report and Senior Editor for Fantasy Sports Publications. His work is prominently displayed in all four FSP Fantasy annuals -- Fantasy Football Pro Forecast, Fantasy Football Experts Poll, Fantasy Football Cheatsheets and the Fantasy Football DraftBook. ... Look for all four on newsstands nationwide or Order them online now!

 

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