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DolFan619
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« on: July 27, 2008, 12:58:58 am »

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-flspdolspec27sbjul27,0,1438735.story

QB battle on center stage

Henne signs deal between practices on camp's opening day

By Harvey Fialkov
South Florida Sun-Sentinel


July 27, 2008

DAVIE - The three-way race to be the starting quarterback of the Dolphins had a bit of a false start Saturday morning, but began in earnest when rookie Chad Henne signed his contract in time to participate in the afternoon practice.

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said that although Henne was at his apartment in Fort Lauderdale nervously waiting for his agent to wrap up negotiations while his more experienced combatants — John Beck and Josh McCown — were sharing snaps with the first and second teams in the 9 a.m. session, the race was still considered dead even.

"I was trying to keep my mind off football even though it was constantly on my mind because I wanted to be out here so bad," said Henne, the 57th overall pick who signed a four-year deal worth approximately $3.5 million with $1.4 million guaranteed, according to a source.

Henne signed at 2 p.m. and was suited up in time to practice at 5 p.m., though he didn't take snaps with the first team.

Sparano said that only two of three quarterbacks will be sharing the snaps in 11-on-11 drills each practice, while the third watches. The quarterback who sits out the team drills will participate in individual and seven-on-seven drills, and will then be one of two main men at the next practice.

"We had a similar situation in Dallas [in 2005]," said Sparano, then the Cowboys offensive line coach under Bill Parcells, now Dolphins vice president of football operations. "We had Drew [Bledsoe], Tony [Romo] and Drew Henson … this three-headed monster going on.

"We worked them all in practice and kind of had to make a decision. The different thing there was we had a guy, Bledsoe, who had more years, but getting them reps isn't a problem."

Judging from Sparano's example and Parcells' track record in trusting veteran quarterbacks it would seem that McCown's 31 career starts may give him a slight edge over Beck, the second-round pick who threw just one touchdown in five games last season, and Henne. Parcells went with Bledsoe and cut Henson while the undrafted Romo didn't get his shot until the sixth game of the 2006 season.

McCown, who reiterated that his lacerated index finger on his throwing hand sustained in a chainsaw accident three weeks ago was fine, said watching his friendly rivals may be nerve-wracking.

"John and I were talking about it today, saying [being the odd man out in the practice rotation]'s kind of like you're injured," McCown said. "Obviously, you have to stay involved mentally. But you're out of it.

"It's almost like you're running a race and someone is gaining ground on you."

Sparano prefers to give each quarterback 9-to-10-play drives rather than the usual four-play sequence, so they can develop a rhythm as if directing a long drive in a game.

Henne has been here before when as a freshman he beat out an older Matt Gutierrez (now a backup with the Patriots) at Michigan.

Although Parcells leans toward veteran quarterbacks such as Vinny Testaverde, Neil O'Donnell, and Phil Simms he did start Bledsoe as a rookie in 1993 after selecting him No. 1 overall for the Patriots.

Beck, the only one of three quarterbacks not hand-picked by the new regime, said he trusts Sparano when he told the team Friday night that, "we picked you to be here."

"There was nothing binding that said they had to keep me," Beck said. "I stuck around this offseason to try to prove to them I could be out there, that I belong here. They kept me and now I've got a shot to be the guy."

Sparano said in a, "perfect world," the starter's identity would be known prior to the third preseason game against the Chiefs.

"I don't have a crystal ball in front of me," Sparano said. "Obviously, someone is going to be the starter for us and we're going to take a look at this thing as it goes on.

"We're going to put them in critical situations and as we get them out here in critical situations, we'll watch them and see how they respond and try to make practice harder than the games."

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