The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) – The Washington Redskins are bringing back Danny Wuerffel as a backup quarterback, giving coach Steve Spurrier some familiar insurance after a rough week of practice for projected No. 2 Rob Johnson.

"We needed a player in here who certainly knows our system," Spurrier said following Sunday's practice.
Wuerffel will compete with Johnson for the No. 2 spot, and both will probably make the regular season roster.

Seventh-round draft pick Gibran Hamdan drops to No. 4 on the depth chart and could be a practice squad candidate.

Rookie Brad Banks, the Heisman trophy runner-up from Iowa, was released to make room for Wuerffel.

Johnson, signed as a free agent from Tampa Bay to back up Patrick Ramsey, has struggled during training camp trying to master Spurrier's schemes and the coach's preferred fundamentals, such as footwork. Johnson completed just two of six passes for 7 yards Saturday during an intrasquad scrimmage.

im always open to Coach Spurrier and his choices but this was clearly a failed project last year I'm not happy to see him come back really. Just about ever other 2003 decision Coach has made was a step in the right direction imo but this one is real questionable. I guess R Johnson stunk it up too much.

Its not that bad... Danny brings experience to the team, He did play pretty well againest the Rams last year!

If anything he'll help teach the system and push Rob Johnson to step up or get out!

He and Ramsey got along well last year from what I have read, and should help develop him even faster.. Any type of move to help speed the progress of Ramsey no matter what the cost is a good move in my opinion!!

Skinster!!

Im sorry, but I am THOROUGHLY dissapointed!!! THOROUGHLY!! I have no words for Spurrier right now. When I watch the interviews and they ask him "will the QB rotation stop this year?" and he says "yes" I've always felt he was bullshyting, but disreguarded it. But now I kno he's going to do it again! This is ridiculous, I kno Johnson has been unimpressive, but Wuerffel is not better. He knows the plays, but doesn't have the arm NOR accurancy to execute them. Damn, I try to have faith in my Skins, I try, but they're testing me.

I welcome the signing of Wuerffel after seeing Rob Johnson during training camp i was really afraid.If anything happened to P Ram we would have been in trouble .It just shows how bad Johnson really is.At least danny is here to help P Ram with questions about the system.I didnt ever think i would say this but i think Wuerffel is a big improvement over Johnson.

Amen Chris Luva Luva.



Who was the idiot who even thinks danny awful can be a good back up? The man clearly has no talent. I am very dissapointed in this decision and hope he gets injured so i won't see him ruin the skins again.

Chris Luva Luva wrote:Im sorry, but I am THOROUGHLY dissapointed!!! THOROUGHLY!! I have no words for Spurrier right now. When I watch the interviews and they ask him "will the QB rotation stop this year?" and he says "yes" I've always felt he was bullshyting, but disreguarded it. But now I kno he's going to do it again! This is ridiculous, I kno Johnson has been unimpressive, but Wuerffel is not better. He knows the plays, but doesn't have the arm NOR accurancy to execute them. Damn, I try to have faith in my Skins, I try, but they're testing me.

Naaaaaa..... wont happen like that again like last year.. I'll bet ya right now Ramsey QB's the whole year unless he gets hurt, and if he does I would rather have Danny than Johnson. From what I have read & herd about Johnson's demanor and ability to run the offence leave me to believe this is a good move, Johnson has to be pushed!!

Whats great about Danny is Ramsey has someone to lean on thats not a coach and when he upset at the coaches or plays called he can confide in Danny. To have players that can speak the terms of the offence just as fluid as the coaches, will develop Ramsey FASTER!!!

RAMSEY IS THE QB & Spurrier knows it, I guarantee there will be no changing of the guards!!

In closing I hope Johnson works harder and develops because of Danny threatening to take his slot as #2. I always liked Johnson in college & I hope he can help contribute to this team.

Skinster!!

Im not sure if any of you guys have been to training camp.I have everyday let me assure you Rob Johnson is really that bad.What happens if P Ram goes down Johnson is not the answer.Danny sucks but Rob sucks more.Ramsey is the starter it will stay that way.

Actually, I'm pretty psyched about this move--I always thought Danny ought to be kept as a QB coach, and now he's got that opportunity to do so. Yes, he doesn't have that strong an arm, but he's got experience, he knows the system, and the Ol' Ball Coach trusts him to be able to execute that system. He's perfect as a back-up: won't rock the boat, will help out the starter any way he can, and he won't (this year, as opposed to last year) compete to be the starter.

No problems here!

newshog wrote:Actually, I'm pretty psyched about this move--I always thought Danny ought to be kept as a QB coach, and now he's got that opportunity to do so. Yes, he doesn't have that strong an arm, but he's got experience, he knows the system, and the Ol' Ball Coach trusts him to be able to execute that system. He's perfect as a back-up: won't rock the boat, will help out the starter any way he can, and he won't (this year, as opposed to last year) compete to be the starter.

No problems here!

He will shut his mouth and bascially function as a QB coach with his knowledge of the system.....but no way can I put 'psyched' and 'Danny' in the same sentence after this news. I will agree that anything to speed Ramsey's progress is top priority but its not like Ramsey didn't have all of last year to take his advice. How much can Danny possibly have to teach?

but its not like Ramsey didn't have all of last year to take his advice. How much can Danny possibly have to teach?

At this stage of his career, nearly every play is a new experience for Ramsey. So I think Wuerffel will have plenty to teach--besides the fact that he's got a good head on his shoulders and will be another pair of eyes evaluating Ramsey's play. And I suspect Patrick will feel better (not worse) for knowing there's somebody behind him who knows the system and can step in. He doesn't need the added pressure of killing himself to carry the team so Rob Johnson doesn't have to come in.

well, that is true. It would be added pressure to know you have a bumbling R Johnson coming in if you go down. thats a good point NH.

quote="Chris Luva Luva"]Im sorry, but I am THOROUGHLY dissapointed!!! THOROUGHLY!! I have no words for Spurrier right now. When I watch the interviews and they ask him "will the QB rotation stop this year?" and he says "yes" I've always felt he was bullshyting, but disreguarded it. But now I kno he's going to do it again! This is ridiculous, I kno Johnson has been unimpressive, but Wuerffel is not better. He knows the plays, but doesn't have the arm NOR accurancy to execute them. Damn, I try to have faith in my Skins, I try, but they're testing me.

[/quote] Chris I couldn't agree more with you, this is the worst thing Ball Coach couldn't done, the big tuna is probably laughing right now and smoking a big cigar over this move. Is spurrier a drunk and couldn't remember how bad Danny was last year.
Danny sucks, get ready for another losing season, he has never, or will never be the answer, the only reason we won the game against the rams was for Lavar and Gardner. And if your reply is he knows the system and can teach Ramsey alot, then why in the He!! do we have a quaterbacks coach or for the matter Spurrier, who knows his system better than himself, we could have used the money to get someone with a little bit of talent, sorry for losing my mind , but I can't stand another losing season, and that is where we are headed. No team pays for quaterbacks to teach other quaterbacks the system, that is why we have qb coaches. Here we go again, just when I almost thought we were actually going in the right direction.
Well maybe next year

Here we go again, just when I almost thought we were actually going in the right direction.
Well maybe next year

Wow--the signing of a third-string QB has that kind of power? I can understand being upset (even if I disagree), but I wouldn't go overboard about it!

You guys have every right to be taken aback... but take it from a guy who has been at camp all week... Johnson probably won't kake this squad anyway. I even posted that in one of my last camp reports. I said that it wouldn't surprise me to see someone else brought in.

Johnson couldn't even take the 3rd spot... Hamdan has 10 times the arm.

Rob Johnson was BY FAR THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT AT CAMP out of ANY player or position.

It really ticked me off how bad he actually was.

Ok, what does this tell YOU. Tells me that the old ball coach might not be as enamored with Ramsey as the rest of us. I just don't know. Anything over 8-8 would a huge bonus.

Ok, what does this tell YOU. Tells me that the old ball coach might not be as enamored with Ramsey as the rest of us.

It tells me that the Ol' Ball Coach isn't as enamored with our backup QB Johnson as he used to be. I don't think Ramsey's in any trouble a'tall.

I don't know how Ramsey even enters the discussion.

There's absolutley no question about Ramsey. i just spent a week watching the guy and unless he gets both his legs broken in a non-football incident... he'll start every game.

Despite the news reports that the media put out.... he has been EXTREMELY impressive. I guess it isn't sexy to keep writing that the kid looks good, so they only talk about him on his off days.

Myself and everyone that I watched practices with this week were blown away by his composure and his arm. We already know that he's tough as nails.

Everyone ignores the most obvious part of the eqaution for his success too. He now has an offensive line in front of him. Despite the strong receiving corps, IMO, this unit is the strongest unit on the team.

Jansen told me that he has lost 8lbs and was really proud of the fact that he was in the best shape of his life. Samuels is healthy which means that P-Ram's back is covered. Fiore and Thomas both looked very comfortable and were happy to be here. On Fan Appreciation Day, I asked Larry Moore how it felt to have two stud guards on either side of him... he said 'real comforting'. They are an extremely athletic bunch that seem perfectly suited to the type of running game that we will be running. They also seem to genuinely be having a good time together on the field.

I think they will play an integral part in a successful season for Ramsey.

I've always thought Wuerffel should be back this season -- AS QB COACH. No one in Gator history has understood Spurrier's offense better. He's in a perfect position to be able to relate the intricacies of the offense to Ramsey and those more physically able to execute it on the NFL level.

If he has to be on the roster to achieve this, *gulp* so be it.

Looks like this GameDay Three will be PR, DW and RJ, with GH finding his way to the practice squad and maybe a year in NFL Europe.

I agree with BossHog. I'm not even from near DC area and haven't gone to the camp but this much is obvious to me. Danny knows the system almost as well as SOS. There is a reason he shined as QB at Florida. If you read about Danny's football career at Florida, you'd get an idea of the sort of knowledge he has on this offense and the sort of trust SOS has on him. Clearly he doesn't have what it takes to be a starter, not by any shot at all. But the most crucial differences this time round as opposed to last season are:

1) He doesn't have to *be* the starter. He is not going to be expected to carry the team (wow, that sounds so funny! think of how true it was last year! lol). This is good for him, Ramsey, the coaches and everyone else.

2) He will definitely help Ramsey in a lot of ways. A coach can only spend so much time with a player, even Ramsey. And one doesn't have to be the best performing player to be able to coach or be a player-coach, which is how I see Danny will be used this year.

3) Rob Johnson seems to be stinking up the heavens from what we've heard. Danny isn't *that* bad, at least not in terms of knowing what to do.

4) Even if things come to a stage where Danny has to run this offense (lets hope that doesn't happen at all!), he has a much better surrounding cast with him. Granted he will slow down all the receivers. But he'll have excellent protection compared to what he had last year. I still remember (with chuckles) reports saying how amazingly mobile Danny is (read: how horrible the line was). He evn had quite a few yards rushing! In any case, if SOS is careful about what sort of plays he gives to Danny if he has to run this offense, then Danny could turn out to be a good addition after all. It looks like SOS has learnt after last year but the only thing I'd be concerned about this move is if and when Danny plays (lets hope he doesn't play much), SOS shouldn't get transported to the magical eras of 94-96 Gators and ask Danny to do some airing out there. To scare you guys, let me remind somethhing SOS said about Danny during last preseason/training camp - Danny can throw as well as others out there. He had a 55 yard bomb today at practice. Now that sort of attitude would be scary!

!

I think we'll dump RJ and go with DW as the sole backup. I think SOS wants a project for a 3rd QB and until the practice squad is protected, I think putting Hamdan there is a big risk.

You saw him throw the ball Steve. He really has a great arm and his size gives him some real presence in the pocket. Being a local boy doesn't hurt either and he's a very likeable character.

And really what good does it do to keep both RJ and DW? Hopefully the 3rd QB never sees the field so I think training camp is to decide which guy your going to pin your laurels on if the #1 guy goes down. There's no value to keeping a guy that will never play and costs half a million bucks more than the rookie.

If SOS keeps them both it means that neither one has earned the spot and that we're just keeping as many options open as we can. That won't be good for the confidence of either guy.

But bringing in DW tells me that Steve's already given up on Johnson and it was pretty darn obvious why at practice. I think now he (SOS) just has to make sure that Wuerffel doesn't look any worse than last year before releasing RJ.

Just my , and it ain't worth much more than that!

I am happy he is back.

They never should have dropped him, this offense had more problems than Danny's noodle arm last year. He ran the offense pretty damn well when he had a reciever actually open and was not terrified by the rushers plowing through the middle of our line. Of course that did not happen much last year which resulted in Danny's injuries.

Rob Johnson should never have been signed...period. Danny will look great holding the clipboard and give valuable mentoring to Ramsey about how to run this offense. If Ramsey does go down in a game, maybe Danny will look great with faster WR's and a decent line in front of him.

Hey...it could be worse.

We could be seeing Jeff George!

It was cool reading thru this thread. Seems like BH made some decent predictions.

August 10 is coming up pretty soon, and *sob* the new Madden will not include a free agent by the name of D. Wuerffel. Oh, what a world!!

I never, ever, ever used that loser of Matthews. I used Ramsey even when he was ranked in the 60's.