John Beck has spent the offseason imagining what it'd be like to be the Washington Redskins' starting quarterback. When the NFL lockout finally was lifted Monday, Beck raced to Redskins Park to start work.
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Not so fast. Beck was turned away at the gate by security personnel who didn't recognize the man who could be the signal-caller in front of 100,000 Redskins fans in September. Turns out players can't report to team facilities until Tuesday.
"I'm OK with that," Beck said of not being recognized, according to *The Washington Post*. "I haven't done anything yet."
Beck's attempt at an early arrival is a perfect example of how eager he is to make an impact this season. With Donovan McNabb likely to be released or traded, Beck has been told he'll have a shot at the starting job. Beck and McNabb are the only two quarterbacks currently on Washington's roster, but Rex Grossman should be re-entering the fray soon.
"Well, they're going to re-sign Rex, definitely," Beck told WTEM-AM on Monday. "They have told me that and then they say, 'It's a competition.' I think that's all you can ever expect."
Beck was the third-string quarterback for most of last season, backing up Grossman after he unseated McNabb in December.
All Beck wants is a fair competition, seeing as he never has seen himself as the reserve he has been for the majority of his NFL career.
"I never ever viewed myself as a backup," said Beck, a second-round draft pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2007. "When I came into the league, it wasn't to be a backup, and I found myself in a situation that was a difficult one, and it kind of put me behind the 8-ball.
"But I never ever shied away from my own beliefs of myself and my abilities," he continued. "And I feel like it's an opportunity that I haven't been working just one or two years, but for many years."
Beck will turn 30 in August. He said he has spent time this offseason researching NFL quarterbacks who found success later in their career. He has even called some of them, looking for any bit of knowledge that will better prepare him for what lies ahead.
"There are a lot of guys who have done it, and I'd love to add my name to that list," he said.
