The agent for Colt Brennan vowed to "exhaust every option" in seeking an NFL job for the former University of Hawaii record-setting quarterback.

"We’re certainly hopeful he’ll get another chance pretty quickly," agent Ryan Tollner said.

The Washington Redskins released Brennan yesterday after two years during which he did not play a regular-season down because of injuries and circumstances.

"It was a total surprise," Brennan told the Washington Post. "I really thought I had a good practice (yesterday). I really liked working with the staff."

Brennan is eligible to be claimed by another team during the 24-hour waiver period. If more than one claim is submitted, he would be awarded to the team that had the poorest record in 2009.

Any team claiming Brennan would assume terms of the four-year contract he signed as a sixth-round draft choice in 2008. Brennan is set to earn a base salary of $475,000, the 2010 minimum for a player credited with two years of NFL experience. He only would earn that base salary if he is on an NFL roster this season.

Brennan was paid a signing bonus of $96,800 in 2008. For salary cap purposes, that bonus—although already paid in full—is credited as $24,200 each year of the contract. That is a moot point this year because there is no salary cap in effect in 2010, but it could come into play in 2011.

If Brennan is not claimed on waivers, he is free to seek a deal with all NFL teams.

"I think he can fit any system out there in the NFL," Tollner said. "It’ll be a function of getting enough reps to learn the system and getting comfortable."

Tollner said he expects Brennan to receive interest from the teams that considered drafting him in 2008.

As a UH junior in 2006, Brennan set the single-season record with a pass-efficiency rating of 182.8. After that season, an NFL panel told Brennan he would project as high as a first-round pick if he relinquished his senior season and applied for the 2007 draft.

Instead, during a tearful news conference, Brennan announced he would play for the Warriors in 2007. To hedge his optimism, he took out an insurance policy in the event an injury diminished his draft status for the 2008 draft.

Brennan led the Warriors to a 12-0 regular season in 2007. The Warriors lost in the Sugar Bowl.

Several weeks after that, Brennan suffered a torn labrum during the 2008 Senior Bowl. He was able to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine, recording a perfect score in the passing drills, and UH’s Pro Day. But the injury prevented him from competing in sprint drills during both events. Brennan then underwent surgery. He recovered in time to compete during the Redskins’ preseason schedule.

He was the Redskins’ third quarterback in 2008, behind Jason Campbell and Todd Collins. He missed all of the 2009 season after undergoing surgery on his hip and knee.

Brennan had said he was physically fit earlier this year. When he was not training on the East Coast, he took part in a specialized conditioning program in Arizona. He recently spent two weeks in Arizona working out with the Redskins’ receivers.

But Tollner said it was apparent Mike Shanahan, who was hired as head coach to replace the fired Jim Zorn, wanted to bring in his own quarterbacks. The Redskins dealt Campbell to the Oakland Raiders and cut Collins. They traded for Donovan McNabb, signed Rex Grossman and, yesterday, made a deal for John Beck from the Baltimore Ravens.

The acquisition of Beck, a former BYU quarterback who was drafted in the second round by Miami in 2007, led to Brennan’s release.

"I think it’s clear the Redskins’ new coaching staff wants their own set of quarterbacks," Tollner said. "That’s OK. That’s the way it goes in the NFL. (The Redskins) do believe Colt can play in that league, and felt this was the right move for him to have an opportunity to catch on early in (another team’s) camp and get into preseason games and compete. When he does, he needs to make it happen."

Former UH coach June Jones, who recruited Brennan to Hawaii, said he made several calls on Brennan’s behalf to Canadian Football League teams yesterday. Jones said he expects Brennan to eventually become a productive NFL quarterback.

"I always thought (Texas Tech’s) Graham Harrell and Colt Brennan were two quarterbacks who can make it in the NFL," Jones said. "I still believe that."