Jets sign Brady Quinn to add depth to QB spot
Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Brady Quinn threw passes during warmups before an NFL preseason football game against the Oakland Raiders on Aug. 29 in Seattle.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. » Brady Quinn is the newest member of the New York Jets’ quarterback carousel.
The Jets signed the veteran today to give them an experienced backup behind rookie Geno Smith, who appears likely to start the opener against Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Quinn, a first-round draft pick of Cleveland in 2007, was cut by Seattle on Saturday. His signing also clouds the future of Mark Sanchez, who is sidelined with a shoulder injury and could miss at least the first few weeks of the season.
Quinn was on the field at practice with the other quarterbacks, while Sanchez was off to the side on a stationary bike during the 30-minute window the media were allowed to watch.
Sanchez appeared in good shape to win the starting job over Smith, the team’s second-round pick, until he took a hard hit to his right shoulder from the Giants’ Marvin Austin late in the fourth quarter of the third preseason game. The Jets have said only that Sanchez is "day to day," but Quinn’s arrival could indicate that there are concerns about Sanchez’s short-term availability.
The move could also be insurance for Smith, who had an up-and-down preseason and showed he was still quite raw.
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The Jets also cut recently signed quarterback Graham Harrell, and released quarterback Greg McElroy with an injury settlement. McElroy, dealing with a knee injury, had cleared waivers and reverted to the team’s injured reserve list. The only other quarterback on the team is the inexperienced Matt Simms, who had a terrific preseason but has never thrown a pass in a regular-season NFL game.
Quinn was once considered the quarterback of the future for the Browns, but has bounced around the league while never living up to those expectations. He has 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in six seasons with the Browns, Broncos and Chiefs.
He was expected to be a top-10 pick in 2007, but slid to No. 22 and dealt with injuries and inconsistency during his time with the Browns. Quinn was traded to Denver in 2010, but never played in any games for the Broncos. He signed with Kansas City as a free agent before last season and appeared in 10 games, including a two-touchdown performance in a win against Carolina on Dec. 3.
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org
