Dolphins thinking QB at No. 1? Beck's just too busy to fret

[DolFan619]

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0421nfldraftdolphins0421.html#

Dolphins thinking QB at No. 1? Beck's just too busy to fret

Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic

Apr. 21, 2008 12:00 AM

John Beck was too busy and consumed with other more immediate priorities - such as trying to impress his new boss, Bill Parcells, with his workout regimen and planning his 1-year-old son's birthday party - than to worry about what the Miami Dolphins were going to do with the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

Will they make the seemingly consensus selection and choose Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long? Could they pull a fast one and go after the alleged "franchise" quarterback in Matt Ryan of Boston College? Trade the pick?

Beck has no clue, and he doesn't want to guess.   
 
"I've got enough other things to think about right now," said Beck, a second-round pick by the Dolphins last year who, at least for now, is expected to compete for the starting quarterback job with free-agent pickup Josh McCown.

When Beck was drafted out of Brigham Young University by way of Mesa Mountain View High, which he led to a state championship his senior year, he expected to eventually inherit the Dolphins' quarterback duties from Trent Green.

Green got hurt, was eventually released and has since signed with the Rams. That left the Dolphins with the quarterback cupboard mostly bare and fueled early speculation that Parcells, the team's new vice president of football operations, may be interested in Ryan.

"The one thing I've learned," Beck said, "is that you're not just in competition with guys on your team. It's everybody that's out there, guys from different teams and guys coming into the league, regardless of their draft status.

"Somebody's out there who wants to be a quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, and it could be the first pick, it could be the last pick and it could be a free agent. I've got to find a way to get better, regardless."

And that's what Beck has been trying to do for the past few months, save for a couple days earlier this month when he and his wife, Barbara, organized a fishing birthday party for their son, Ty.

Beck's first NFL off-season was anything but typical for a second-year pro. There was little time off from football. No fancy vacation. It has mostly been all work and no play - and for good reason.

"When I first got here," Beck said, "I was being evaluated, and I'm still being evaluated. Only now, the coaches that brought me to the Dolphins are all gone. So is the general manager. So are other people.

"Now there's a new head coach (Tony Sparano), a new head of football operations (Parcells), new everything. I've got to show I belong."

After finishing 1-15 last season, the Dolphins have a ton of work ahead. They need players. They need impact talent and depth at multiple positions. They hope to find it in this weekend's draft.

Miami has been negotiating with Michigan's Long, reportedly trying to work out a deal for a lot less money than the Raiders gave to last year's No. 1 pick, quarterback JaMarcus Russell. But what agent would agree to that? Either way, there are contingency plans. The Dolphins are believed to have met with the representatives for other potential top picks such as Virginia defensive end Chris Long, Louisiana State defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston. Perhaps, they've even talked to Ryan and his agent or at least plan to do so.

Beck got a chance to start two games last season, briefly taking over for Cleo Lemon after Green got hurt, but couldn't author a win. It wasn't much to build on, but it helped. Now he wants to be a leader who takes the Dolphins to greater heights.

Beck also knows that Parcells and Sparano are making evaluations daily.

"Living in Arizona, I remember a comment I heard from Charles Barkley when he played with the Suns," Beck said. "He said what drives him was wondering if there was somebody out there working as hard as him, and that made him want to work even harder.

"Well, I've kept that in my head. Instead of sitting around my house, I thought, 'You know what? There might be somebody out there like that.' So I'm going to keep working as hard as I can, if only to get that one little step, that one little edge over the next guy, whoever it is or might be."

When it comes to the Dolphins, nobody can be sure about anything.

[Sunstroke]

Charles Barkley is his role model? May God have mercy on us all...

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Charles Barkley is his role model? May God have mercy on us all...

I thought Charles Barkley is not a role model.  He said so himself if I recall correctly.   

[DZA]

Barkley cant recall his ass from his Elbow.

[Sunstroke]

Barkley cant recall his ass from his Elbow.

One's really wide and one's really pointy?