BY JEFF DARLINGTON
<!-- begin /production/story/credit_line_format.comp -->jdarlington@MiamiHerald.com
<!-- end /production/story/credit_line_format.comp --><!-- START /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --><SCRIPT language=Javascript> function PopupPic(sPicURLx, sHeight, sWidth) { var sPicURL = "/news/breaking-news/v-morephotos/story/635231.html"; y=Math.floor((screen.availHeight-sHeight)/2); x=Math.floor((screen.width-sWidth)/2); window.open(sPicURL,"slideshow","width="+sWidth+",height="+sHeight+",top="+y+",left="+x+",scrollbars=auto,resizable=yes").focus(); } </SCRIPT><!-- photo or image available --><!-- Start: /pubsys/production/story/assets/image_embedded.comp -->
<!-- no polls to display -->
<!-- END /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --><!-- story_videobox.comp --><!-- /story_videobox.comp -->
In a decision curiously made two days before the Dolphins would sign quarterback Chad Pennington, veteran quarterback Josh McCown is not scheduled to play tonight's preseason opener against the Bucs.
Instead, second-year quarterback John Beck has been told he'll play the first and the third quarters, while rookie Chad Henne will play the second and fourth quarters, two sources close to the competition said.
The quarterbacks were advised of the decision Thursday.
This rotation would seem to have suggested McCown's departure from the team was inevitable had the decision been made after Pennington was signed. However, since it was made before, it was strange to several players that the veteran wouldn't play.
Coach Tony Sparano did not offer any explanations, and he told the quarterbacks not to disclose the plan publicly. The decision, though, left all three wondering aloud to each other about the motive behind keeping McCown sidelined.
Given the previous nature of the competition, in which all three quarterbacks saw nearly equal repetitions during practice, it would have made more sense to the quarterbacks if each saw some time.
Of course, that's all meaningless at this point, since Pennington's arrival in Miami kills any more need to question who the starter will be. The team has decided, even before Pennington's first practice, that he will lead the Dolphins this season.
In the meantime, the decision to keep McCown sidelined might have been a coincidental foreshadowing of what's to come. The veteran is expected to be the odd man out when Miami trims its quarterback depth chart down to three.
Since Beck and Henne are both being treated as developmental projects, McCown is the likely roster casualty in the wake of the move to acquire Pennington
<!-- begin /production/story/credit_line_format.comp -->jdarlington@MiamiHerald.com
<!-- end /production/story/credit_line_format.comp --><!-- START /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --><SCRIPT language=Javascript> function PopupPic(sPicURLx, sHeight, sWidth) { var sPicURL = "/news/breaking-news/v-morephotos/story/635231.html"; y=Math.floor((screen.availHeight-sHeight)/2); x=Math.floor((screen.width-sWidth)/2); window.open(sPicURL,"slideshow","width="+sWidth+",height="+sHeight+",top="+y+",left="+x+",scrollbars=auto,resizable=yes").focus(); } </SCRIPT><!-- photo or image available --><!-- Start: /pubsys/production/story/assets/image_embedded.comp -->
<!-- no polls to display -->
<!-- END /pubsys/production/story/story_assets.comp --><!-- story_videobox.comp --><!-- /story_videobox.comp -->
In a decision curiously made two days before the Dolphins would sign quarterback Chad Pennington, veteran quarterback Josh McCown is not scheduled to play tonight's preseason opener against the Bucs.
Instead, second-year quarterback John Beck has been told he'll play the first and the third quarters, while rookie Chad Henne will play the second and fourth quarters, two sources close to the competition said.
The quarterbacks were advised of the decision Thursday.
This rotation would seem to have suggested McCown's departure from the team was inevitable had the decision been made after Pennington was signed. However, since it was made before, it was strange to several players that the veteran wouldn't play.
Coach Tony Sparano did not offer any explanations, and he told the quarterbacks not to disclose the plan publicly. The decision, though, left all three wondering aloud to each other about the motive behind keeping McCown sidelined.
Given the previous nature of the competition, in which all three quarterbacks saw nearly equal repetitions during practice, it would have made more sense to the quarterbacks if each saw some time.
Of course, that's all meaningless at this point, since Pennington's arrival in Miami kills any more need to question who the starter will be. The team has decided, even before Pennington's first practice, that he will lead the Dolphins this season.
In the meantime, the decision to keep McCown sidelined might have been a coincidental foreshadowing of what's to come. The veteran is expected to be the odd man out when Miami trims its quarterback depth chart down to three.
Since Beck and Henne are both being treated as developmental projects, McCown is the likely roster casualty in the wake of the move to acquire Pennington
