NFL: Scout team to starter
Quinn Gray started his NFL career as a receiver on Jacksonville’s practice squad, running opposing offenses and catching passes from David Garrard.
Even then, he was confident he would be a starting quarterback in the NFL one day.
Four years later, he is finally getting his shot.
Gray will make his first career start Sunday at Tampa Bay (4-3), filling in for Garrard and trying to help the Jaguars (4-2) rebound from an embarrassing loss to defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Gray said Thursday. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity. I knew it would come one day. I didn’t know when or what the situation would be. But at the same time, I always had confidence in myself that this day would come.”
Gray spent the last four seasons waiting for his turn behind Byron Leftwich and Garrard. He sat in meetings rooms, watched video, took detailed notes and even offered suggestions that turned out to be key additions to the game plan.
But he hasn’t seen much action on the field.
Gray has only played in five regular-season games since college, two of them this year. He is 30 of 60 for 322 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also has two rushing scores.
But most of that came in mop-up duty. Now, he has several days to prepare and practice for his new role, one he might have for three or four games while Garrard recovers from a badly sprained left ankle.
“It’s sort of bittersweet that Dave had to get hurt and things had to come that way, but at the same time, you have to be able to take advantage of all your opportunities,” said Gray, the son of a high school football coach. “That’s what it is right now. It’s an opportunity for me to go out and show my coaches that they made a great decision in keeping me here. That’s what I’ve got to do.”
“Todd Bouman signed a one-year contract with the Jaguars, giving them a backup quarterback while Garrard recovers from his ankle injury.
Bouman, a 10-year pro who has six career starts, signed for the veteran minimum of $720,000. The 35-year-old Bouman has played in 42 games with Minnesota, New Orleans and Green Bay.
Chargers await decisions
The San Diego Chargers worked out at Tempe, Ariz., waited and wondered where and when they will play their next game.
With their home stadium being used as an evacuation center for people fleeing wildfires in the San Diego area, the Chargers went through what coach Norv Turner called “one of our best practices of the year.”
The Chargers are scheduled to play at home against the Houston Texans on Sunday, and a decision from San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders on the availability of the stadium had been expected during the day. No word came.
The team shifted its practices to the Arizona Cardinals’ training facility on Wednesday.
Smith will start for 49ers
Alex Smith is ready to find out whether he’s the solution to the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive woes.
The quarterback will start Sunday against New Orleans, returning from a four-week absence because of a separated shoulder. Smith went through his second full day of practice, leading the first-teamers through workouts with no discomfort.
“To have to sit out the last few games and not be able to help out your team, it was tough,” Smith said. “When you get to this point in the season, you’re playing for the guys next to you. I’m proud to be back in the huddle.”
Smith hasn’t played since injuring his right shoulder on the third play of San Francisco’s 23-3 loss to Seattle on Sept. 30.
Around the league
By working his way through a neck muscle injury and returning to practice, rookie DeShawn Wynn remained the Green Bay Packers’ starting running back. “He’s in the No. 1 slot right now,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “He has an opportunity to take it and do something with it. We’ll see what he can do.” … Defensive tackle Corey Simon retired from the NFL after trying to resume his career with the Tennessee Titans, saying practice and games started wearing on his body again. … David Carr practiced again, but Carolina coach John Fox still held off naming him the starting quarterback ahead of Vinny Testaverde for Sunday’s game against Indianapolis. Fox said Carr, who has been slowed by a compression fracture in his lower back, responded well to consecutive practices.