As if the Washington Redskins didn't make enough quarterback news last week by trying to strike a trade with Denver for Jay Cutler and shopping incumbent starter Jason Campbell, free agent quarterback Byron Leftwich visited Redskin Park on Friday. That was the same day Redskins owner Dan Snyder and executive vice president Vinny Cerrato talked to Campbell, whose contract expires after the 2009 season, to reassure him about his status as the No. 1 quarterback.
A Redskins official emphasized that Leftwich's visit was not a reflection of an organizational lack of faith in Campbell. The team wants Leftwich to compete for the backup job with 37-year-old Todd Collins, who's in the last year of his contract, and Colt Brennan, who didn't play as a rookie in 2008.
Leftwich could not be reached for comment Saturday, but he has said he wants to compete for a starting position. If that opportunity doesn't materialize, he has said he prefers to stay with the Steelers.
Members of the Steelers organization have said they want Leftwich to return but haven't offered him a contract. Neither have the Redskins, who have been offering only minimum-salary, one-year contracts of late. Defensive ends Renaldo Wynn and Phillip Daniels recently agreed to such deals.
"I was informed [about Leftwich's workout]," Campbell said in a text message. "It doesn't bother me. Every team works out free agent quarterbacks for their own reasons."
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Leftwich, a star at H.D. Woodson High in the District and Marshall University, in the first round of the 2003 draft. He led the Jaguars to the playoffs in 2005 but injured an ankle in 2006 and never regained the starting job. Leftwich was a backup with Atlanta in 2007 and joined the Steelers in August after veteran backup Charlie Batch suffered a season-ending broken collarbone.
The 29-year-old's most extensive action last season came against the Redskins, when he replaced the injured Ben Roethlisberger and stretched a 10-6 halftime edge into a 23-6 victory Nov. 3 at FedEx Field.
