The Washington Redskins officially signed former West Virginia quarterback Pat White, who is attempting a comeback after three years out of the league.
White reportedly signed the free-agent contract Wednesday after passing a physical.
Speculation regarding White’s possible role in Washington has been bubbling since the deal was pitched Tuesday. A story by the Washington Post’s Keith McMillan sizes up every imaginable design the Redskins could have for bringing White to camp.
White enjoyed a dazzling career as a protypical dual-threat quarterback at WVU, passing for 6,049 yards and 56 touchdowns while running for 4,480 yards and 47 scores. He steered the Mountaineers to four bowl victories.
His NFL career, to this point, consisted of one disappointing season with Miami after the Dolphins made him a second-round pick in 2009. Appearing 13 games as a wildcat quarterback, White ran 21 times for 81 yards and went 0-for-5 passing.
Cut by Miami during 2010 training camp, White tried to catch on with the UFL’s Virginia Destroyers in 2011, only to be cut after a month of preseason camp.
Why would NFL teams be interested in a 27-year-old White? Primarily because many offensive coordinators are installing some element of the read-option attack. Plus White spent a reportedly intense seven-week session in San Diego honing his passing fundamentals under quarterback guru George Whitfield, Jr.
Some of that improvement apparently showed during his performance at WVU’s March 14 pro day. Several clubs became intrigued for a variety of reasons. For instance the Giants, according to an ESPN.com report, projected White could be useful as a scout-team quarterback to simulate Washington’s Robert Griffin III.
White’s contract with the Redskins spawned an issue involving his status as a plaintiff in the concussions lawsuit against the NFL. He said he suffered symptoms such as perpetual headaches and memory loss after absorbing a knockout blow from the Steelers’ Ike Taylor in 2009, but on Tuesday the quarterback dropped his claim.