<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AJC.com)</div><div class='quotemain'><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">Harrington signs with Falcons</span>Ex-Lions QB inks two-year deal to back up VickBy STEVE WYCHEThe Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionPublished on: 04/09/07The Falcons have replaced their highly regarded backup quarterback with Joey Harrington, once a highly regarded starter.Harrington agreed Monday to sign a two-year contract, which will be finalized before the start of a three-day minicamp that begins Tuesday morning at team headquarters."He's very excited about it," said Joby Branion, who represents Harrington. "He had a good visit when he was there [Friday]. He connected well with everybody he met and I know he had a good talk with the owner [Arthur Blank]. It just felt good to him."Harrington, a free agent who spent last season with Miami after four seasons with Detroit, had met with Carolina before coming to Atlanta. Because Friday's meeting with the Falcons went so well, he canceled two visits with teams Branion declined to name.In coming to Atlanta to compete for the No. 2 job behind starter Michael Vick, Harrington will join quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave, like Harrington a one-time star at the University of Oregon. Harrington and Musgrave have known each other for years, according to Branion, and their relationship played a role in the player wanting to come to Atlanta.For the Falcons, landing a backup with game experience was crucial, since it opted to trade restricted free agent Matt Schaub to Houston in exchange for moving from No. 10 to No. 8 in the April 28-29 draft as well as adding two second-round draft selections, one coming in this draft.Harrington has started 66 games -- 64 more than Schaub -- although most of those were losses with woeful Detroit, which chose him third overall in 2002.Harrington was dealt to Miami before last season and ended up starting 11 games after starter Daunte Culpepper suffered a shoulder injury and complications from a prior knee operation. Harrington was 5-6 with the Dolphins before being benched in the season finale and released after the season.Though Harrington's resume suggests he would enter minicamp as Vick's primary backup, president/general manager Rich McKay and coach Bobby Petrino have said that any quarterback brought in would compete with second-year player D.J. Shockley, recently signed Chris Redman and roster hopeful James Killian.BACKUP PLANThe four Falcons quarterbacks who'll be competing for the No. 2 spot behind Michael Vick:Joey Harrington. The latest in a long line of QBs unable to pull dreadful Detroit out of the ashes. Has thrown 77 TDs, 72 picks in five NFL seasons.Chris Redman. Can his familiarity playing under Bobby Petrino for a season at Louisville trump his recent inactivity? Started six games with Baltimore.D.J. Shockley. Second-year local product hasn't thrown an NFL pass but is the one candidate with substantial upside. Has strongest arm of the group.James Killian. Former seventh-round draft pick from Tulsa seems to be the odd man out, but Petrino promises to give everyone a fair shake.</div>I see Harrington playing second string behind Vick, and then Shockley will probably take over Vick's position after Vick's healthy playing years. I'm probably assuming Shockley's talent in the future, but we'll just have to see how his talent develops over the years watching Michael Vick.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ESPN.com)</div><div class='quotemain'><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%">Former No. 1 pick Harrington agrees to Falcons deal</span>The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to terms with free agent quarterback Joey Harrington on a two-year contract, ESPN's Chris Mortensen is reporting.Financial terms of the deal were not available.Harrington will replace Matt Schaub as Michael Vick's backup in Atlanta. Schaub signed a six-year, $48 million deal with the Houston Texans last month.Last season, Harrington played in 11 games for the Miami Dolphins. He passed for 2,236 yards along with 12 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.Before joining Miami, Harrington played four seasons with Detroit. The former University of Oregon standout was the third overall pick of the Lions in the 2002 NFL draft.Chris Mortensen covers the NFL for ESPN.</div>
They needed a backup and Harrington can provide exactly that. Definately a better option then Redman and probably Shockley.
Petrino names Harrington No. 2 QBShockley, Redman, Killian will fight for third stringBy STEVE WYCHEThe Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionPublished on: 04/10/07There will be no competition to be Falcons' quarterback Michael Vick's backup.Coach Bobby Petrino said Tuesday that Joey Harrington, signed to a two-year, $6 million contract Monday, is the No. 2 quarterback. Harrington started from 2002-2005 with Detroit and 11 games for the Miami Dolphins last season.The competition between local product D.J. Shockley, one-time Baltimore Ravens starting quarterback Chris Redman and former Tulsa University standout James Killian will be for the No. 3 job, Petrino said.Shockley was Atlanta's third quarterback last season, behind Vick and Matt Schaub, who recently was traded to Houston."We certainly see Joey coming in as our backup with the experience that he has and what we believe he brings to the table," Petrino said. " We'll have great competition for the other spot."
Harrington is the ideal backup here. I really can't see Redman or Shockley being able to win games if Vick goes down.
