FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Rex Grossman believes he has a couple more seasons left in him.
After signing the 35-year-old backup quarterback to a one-year deal on Wednesday, the Atlanta Falcons seem to agree.
Grossman, who hasn’t thrown a pass since 2011, is trying to beat out T.J. Yates and Sean Renfree for the primary reserve role behind three-time Pro Bowl selection Matt Ryan.
“You never know [other teams’] intentions or what they think of you, but I know I can still play,” Grossman said. “I’m a competitor, so I was frustrated, but I got my chance and I’m ready to roll with it. It’s rejuvenating. I’m excited.”
Grossman played under first-year offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan with the Houston Texans and with the Washington Redskins from 2010 through 2013. In Shanahan’s lone season as the offensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns last year, Grossman was released at the end of training camp.
“I feel like I’ve got a good sense of what he expects in a quarterback running his offense and what it’s supposed to look like,” Grossman said.
Grossman went 13-3 as the Chicago Bears’ starting quarterback in 2006 as they reached the Super Bowl. In other seasons, he’s combined to win 12 of 31 starts with the Bears and Redskins.
He arrives in Atlanta after Yates and Renfree struggled in preseason appearances the last two weeks against the Tennessee Titans and the New York Jets.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn said Grossman won’t play in Saturday’s exhibition on the road against the Miami Dolphins. The team plans to get him ready for the Sept. 3 preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens at the Georgia Dome.
“He’s got a naturally quick release,” Quinn said. “That was the first thing that jumped out to me. We had him go through routes and make all the throws. That’s the part we really wanted to look at and why we decided to add him to the group.”
Quinn added that the Falcons plan to keep only two quarterbacks active on game days. Both Yates and Renfree spent last season on the 53-man roster. Yates, last year’s No. 2, played in three games, while Renfree didn’t dress for games.
The Falcons, who first contracted Grossman on Monday night, decided to offer a non-guaranteed contract after he worked out at team headquarters on Tuesday.
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