Redskins select Rex Grossman to start at quarterback

Rex Grossman will be the Washington Redskins’ starting quarterback for the season opener Sunday against the New York Giants.

Coach Mike Shanahan said Monday that Grossman won the job over John Beck. The two competed throughout training camp and through four exhibitions for the No. 1 job.

Grossman will be an opening-day quarterback for the first time since 2007, the season after he took the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl.

Grossman completed 64% of his passes during the preseason with two touchdowns, one interception and a 92.3 rating.

Beck completed 62% of his passes with one touchdown, two interceptions and a 74.7 rating. He finished with an unimpressive performance against a second-string defense in last week’s win over Tampa Bay.

Colts won’t use Tressel until October

The Indianapolis Colts won’t use former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel as a replay consultant until the seventh game of the season.

Bill Polian, the Colts’ vice chairman, said that Tressel won’t join the team until late October. The team recently announced it would employ Tressel as a game-day consultant to help determine when the team should challenge plays with a video review.

In a statement, Polian said that “questions were raised with respect to the equity of his appointment as opposed to suspensions being served this season by present and former Ohio State players.”

Tressel was pushed out at Ohio State after an investigation into improper benefits by his players, including quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Pryor recently was taken by Oakland in the NFL’s supplemental draft and has been given a five-game suspension in the NFL.

Tressel resigned from Ohio State on Memorial Day.

During the weekend, Colts owner Jim Irsay, Coach Jim Caldwell, Polian and Tressel discussed the situation and consulted NFL officials.

“At Coach Tressel’s suggestion, and with Mr. Irsay’s … support, we have decided to begin Coach Tressel’s employment effective with our seventh regular-season game [Oct. 23 at New Orleans].”

Ryan feels pressure

Rex Ryan says he feels more pressure coaching in the New York Jets’ regular-season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks “than any game I’ve ever coached.”

He says he feels “a responsibility” to make sure his team has a good showing in the home game at MetLife Stadium on Sunday night. He says “it just feels different,” maybe because he believes the Jets will be representing “this whole region, this whole area.”

Etc.

Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora probably will sit out the Giants’ game against the Redskins. Umenyiora had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Aug. 19, and Coach Tom Coughlin said the 29-year-old who is entering his ninth season with the Giants hasn’t progressed enough to play. … New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton agreed to an extension with the team through 2015. … Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel was a full participant in practice Monday, despite injuring his ribs while being sacked in the team’s final exhibition. … The Minnesota Vikings signed linebacker Chad Greenway to a new five-year contract reportedly worth $41 million. …Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas practiced for the first time with the Denver Broncos since undergoing surgery in February to repair a right Achilles’ tendon he tore during off-season workouts in Atlanta. … In a move to add depth to a depleted running corps, the Arizona Cardinals signed 10-year NFL veteran Chester Taylor to a one-year contract. The Cardinals were waiting for other teams to make roster cuts to find a backup to starter Beanie Wells after promising rookie Ryan Williams went down because of a season-ending knee injury. Taylor was released by the Bears on Saturday. … The Chiefs picked up offensive tackle Steve Maneri off waivers from the New England Patriots and released veteran tight end Anthony Becht. … Buffalo Bills backup linebacker Arthur Moats will sit out at least the first two weeks of the regular season while recovering from a right leg injury. … Offensive tackle Winston Justice, who sat out all of training camp and the preseason as he recovered from knee surgery in February, practiced with the Philadelphia Eagles for the first time.