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Associated Press sports writer Eddie Pells, citing an unnamed source, reported late Saturday night that Washington has joined have joined the handful of teams that have approached the Jacksonville Jaguars about trading for Mark Brunell. Pells' article confirmed a story first reported by ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli.

Pells' source, an individual close to the Jaguars who requested anonymity, said the Redskins might be willing to part with a draft pick to sign Brunell, thus avoiding a bidding war that could ensue if the veteran signal caller were released and put on the free-agent market.

Up until Saturday, Washington had not been mentioned as a potential suitor for Brunell's services but new head coach Joe Gibbs has expressed interest in seeking a veteran quarterback.

The 33-year-old Brunell still officially has a year left on his contract, but Jacksonville chose Byron Leftwich in the first round of last year's draft. The youngster subsequently earned "quarterback of the future" status after moving into the starting lineup early in the season.

According to Pasquarelli, parties to the negotiations were working this weekend to arrange a Monday meeting between Brunell and Gibbs. February is a no-trade period for the NFL, so any deal would have to be completed in March.

Pasquarelli went on to suggest that many of the principal parameters of the trade, which would officially end Brunell's nine-year tenure with the Jaguars, have been completed. Sources cautioned, however, there are some details on which the teams are still working.

It remains to be seen what the Jags will receive as the compensation for parting with a player who defined the quick success of the one-time expansion franchise. But Jaguars officials acknowledged privately last week that they have been offered a second-round draft pick for Brunell by an unspecified team.

Whatever the case, any trade is likely to be contingent upon Brunell agreeing to a new contract with the team that acquires him.

Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio told Pells several teams have shown interest in acquiring Brunell since it became known during the season that the Jaguars would be letting him go.

However, the coach went on to say: "I'd be shocked if there was anything imminent."

Asked if the team was now confident it could trade Brunell instead of releasing him with nothing in return, Del Rio said, "We're not confident of anything at this point.''

But, Del Rio added, "It's an encouraging situation.''

According to reports out of Miami earlier this weekend, the Dolphins were thought to be among Brunell's most ardent pursuers. And Brunell's agent, Leigh Steinberg, told Palm Beach Post staff writer Jamey Eisenberg on Friday that that the Dolphins have nearly everything his client will be looking for.

"If they're interested, that's the kind of team he wants to play for," Steinberg said. "It fits his criteria because they are so close to making a Super Bowl run. It's also a short plane ride to his hometown."

Oh yeah. ... It also looks very much like the Dolphins are ready to give up on current starter Jay Fiedler.

That's not the case in Washington, where the Redskins chose Patrick Ramsey in the first round of the draft two years ago. The Tulane standout started 11 games in 2003, completing 179 of 337 passes for 2,166 yards. He had 14 touchdown throws, nine interceptions and a passer rating of 75.8. Among the league's most sacked quarterbacks last season, Ramsey earned respect around the NFL for his toughness and grit and his potential is highly regarded.

And as Washington Times staffer Mark Zuckerman reminded readers early Sunday, to this point, Gibbs has spoken about Ramsey as though he will be his starting quarterback.

"Patrick, he wants to get going with football," Gibbs said Friday. "And right now, the staff's not ready to get going. So I'm kind of having to throw some cold water on him and say, 'Hey, calm down a little bit.' But I think he's very eager, and we're excited about getting a chance to work with him."

On the other hand, Ramsey is under contract through the 2006 season and his salaries and cap charges are not exorbitant, meaning Washington could retain him and allow Brunell, in part, to serve as his mentor.

Which might be a sticking point.

As Pasquarelli put it: "It is difficult to imagine Brunell agreeing to any deal to a team where he did not have assurances of at least competing for the starting job. Steinberg reiterated last week at the Super Bowl that Brunell still believes he can be a starter for several more seasons."

According to Steinberg, Brunell wants to avoid any team that invests a first-round pick in a quarterback this year. "I don't think Mark would want to step into a quarterback controversy," the agent explained. "The last thing a quarterback wants to do is step into a lame-duck situation."

Several other teams have been mentioned in connection with Brunell, including Dallas, San Diego and Tampa Bay.

Bottom line?

At this point, the only certainty surrounding Brunell seems to be his days as a Jaguar are over. The 11-year veteran, who led Jacksonville to a pair of AFC championship game appearances, sports a salary cap charge of $10.5 million for 2004. That includes a base salary of $6.5 million but, more important, a $2 million roster bonus due March 1.

According to Pasquarelli, Brunell probably would have to delay or forfeit the roster bonus because the moratorium on trades is not lifted until March 4.

By dealing Brunell, the team will absorb just a $2 million salary cap charge, for a prorated signing bonus share, and will recoup $8.5 million of cap room.

Brunell originally entered the NFL as a fifth-round choice of the Packers in the 1993 draft. After two seasons in Green Bay, where he appeared in just two games and logged only 27 pass attempts, Brunell was traded to Jacksonville in 1995 for third- and fifth-round draft choices. He assumed the Jaguars' starting job shortly into his tenure in Jacksonville and held that spot for eight seasons.

In the third game of the 2003 campaign, Brunell suffered an elbow injury, opening the door for Leftwich to supplant him. Brunell spent the rest of the season watching from the sidelines.

For his NFL career, he has completed 2,196 of 3,643 passes for 25,793 yards, with 144 touchdown passes, 86 interceptions and an 85.2 efficiency rating. In his three starts last season, he threw for 484 yards and had two touchdown passes and no interceptions.

In a semi-related item. ...

Florida Times-Union beat man Bart Hubbuch recently noted that team officials want Leftwich to lose weight and add muscle tone and upper-body definition. Del Rio believes a better-conditioned Leftwich will be quicker and more mobile.

Del Rio also wants Leftwich to work more closely with coordinator Bill Musgrave, and he shuffled his staff last month in order to facilitate the change. Del Rio moved Ken Anderson from quarterbacks coach to receivers coach and gave Musgrave the added duties of quarterbacks coach.

According to Hubbuch: "Del Rio wasn't pleased with Leftwich's development under Anderson in 2003. ..."

Also of interest. ...

Although Pro Football Weekly reported last Monday that Del Rio has privately expressed interest in acquiring veteran wideout Keyshawn Johnson, local reports indicate that's not likely to happen.

Johnson, who is expected to be released by the Buccaneers, served as a ballboy at USC while Del Rio played linebacker there. Jaguars vice president of player personnel James Harris also served as the Jets’ assistant general manager when New York drafted Johnson in 1996.

However, it appears owner Wayne Weaver has all but put the kibosh on any such deal.

In an article published Jan. 31, Times-Union columnist Gene Frennette wrote: "While it's not known if the Jaguars would have made Johnson a contract offer, they started a background check for the purpose of looking into that option. But as he promised when R. Jay Soward's character problems came back to haunt the franchise, Weaver will exercise his right to veto a move for any player with those kind of question marks."

Johnson was robbed at gunpoint last month and had a restraining order put on him this week for threatening an acquaintance of his ex-wife, and the Jaguars' interest obviously waned.

But as Frennette further noted, Weaver painted an inaccurate picture when questioned about Johnson in a local television interview broadcast on Jan. 28, in which he acted like the team never had interest.

Weaver said Johnson was "never on our radar screen." According to Frennette, the mercurial receiver was absolutely on the Jaguars' radar screen before further problems took him off it.