WASHINGTON — Rookie quarterback Chase Daniel was busy chatting following a recent practice, so he didn't hear the footsteps from behind. In one quick motion, Colt Brennan reached out and slapped Daniel's helmet out of his hand. "Rookie!" said Brennan, who for the sake of accuracy, has all of one season under his belt.

"Hey!" said Daniel.

"I've never gotten to do that," Brennan said, as he tore off to the locker room. "It's my first time."

"Second year," conceded Daniel, his helmet on the ground. "Vet."

For the past two weeks, the pecking order among the four quarterbacks in Redskins' camp has been clear: Jason Campbell, the leader, the starter; Todd Collins, the reliable, experienced backup; Brennan, the young slinger, not quite ready for prime time; and Daniel, at least a Hail Mary or two from the 53-man roster.

But beginning with Thursday night's preseason opener at Baltimore, coaches will carefully scrutinize every snap, every huddle and every routine throw to see if a change in the depth chart is necessary.

Thursday's game means something different to each of the Redskins' quarterbacks. Campbell isn't expected to get much playing time, which means the other three will spend most of four quarters trying to impress coaches.

"Subconsciously, I realize that Thursday is the start of the next big test," said Brennan, a sixth-round draft pick in 2008 and record-setting signcaller from Hawaii. "I have all four preseason dates circled in my head. This is what I've been waiting for."

Zorn has spent the majority of every practice throughout camp shadowing the quarterbacks through drills, so he knows as well as anyone where each currently stands. While training camp has helped players learn the offense, Zorn is curious to see his quarterbacks execute it in a game situation.

He had said entering camp Collins was his backup, but Zorn left open the possibility someone else could win the job.

That's all the opening Brennan needed. He's been going through two-a-day practices these past two weeks determined to improve on last season, when he was designated the team's third-string quarterback for all 16 games. He has never taken a snap in a regular season game.

"I'm, like, galaxies better," said Brennan, who set 31 NCAA records while at Hawaii. "The understanding of the offense, my comfort level with the offense, the people around me. I'm so much more confident with everything."

He's also more comfortable with his body. Injury-free most of his life, Brennan had surgery on his hip before his rookie year and on afterward his knee. He's also added about 20 pounds since his senior year at Hawaii, at the behest of coaches.

Collins knows the value of the backup role better than most. During his career, he's been in training camps slated as the No. 1 quarterback, the No. 2 and the No. 3. He's always competed, though, like he's trying for the starting job.

"As I've learned over t he years, if they don't give you the opportunity to start, you still have to prepare the same. You're expectation should still be to play like a starter. Look what happened a couple of years ago, I had to go in there and play," said Collins, who took over for an injured Campbell late in 2008 and started in the Redskins' playoff loss at Seattle.

Perhaps complicating matters for Collins is the disparity in contracts. If Campbell wasn't able to start for some reason, the team might not be ready to turn the reins over to second-year Brennan.

But Collins turns 38 in November, and he's set to earn $1.9 million this season , the second year of a three-year contract. By comparison, Brennan is due to make $385,000 this season.

"There's guys making a lot more and guys making a lot less," Collins said. "I don't know where mine fits into the scheme of things, but I know if they feel like they need you, they'll keep you."

Still, the team will carry three quarterbacks this year, and it's not likely it would choose to start the year with two reserves who've never played a down in the regular season.