At 0-9, Dolphins turn to rookie Beck at quarterback

DAVIE, Fla. -- The winless Miami Dolphins have decided to find out whether rookie John Beck is their quarterback of the future.

Beck will make his NFL debut when he starts Sunday at Philadelphia, replacing Cleo Lemon. Barring injury, the plan is to start Beck in the final seven games, coach Cam Cameron said Wednesday.

"When we haven't won a game, you make a change," Cameron said. "John has made tremendous progress in the last month. The timing is right."

Beck, a second-round draft pick from BYU, will become the 12th quarterback to start for the Dolphins since Dan Marino retired following the 1999 season. He'll be the third starter at QB this season for winless Miami, following Trent Green and Lemon.

Green started the first five games but went on injured reserve Oct. 20 following his second severe concussion in 13 months. Cameron decided to promote Beck after the Dolphins lost the past five games with Lemon as the quarterback.

The Dolphins are only the seventh team to start 0-9 since 1990.

Beck was the first quarterback drafted in the first or second round by the Dolphins since Marino. Giving him a tryout now will help them decide whether they need to acquire a quarterback in 2008, but Cameron said that wasn't a factor in Beck's promotion.

"He has earned the right to play," Cameron said. "It's not about next year. It's about doing everything we can to win this year."

Beck took more than 80 percent of the snaps in practice Wednesday, Cameron said.