Carr seeking backup QB role with Giants

It didn't take David Carr long to regret his decision.

He had a good gig with the Giants. For two years he was the backup for Eli Manning. He made about a million bucks a season, and he wasn't getting beat up the way he was earlier in his career, when he was one of the most sacked quarterbacks in NFL history. But he still had that flicker in him, the desire to compete for and possibly win a starting job. It clearly wasn't going to happen with the Giants, not with Manning around. So Carr, 32, left as a free agent after the 2009 season and signed with the 49ers.

But when the team fired general manager Scot McCloughan, the man who brought Carr in, the promise of competing was pink-slipped as well. Carr spent last season on the roster of the 49ers -- a team that trains about two hours from his hometown of Fresno -- but he appeared in only one game even though the team was having an identity crisis at quarterback.

"That was probably the hardest year of my career," Carr said. "I was so excited to get out there and get a chance to compete. When I knew early on that that wasn't going to be the case, it was a frustrating year. We got through it and got back to some real football."

He came back to the Giants. Signed shortly after his release from San Francisco, Carr arrived at Giants camp as a backup who already knew the system, already knew the coaching staff, and already knew Manning. The two -- both former No. 1 overall picks -- had an easy relationship during their time together.

Monday night, when the Giants play the Bears in their second preseason game, Carr is expected to get a good share of the snaps in the second half. He'll replace Manning after he goes 25-30 plays with the starters.

"I'm excited to get some real reps, be out there with these young guys," Carr said. "It's exciting to be back out there."

Although Carr may not be competing for a starting job, he's certainly fighting for a roster spot. The Giants seemed comfortable with Sage Rosenfels as their backup, but when Carr became available they brought him in as a possible (i.e. cheaper) replacement. Rosenfels is due to earn $3 million in 2011.

Rosenfels played well in the first preseason game. But when selecting a backup quarterback, performance isn't the only thing that goes into the decision. "There is more to it," Tom Coughlin said. "Sage does holding [on kicks]. There are contributions to the meeting room. There are all kinds of stuff."

Carr said he doesn't know exactly what the Giants are looking for in those intangibles.

"I didn't expect to be here, they didn't expect to have me, so I guess we'll both kind of feel it out," he said. "They were super-excited. They were one of the first teams that called and they wanted to get me out here. I was pumped to come back. But as far as all that stuff goes, I don't know. I don't even know if they know."

He'll try to give it to them Monday night, though. Whatever it is.