ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Redskins are bringing back Danny Wuerffel as a backup quarterback, giving coach Steve Spurrier some familiar insurance after a rough week of practice for projected No. 2 Rob Johnson.

"We needed a player in here who certainly knows our system,'' Spurrier said following Sunday's practice.

Wuerffel will compete with Johnson for the No. 2 spot, and both will probably make the regular-season roster. Seventh-round draft pick Gibran Hamdan drops to No. 4 on the depth chart and could be a practice squad candidate.

Rookie Brad Banks, the Heisman trophy runner-up from Iowa, was released to make room for Wuerffel.

Johnson, signed as a free agent from Tampa Bay to back up Patrick Ramsey, has struggled during training camp trying to master Spurrier's offense. Johnson completed just 2 of 6 passes for 7 yards Saturday during an intrasquad scrimmage.

Wuerffel, who played for Spurrier at Florida and won the Heisman Trophy in 1996, was one of three quarterbacks who started for the Redskins a year ago. He lost the starting job twice because of injury, finishing the season with four starts and two relief appearances. He completed 58 of 92 passes for 719 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions.

Wuerffel's return is an about face for Spurrier, who has rid himself of nearly all the Florida players he signed a year ago after admitting they didn't work out as well as he'd hoped.

Wuerffel, who has just 10 starts in a six-year career with four teams, will arrive for practice Monday. He had been planning a trip to Seattle to audition for the Seahawks when Spurrier called.

"We were sitting around here thinking we needed more experience,'' Spurrier said. "We had two rookies and Rob Johnson and Patrick. This gives us a little more depth. Danny knows his position. He knows he's not competing for No. 1.''

In other Redskins news, owner Dan Snyder spoke several times Sunday with the agent for unrestricted free-agent tight end Wesley Walls, who is expected to make a decision on his future in the next day or two, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reported..

Walls appears to have narrowed his options to the Redskins and the Green Bay Packers.

Walls, 37, visited both teams last week. He is close friends with Packers quarterback Brett Favre, but the Redskins are believed to be offering him more money on a one-year deal.

The 14-year veteran, who played the past seven seasons with the Carolina Panthers before being released early this spring, has 430 career receptions for 5,069 yards and 53 touchdowns. Both teams pursuing him feel that Walls can still be an effective "red zone" receiver.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.