Beuerlein Puts On Some Old Clothes : Raiders: Former starting quarterback signs after his lost season and gets right back to work.

Steve Beuerlein dropped off the face of the Earth about a year ago this time, disappearing into the silence of a summer holdout that led to a September signing, under pressure, then a penance-serving season of lobbing scout-team Hail Marys.

For 18 weekends, counting playoffs, the former Raider starting quarterback, a proud man, was banished to civilian clothes as his team marched toward the AFC title game.

Beuerlein held a stiff upper lip throughout, knowing there was a price to be paid for crossing one’s owner. Former Notre Dame classmates would phone to tease Beuerlein about his selection of sideline wardrobe for televised games.

“I was making fashion statements,” said Beuerlein, speaking publicly about the 1990 season for the first time. “I was trying to keep people off guard. It was my inactive wear. I had people calling from the Midwest saying, ‘Hey, what was with that jacket you were wearing?’ ”

It was a lost, lonely season for Beuerlein, one he vowed never to repeat starting Monday, when he reported four days earlier than required, with Raider rookies, after signing a two-year contract worth in excess of $1 million.

A year later, all the stakes have changed. Last summer, Beuerlein was the incumbent starter looking to hold off a backup, Jay Schroeder. Now, Schroeder is entrenched as the starter, with first-round draft choice, Todd Marinovich, waiting on deck.

Beuerlein finds himself deep in the hole, looking for a chance to salvage his job, if not a career. A season on the scout squad turned his game to rust. He spent the year mimicking John Elway, or Steve DeBerg, for the benefit of the Raiders’ defense. Beuerlein hadn’t run the Raiders’ offense since the end of 1989 season until he stepped up under center at Monday’s practice as the lone Raider quarterback in camp.

Can Beuerlein regain his form?

“Time will tell,” Coach Art Shell said. “I don’t think he dropped back a step. He knows what we’re doing. But time will tell. I don’t think it’ll be too much of a problem. He understands our offense.”

Make no mistake, the stakes have changed.

“Jay is the No. 1 quarterback, no doubt about it,” Beuerlein said. “My goal is to prove myself as a backup and be ready to play if I get a chance.”

Beuerlein started seven games for the Raiders in 1989, leading the team with 1,677 yards passing and 13 touchdowns. Details are a bit sketchy, but he recalls this much about his game: “I know I’m a starting quarterback in this league. I know I can compete with anybody, given the chance to compete. That’s the way I have to feel.”

Beuerlein won’t go into details about 1990, except to express his obvious disappointment over a holdout that turned ugly. He says his intentions were honorable. Beuerlein earned $160,000 in 1989, a pittance for an NFL starter. Much acrimony and anger ensued, though, until Beuerlein finally agreed on a contract of $400,000. From there, he was escorted to his room in the Raiders’ doghouse.

“It was probably more frustrating than most people will ever comprehend,” he said. “Going from a starting quarterback to not even being able to suit up for a game. It’s very hard to deal with. People say I bought another year because I didn’t get beat up, but I’m a competitor, I want to play. That’s what I do. I play football.”

Beuerlein, 26, has time to turn things around. He doesn’t know what the Raiders have in store for him. He was mentioned in off-season trade speculation, most often involving the Dallas Cowboys.

“What am I going to do?” he asked. “Until something like that happens, I’m here and I’m fired up about it. I want to be successful here. The bottom line is to be productive, successful, whether for the purposes of being here or for the purposes of being traded. All I know is that I’m a Raider and I only know the Raider playbook.”

Although a five-year veteran, Beuerlein was asked by the Raiders to report with the rookies, meaning he would have to quickly resolve his contract differences.

At first, Beuerlein was angry, then realized it was to his benefit to report on time.

“I wanted everything to be on the table from Day 1,” he said. “I didn’t want people saying, ‘Oh yeah, Beuerlein’s holding out again.’ I’m here, I’m signed and I want to play football.”

Beuerlein said he’s not the type to look back and wonder what might have been.

“I don’t regret it,” he said of the holdout. “Things happen. When the decision was made last year, they were based on strong feelings that I was doing the right thing.”

Raider Notes

Second-round draft choice Nick Bell, a running back from Iowa, agreed to contract terms and is expected at practice today, said Coach Art Shell. First-round pick Todd Marinovich is the team’s only unsigned draft choice. The Raiders are at a slight disadvantage with Marinovich because they are the first team to open camp, and only four first-round draft choices are signed. “It’s valuable time he’s missing,” Shell said of Marinovich. “He needs all the reps he can get before Jay (Schroeder) and Vince (Evans) get in here (Friday).”

Shell, who often faced Lyle Alzado in practice when the two were Raider teammates, said he was never aware Alzado was using steroids. “I am just as naive as anyone about steroids,” Shell said. “I still don’t know what they are.” Alzado, who retired in 1985 and made a failed comeback last season, has attributed his bout with brain cancer to extensive steroid use. Shell, a perennial All-Pro tackle, said the decision to use steroids is one a player has to live with. “I never wanted to take anything I didn’t know anything about,” he said. “I figured if I couldn’t use what God gave me, it was time to get out of the game.” Shell of course has empathy for Alzado. “He’s still part of our family,” he said. “He played for us, so he’s still a part of our organization.”