Cleveland Browns QB situation.

[The Cusack]

Derek Anderson gets released and lashes out at the fans for booing him when he was injured, Brady Quinn looks like he's finally going to be the undisputed starter because of Anderson's release until they sign Jake Delhomme and tell him that he will get a chance to win the starting job and they also sign Seneca Wallace which implies that they're serious about Jake getting a chance to start. I'm no NFL front office executive but I should be if people are getting paid real money to make decisions like these.

First let's look at the departed Derek Anderson. He's been the most successful quarterback the Browns have had, depending on how you feel about Kelly Holcomb. He was brought in as a free agent from the Ravens to be a back up but eventually played well enough to be the starter. He played well in Cleveland despite having a wide receiver in Braylon Edwards who's skill set was better suited for volleyball since the ball seems to bounce off of his hands so easily as his presumed #1 target. Even so, it seems like the Browns fans and organization didn't like him. Fans cheered when he got injured in 2008. Why was Derek Anderson not accepted as the starting QB despite playing well with a team that just wasn't very good and has had a high turnover of coaching staff members? Was it because they wanted Brady Quinn to start?

Which brings me to Quinn. Here's another Ohio area born QB drafted by the Browns in hopes of being a long term franchise quarterback much like Bernie Kosar and Tim Couch was supposed to be, though he's actually from Hyden, KY. Brady Quinn was supposed to be the golden child of the Cleveland Browns but has struggled to win the job from Derek Anderson since he was drafted in 2007. With Quinn showing flashes of brilliance last year and Anderson being removed from contention via his release, why wouldn't the Browns organization finally give Quinn the chance to be the undisputed starter? He's young enough and talented enough, the team is in a position to grow and progress with him at the helm and it is what the fans want which seems to be important to the organization.

Seneca Wallace has been brought in to back up Quinn. Seneca Wallace was a back up QB for Seattle under Mike Holmgren. Now that Holmgren is with the Browns he's bringing Wallace in much the same way that he brought Matt Hasselbeck with him when Holmgren went from Green Bay to Seattle. Hasselbeck was drafted by Holmgren while in Green Bay to be a back up and brought in to Seattle to be a starter. Wallace was drafted by Holmgren for Seattle to be a back up and is now being brought into Cleveland to be......????

Now that Quinn and Wallace have been brought in it appears that the Browns have a solid #1 and #2 QB depending on how much of a chance Wallace would be given to start and how he performed with his opportunity. So why bring in Jake Delhomme with the understanding that he'll be given a chance to start? Delhomme has proven that his arm is no longer suitable to play QB in the NFL. Is he really going to get a chance to start? He's still a smart player and can be the veteran back up that Brady Quinn has needed in order to learn from in order become a great starting QB in the NFL and that's why I think Jake was brought in. However, with with Wallace being brought in as well it really seems like the Browns really are looking at Delhomme, Quinn and Wallace as the potential starter.

Why? I personally think that Seneca Wallace is a career back up, Jake Delhomme is physically unable to be a starter anymore and the one time heir apparent Quinn has never been given a real chance to be the starter. Why not just name Quinn the starter, give him the time he needs to work with the first team and have either Delhomme or Wallace as the back up? Why have all three? Certainly the depth at QB is impressive compared to other teams but with the team needing to address other areas. It seems like the Browns are either just throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks or they really have no direction at the quarterback position. Furthermore, all three QBs play a different style. There will be no consistency in the offense if/when one QB is replaced by another.

Ultimately I imagine that Quinn will be the starter, but how much of a chance will he be given to make mistakes and finally learn the position? I believe that Seneca Wallace will end up resuming his role in Seattle as a solid #2 guy who plays when they run gimmick plays. Delhomme will be the back up who's only there for Quinn to learn from. This combination may work for them ultimately but if they really are going to give either Wallace or Delhomme a real opportunity to start, how does this help Quinn? He's been pushed by Anderson for years but without any veteran QB to learn from and that has probably hurt him as much as it's helped.

The bottom line to me is if they don't believe in Brady Quinn enough to be the starter, they should replace him with another QB that has the potential to be a long term starter instead of bringing in two guys over 30 that can no longer be considered potential long term starters. And why not keep Anderson instead of Quinn? What are the Browns thinking?

[Tymaster]

You're preaching to the choir here my man. I'm already questioning Holmgren's "guru czar" status. Lerner (who knows NOTHING about NFL football) has given Holmgren carte blanche.
The offense is a work in progress, so why throw a 35 year old in there to get beat up? Why not give Quinn one entire season to prove if he's the man, or if he's not. Quinn was/has not been given a fair shot at all. In the beginning that was Quinns own fault. He fell out of favor with Crennel early by holding out and missing most of his rookie training camp. Romeo seemed to refer to "the kid" with disdain. However, when Charlie had a game one melt down and was shipped off to Seattle, Quinn was annointed back up, and looked pretty good in the season finale against San Francisco (I know, I was there.) However, Anderson had a Pro Bowl season, and out of loyalty Romeo probably stuck with Anderson too long in 2008. By the time Quinn was brought in the season was all but over. However Quinn looked good against Buffalo and Denver, but then was placed on the IR. Crennell declared "the kid" the starter for 2009, but was fired for Mangina. Mangina made Quinn and DA split snaps 50/50, and then Quinn was benched three games into this abysmal season. He eventually gained the job back, but again was placed on IR. Most of us in Brownstown feel he deserves a FULL season. I don't see where Wallace and Delhomme is a great jump in QB talent. I don't give a shit that Holmgren "groomed" Steve Young and Brett Favre. It's 2010.

[KillDevilHill]

Wallace is your man, trust me.

[The Cusack]

Charlie Frye's departure is a good example too. The guy had a bad game to open the season and then he's gone? I know there has to be more to the story than that. Crennel just cuts the guy after one game after naming him the starter and presumed leader of the team?

Derek Anderson and Kelly Holcomb have been the most successful QBs the Browns have had since they came back into the league and both have been successful despite the wishes of the team, the fans and the talent around them.

Al Lerner may not be a football guy but damn, anyone who's watched the NFL for a few years or has run a business knows that stability at the leadership positions are a crucial part of being successful. I'm surprised Lerner didn't at least learn that from Dwight Clark, who played with the same QB (Joe Montana) and same coach (Bill Walsh) for most of his career and won a game or two with that formula.

[bigbuttskinner]

RANDY Lerner now owns the team; Al was his father who is now deceased.

Anyway, Brady has been traded to Denver. As of this moment, I would say Wallace will be the starter. He doesn't turn the ball over much, in his brief playing time. The Browns will be alright.

[The Cusack]

RANDY Lerner now owns the team; Al was his father who is now deceased.

Anyway, Brady has been traded to Denver. As of this moment, I would say Wallace will be the starter. He doesn't turn the ball over much, in his brief playing time. The Browns will be alright.

You're right, it is Randy Lerner. I totally forgot. Brady Quinn got traded to Denver? Really? So it's gonna be Seneca Wallace vs Jake Delhomme for the starting job? I was assume that Wallace will be the starter as well since this follows the same formula that Holmgren used in Seattle by bringing Hasselbeck from Green Bay and making him the starter.

[UtahRatt]

Wallace is your man, trust me.

That's who I'd bank on, I've always felt Seneca was going to be a quality starter one day.

[Tymaster]

Charlie Frye's departure is a good example too. The guy had a bad game to open the season and then he's gone? I know there has to be more to the story than that. Crennel just cuts the guy after one game after naming him the starter and presumed leader of the team?

Derek Anderson and Kelly Holcomb have been the most successful QBs the Browns have had since they came back into the league and both have been successful despite the wishes of the team, the fans and the talent around them.

Al Lerner may not be a football guy but damn, anyone who's watched the NFL for a few years or has run a business knows that stability at the leadership positions are a crucial part of being successful. I'm surprised Lerner didn't at least learn that from Dwight Clark, who played with the same QB (Joe Montana) and same coach (Bill Walsh) for most of his career and won a game or two with that formula.

Charlie Frye had to go. The team wanted to bring Dorsey back in to mentor Quinn. We (Cleveland fans) wanted Charlie to succeed, but he's just not NFL material. Frye should've been cut that off season. We went 10-6 that season, so that move was a good one. If it weren't for Sorgi and the Colts we would've been in the playoffs that year.

[The Cusack]

Charlie Frye's departure is a good example too. The guy had a bad game to open the season and then he's gone? I know there has to be more to the story than that. Crennel just cuts the guy after one game after naming him the starter and presumed leader of the team?

Derek Anderson and Kelly Holcomb have been the most successful QBs the Browns have had since they came back into the league and both have been successful despite the wishes of the team, the fans and the talent around them.

Al Lerner may not be a football guy but damn, anyone who's watched the NFL for a few years or has run a business knows that stability at the leadership positions are a crucial part of being successful. I'm surprised Lerner didn't at least learn that from Dwight Clark, who played with the same QB (Joe Montana) and same coach (Bill Walsh) for most of his career and won a game or two with that formula.

Charlie Frye had to go. The team wanted to bring Dorsey back in to mentor Quinn. We (Cleveland fans) wanted Charlie to succeed, but he's just not NFL material. Frye should've been cut that off season. We went 10-6 that season, so that move was a good one. If it weren't for Sorgi and the Colts we would've been in the playoffs that year.

Dorsey would have been the wrong guy for that. He hadn't won shit in the NFL and very, very few quarterbacks can pull off the mentoring position without having been a winner in the league at one point or another.

Back to Frye, how does one go from "should have been cut" to opening day starter and then actually getting cut in the NFL? The team is a mess. Maybe Holmgren can grab the reigns and turn the team in the right direction for more than a season.

What about Mangini? He doesn't seem like Mike Holmgren's first choice for a head coach but Mangini seemed to have the team starting to play better towards season's end with Quinn at the helm. However with the Quinn out out and Wallace and Delhomme in, it's obvious that stability isn't a high priority so why keep Mangini? It seems like Holmgren wants put his own people in place but Mangini doesn't seem he's Holmgren's boy.

[Tymaster]

Charlie Frye's departure is a good example too. The guy had a bad game to open the season and then he's gone? I know there has to be more to the story than that. Crennel just cuts the guy after one game after naming him the starter and presumed leader of the team?

Derek Anderson and Kelly Holcomb have been the most successful QBs the Browns have had since they came back into the league and both have been successful despite the wishes of the team, the fans and the talent around them.

Al Lerner may not be a football guy but damn, anyone who's watched the NFL for a few years or has run a business knows that stability at the leadership positions are a crucial part of being successful. I'm surprised Lerner didn't at least learn that from Dwight Clark, who played with the same QB (Joe Montana) and same coach (Bill Walsh) for most of his career and won a game or two with that formula.

Charlie Frye had to go. The team wanted to bring Dorsey back in to mentor Quinn. We (Cleveland fans) wanted Charlie to succeed, but he's just not NFL material. Frye should've been cut that off season. We went 10-6 that season, so that move was a good one. If it weren't for Sorgi and the Colts we would've been in the playoffs that year.

Dorsey would have been the wrong guy for that. He hadn't won shit in the NFL and very, very few quarterbacks can pull off the mentoring position without having been a winner in the league at one point or another.

Back to Frye, how does one go from "should have been cut" to opening day starter and then actually getting cut in the NFL? The team is a mess. Maybe Holmgren can grab the reigns and turn the team in the right direction for more than a season.

What about Mangini? He doesn't seem like Mike Holmgren's first choice for a head coach but Mangini seemed to have the team starting to play better towards season's end with Quinn at the helm. However with the Quinn out out and Wallace and Delhomme in, it's obvious that stability isn't a high priority so why keep Mangini? It seems like Holmgren wants put his own people in place but Mangini doesn't seem he's Holmgren's boy.

Dorsey had a great football mind, that's what they wanted. They also wanted to avoid any further Frye vs. DA controversy. I'll argue that til I'm blue in the face. Also, Dorsey knew he was never gonna start, so he was more than happy to show BQ how to watch film and learn from the sidelines. DA and Frye were not gonna befriend someone who they knew was a threat to their job.
Do I think Mangini is Holmgren's guy? I dunno. I think he is on a very short leash. If they start this season like last years, look for Mangini to be shown the door and Rob Ryan to get a promotion ASAP.
Delhomme is penciled in as the starter as of now (that's the word here in Ohio), but I don't see how a 35 year old not known for his scrambling ability is gonna survive. Half the o-line is useless, and none of the receiving corps have shown anything. We did improve the TE position drastically, and I do like our running game.
Time will tell. We've had two winning seasons since rejoining the league and one playoff appearance, I'm ready for consistency. I hope Holmgren can bring it, but it's certainly not a guarantee.

[The Cusack]

Unless they improve that O-Line I can't see how they'd start Delhomme over Wallace. Wallace is healthier and can run. I also wonder though, with the situation at WR, if Seneca Wallace won't end up playing WR sometimes. Josh Cribbs also needs to be worked into the passing game.

[bigpaparob74]

Who Cares...the Browns will still be the bottomfeeders of the AFC North.

They can release, trade and sign whatever QBs they want, they'll still suck...they're the Browns.

[The Cusack]

I'm a Steelers fan so I'm always interested in what's going on around the AFC North.

[SkyDog112046]

Anderson went to the Cardinals. He will probably end up starting over Leinart a couple of games into the season once he learns the system.

[bigbuttskinner]

Anderson went to the Cardinals. He will probably end up starting over Leinart a couple of games into the season once he learns the system.

I think Arizona will flip flop between the two. Leinart for 3 games, Anderson for 4, back to Leinart, etc. Hopefully, for the Cardinals sake, they don't do this, but that's what I think will happen. Neither right now are qualified to run the team.

[Heenan Snuka]

DelHomme should and will be the starter...a change of scenery will do him good...he's only a year removed from a great year

Wallace is the perfect backup...he is not a long-term starter...too much of a dink and dunk, play it safe QB...

[Tymaster]

DelHomme should and will be the starter...a change of scenery will do him good...he's only a year removed from a great year

Wallace is the perfect backup...he is not a long-term starter...too much of a dink and dunk, play it safe QB...

I'm digging the idea of Dellhome, Wallace, and Cribbs all lining up in the backfield. Defenses will be befuddled...

[The Cusack]

Defenses will be befuddled...

As will the offense.

[Tenacious_Dio]

DelHomme should and will be the starter...a change of scenery will do him good...he's only a year removed from a great year

Um, no. Jake didn't have a great year in 2008. 15 TD's, 12 INT's, not including his Arizona meltdown. Good enough, but not great. That offense was powered by DeAngelo Williams & Jonathan Stewart. I also think that Jake will struggle with a West Coast Offense. He's not a quick decision maker or an accurate passer.

[Tymaster]

Defenses will be befuddled...

As will the offense.

I think Brian Daboll and Eric Mangini are on a much shorter leash than Mikey will publicly admit. If the Browns come out of the gate the way they did last season, look for those two get pink slips. Then one of two things will happen: Holmgren will coach the remainder of the season and bring in John Fox the next year, or Holmgren will just hand the team to Rob Ryan and hire his own OC. Ryan is the lone bright spot on the current Browns coaching staff IMHO.

[The Cusack]

Defenses will be befuddled...

As will the offense.

I think Brian Daboll and Eric Mangini are on a much shorter leash than Mikey will publicly admit. If the Browns come out of the gate the way they did last season, look for those two get pink slips. Then one of two things will happen: Holmgren will coach the remainder of the season and bring in John Fox the next year, or Holmgren will just hand the team to Rob Ryan and hire his own OC. Ryan is the lone bright spot on the current Browns coaching staff IMHO.

I think Matt Moore is going to secure John Fox's job in Carolina. The organization really likes John Fox and if he puts a winner on the field again in '10 then he'll either get an extension or a new deal altogether.

That being said, I don't think he's a good fit for Cleveland. They need an offensive minded coach like Mike Shanahan or like Bill Belichek was supposed to be when he came to Baltimore. In fact Belicheck might be a good fit for the Browns if Mangini doesn't pan out next season.