When the Cleveland Browns signed quarterback Derek Anderson to a three-year deal with $14 million guaranteed, they were making a clear statement: Anderson is the starter. Anderson's contract pays him significantly more than the deal the Browns gave Brady Quinn last year, and the Browns wouldn't have agreed to that deal with Anderson if they didn't see Anderson as the starter.Unfortunately, Quinn hasn't gotten the message:
"We're both obviously good quarterbacks,'' Quinn said. "It puts us in a good position if anything were ever to happen. I'm just looking forward to the competition.''Just to clarify how wrong Quinn is, Browns General Manager Phil Savage says,
"When you sign a contract like we did with Derek, I don't think there's going to be an 'open competition','' Browns general manager Phil Savage said. "We go in with Derek as the lead horse. You don't sign a contract like that and say, 'hey, it's an open competition'.''Of course, Quinn put himself in this position by holding out last summer; if he had shown up to training camp on time he probably would have been ahead of Anderson on the depth chart, and when Charlie Frye got benched, Anderson wouldn't have had the opportunity to prove himself worthy of this deal. That's a lesson other rookies might want to learn.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Sounds like even Phil Savage is down with the Horse Balls nickname.
Posted at 4:40PM on Mar 1st 2008 by RobinFiveWords
2. I think you're making assumptions about both Brady Quinn's comment and Phil Savage's comment.
Quinn didn't say anything about an "open competition" in that quote. He said that they are both good quarterbacks and that it puts the team in a good position if anything should happen...
He goes on to say that he is "looking forward to the competition" but does not make any kind of a point about that competition leading to the starting job or it even being a competition with Anderson. It's a blanket statement about looking forward to "the competition"...
Also, what would you expect Brady Quinn to say?
"I'm glad they signed Anderson because I'm not very good and don't feel ready to be an NFL player yet"...??
This is what an athlete and a competitor says when he is posed with this scenario. I wouldn't expect anything less from Quinn, or from any competitor at this level for that matter.
As for Savage's comments, well, it's in his best interest to say exactly what he did. Of course he's not going to sign Derek Anderson to a 3-year 26-million dollar deal and then tell him to go compete with a second year player.
But do you honestly believe that anyone in the Browns coaching staff or management team is going to let Anderson take the field in the first game of the regular season if Brady Quinn has out-performed that player through training camp and the pre-season? Not just no, but hell no...
This is the same staff that yanked Charlie Frye after one game last year and then traded him. They are going to do what is in the best interest of the Browns and the best interest of winning.
This is assuming Derek Anderson is even still on the team come training camp. For all we know, Phil has another card up his sleeve and is about to trade Anderson to get back into the top two rounds of the draft and acquire a linebacker. We have no idea what his plans are, and if you really believe he is going to broadcast it to the football world, then you're probably not looking at the big picture.
Last but not least, your connection to Brady Quinn's holdout last year is absurd at best. It has nothing to do with what is happening right now at the quarterback position or what will happen come September.
With all that is going on with the Browns right now, it's pretty sad that this is the best you can come up with.
Posted at 4:46PM on Mar 1st 2008 by Grover
3. trade quinn let the young man start for some other team
Posted at 5:06PM on Mar 1st 2008 by pacowboy1990
4. Grover, I couldn't agree with you more.
I have to ask, Mr. Smith, did you actually watch the Browns play last year? Anderson did well at the start but the second half of the season he was average at best. He didn't prove himself worthy of too much. The proof is in the lack of offers and his quick return to the Browns fold hours after he entered free agency.
Posted at 6:08PM on Mar 1st 2008 by jaime
5. From the Plain Dealer ~ Sounds like he has a shot to me.......
Browns coach Romeo Crennel said he talked to Quinn about Anderson's re-signing and that Quinn will battle for the starting job like everyone else in camp.
"It's competitive," Crennel said. "We'll see who gives us the best chance. We've always done it that way and that's what we're going to do."
Posted at 9:12PM on Mar 1st 2008 by Holyschnikes