The Cleveland Browns have given every indication that they are about rebuilding, and doing it the correct way, through the draft. In the pursuit of more draft choices, it appears the team was involved in rumors regarding Denver’s trade of Jay Cutler with the Browns presumably giving up Brady Quinn to Denver in exchange for these picks.
I’m very confused by this.
First off, if the Browns are going to give up Quinn in a deal, they should have been trying to get Cutler, a Pro Bowl quarterback last season, in return. That’s the only way I would give up the former Notre Dame signal caller in return.
Can Eric Mangini and George Kokinis really watch films of Derek Anderson’s performance last season and deal off Quinn for draft picks, thus handing the starting quarterback job to Anderson? DA was frighteningly inconsistent in 2008, and maybe he is better than Quinn, however, he should have to prove it in actual games before trading Brady Quinn.
It’s not worth picking up extra draft picks for Quinn, while leaving Derek Anderson as the starter. As much as I agree with building through the draft, Anderson needs to prove he can play up to his level of 2007 before you leave the cupboard bare behind him.
As good as Anderson was in the 10-6 season of ’07, he was equally awful last year. He arguably should have been benched as early as the third game of the season against Cincinnati, and he saved his job again with a spectacular performance against the Giants on Monday night. Remember too, that he really didn’t play well down the stretch the prior season either.
If the Browns weren’t going to get Cutler in a deal, and I think they were only involved as a conduit to get Denver a replacement for Cutler, then Quinn shouldn’t have been the bait.
I understand that the reason the front office and coaching staff is being non-committal on the starting quarterback is to enhance the trade value of each. However, even though Quinn hasn’t seen that much playing time, it’s hard to imagine what Mangini sees in Derek Anderson to be willing to deal Brady Quinn. Anderson was one of the worst passers in the league during the first half of last season.
If the management doesn’t like either QB currently on the roster, then they blew it by not dealing for Cutler. However, based on what the Bears gave up to get him, the price was too rich for the Browns’ blood. But, it does concern me that the Mangini doesn’t seem to want to take a look at Brady Quinn. His performance at Notre Dame and in two of his three starts last year merit a longer look.
JD
Cleveland Sports Perspective 
Brady Quinn deserves a full season to prove what he can do. The talent around him will not be as good as it was last year "obviously" with the losses of Kellen Winslow Jr. , Dante Stallworth and possibly Braylon Edwards but there is no better guy than Brady Quinn "at this time" to lead this struggling franchise; not in free agency, through trade or the draft. He may not have the strongest arm or the best pocket presence but the guy has work ethic and he "wants" to be in Cleveland. Eric Mangini would not be making a mistake by giving Brady Quinn a chance to make or break himself.