Posts tagged BradyQuinn at FanHouse

There's a tired old saying in the NFL: the most popular player in the stadium is the backup quarterback. And that certainly holds true for the Cleveland Browns, who traded back into the first round of the 2007 draft to save Brady Quinn further embarrassment as he fidgeted uncomfortably in the Aaron Rodgers Memorial Green Room.

Quinn would subsequently hold out, miss part of training camp, and it probably kept him from winning the starting gig. Instead, Charlie Frye's Browns career lasted roughly 15 minutes into the Week 1 Steelers game, and Derek Anderson would get his chance. As it turns out, he ran with it.

Almost a year later, Anderson is firmly entrenched as the starter, but a mild concussion against the Giants last week put him on the shelf for yesterday's Lions game. This would be Quinn's opportunity to prove he was a legit NFL starter.

If Browns fans wanted evidence that quarterback Brady Quinn is ready to start in the NFL, they'll have to wait.

In a little more than two quarters, Quinn played inconsistently, had his share of missed throws and could only drive the Browns to two field goals in his first pro start, a 26-6 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Saturday.

''I'm disappointed. I didn't throw as well as I liked today and it didn't go as well as I would have liked,'' he said. ''My role is to jump in and make it as if nothing's changed. That's something I'm going to have to do a better job of as this year goes along.''

After a rough start to the preseason, the Cowboys will need all the help they can get to make it to the Super Bowl, their preordained fate (such assumptions make the Giants very, very angry, by the way). Well, some good news on that front: their Week 1 opponent, the Browns, could be without one of their best players.

Returner specialist/receiver Joshua Cribbs suffered a high-ankle sprain during the Monday night thrashing three-point loss (thanks for keeping it close, fourth-stringers!) and he's likely out for the rest of the preseason and could miss the start of the regular season, too.

Well, at least according to Dallas Morning News writer/blogger/not-a-doctor Tim MacMahon. The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting only that Cribbs will miss the final two games of the preseason, but MacMahon, an expert in the field of rolling one's ankles, offers his insight:

The story states that Cribbs could sit out the final two preseason games. I'm no doctor, but I do consider myself somewhat of an expert in high ankle sprain recovery times after covering the comebacks of Anthony Henry, Terrell Owens and Dirk Nowitzki from that dreaded injury during the last year.

A high ankle sprain typically sidelines athletes from 4-6 weeks. T.O. and Dirk came back quicker than that, but neither was close to 100 percent upon their return.

We're not even halfway through tonight's Browns-Giants game and Cleveland fans are already looking forward to the 2009 season. With 8:48 left in the second half, the Browns are trailing the defending world champs 30-3. And, really, it hasn't even been that close.

After an opening drive that resulted in a Phil Dawson field goal, the Browns have looked like, well, the Browns anytime prior to last season. Since taking the 3-0 lead, Cleveland has given up three touchdowns in four New York possessions, had a punt blocked for a safety, and the subsequent kick resulted in another touchdown. Great start to '08

But it gets worse: starting quarterback Derek Anderson, looking more like the guy the Ravens put on the practice squad in 2005 than a Pro Bowler, was 4 of 10 for 20 yards before taking a vicious sack that promptly led to him leaving the game.

The Monday Night Football crew speculated that Anderson had suffered a concussion, but I'm guessing he was just tired of taking a beating. Either way, it's BRADY QUINN TIME! Which, shockingly, has been something of a letdown. Through two drives, he's 0 for 1 with -1 yards rushing.

Next stop: Super Bowl!

In less depressing news, Donte' Stallworth didn't maim Braylon Edwards tonight.

Training camps are underway, the NFL season is right around the corner, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Quarterback: A year ago at this time,Charlie Frye was the man. That lasted about 10 minutes into the Week 1 Steelers game before Derek Anderson came on in relief, and, well, you saw how things turned out. Anderson led Cleveland to 10 wins, and made the Pro Bowl, but faces pressure to exceed last year's surprising performance. I think he'll be fine, but if he falters, Brady Quinn will be eagerly awaiting his shot. Heat Index: 7

Running backs: Jamal Lewis was left for dead, at least in the professional sense, when the Ravens decided to "move in another direction" last offseason. Lewis signed a short-term deal with the Browns and proceeded to rush for more than 1,300 yards. He now has a new contract and will run behind one of the most underrated o-lines in the AFC. Heat Index: 7

Receivers: Prior to Donte' Stallworth putting out a hit on No. 1 wide receiver Braylon Edwards, these were some of the best pass-catchers in the conference. Actually, Edwards should be fine, and even with Joe Jurevicius on the mend, it's a talented group of big-play threats. And although he listed as a tight end on the depth chart, Kellen Winslow in No. 1A after Edwards. Heat Index: 9

There were plenty of jobs up for grabs heading into Browns' training camp, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. One starting gig that was basically written in stone was the No. 1 wideout, currently occupied by one of the AFC's best young players, Braylon Edwards.

Cleveland signed Dante' Stallworth this offseason to be the No. 2 guy, but with Joe Jurevicius on the shelf, the team also is in the market for a slot receiver. Whatever, it looks like Stallworth, even if just temporarily, is the team's new top wideout. And it's all because of his on-field effort. Sort of.

Browns receiver Braylon Edwards was hospitalized Saturday night after having a gash in his right foot repaired with stitches.

Edwards suffered the cut on his foot when he was running lightly in his socks during a special teams period Saturday afternoon with some other receivers. According to a photographer who was shooting the session, Edwards and fellow receiver Donte Stallworth were vying for the lead when Stallworth's cleat gashed Edwards' right heel.

In related news, Brady Quinn was seen sharpening up his cleats and challenging Derek Anderson to a foot race.

Romeo Crennel thinks Edwards will be released from the hospital today, but didn't say when the former first-round pick would return to the team. The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot writes that a team official doesn't deem the injury serious, and that Edwards will be back in action when the stitches are removed, probably sometime after the team's second preseason game on Aug. 18.

Hat tip: PFT

In case you've been out of the country for the last 15 months, Ted Ginn, the Dolphins 2007 first-round pick (and ninth overall), was pretty much set up to fail from the moment Roger Goodell called his name. You see, Miami was in desperate need of a quarterback, and instead of taking Brady Quinn, who was just getting comfortable for an extremely long day in the Aaron Rodgers Memorial Green Room, the front office went with Ginn.

The thinking was that not only would the Ohio State star address the deep-speed-at-wideout concerns, he would also contribute immediately as a returner. Ginn's rookie season is probably best described as disappointing, but, frankly, it's hard to tell much when the team could muster just one win in 16 tries.

Whatever, Ginn isn't concerned about the past, is only looking forward, and other way-too-obvious cliches:

"I can't worry about people saying things because of where I was picked," Ginn said. "It didn't bother me. I just have to do the things I know I need to do to get better." ... "Now I'm more comfortable with the offense. I'm not thinking as much. And I am playing faster."

See, told ya.

Ginn says things are "coming together for me," which hopefully means big things in '08 Having the Dolphins settle on a quarterback would be a great start, but whatever happens this season, I don't think it's inconceivable that Ginn ends up having a better NFL career than Quinn. I mean, at least Ginn can get on the field, which is only a reality for Quinn in the preseason.

I suspect most of us gave up on the likelihood of a Derek Anderson-Brady Quinn training camp showdown, primarily because general manager Phil Savage proclaimed Anderson the starter a few months ago right after extending his contract.

Quinn's rocky camp start doesn't help his cause, either. It's been a week, and the team's other 2007 first-round pick is still strugglin'.

Big training camp crowds have seen it, and after this morning's practice, Cleveland Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel admitted it. "He hasn't been as smooth as I think he wants to be," Crennel said.

Good news, though: Quinn says he might be finding himself, so there's that to look forward to.As for Anderson, Crennel likes what he sees: "I'm pleased so far, but he's got things he needs to do to improve also," Crennel said. "He's not as smooth as he needs to be."

Hardly earth-shattering stuff, but certainly better than hearing, "yeah, he's so bad Ken Dorsey looks like a legit NFL quarterback by comparison." For Anderson, it's all about getting more accurate with his short passes and tightening up his footwork, two things that plagued him down the stretch last season.

But assuming he resumes his '07 form, the Browns won't have any trouble scoring points. The issue, as always, will be the defenses ability to get off the field sometime before the opponent crosses the goal line.

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
Proud employers of Brady Quinn. Seeing as how savvy he likely is with the clipboard, there's not really much reason to take it away from him in 2008, right? I mean, Derek Anderson has a ton of weapons, led by the explosive Braylon Edwards and "tha soldiah" Kellen Winslow. Yeah, it's safe to say that Quinn's job as the visor-wearer is safe.

The Breakout
We've been down this path with Donte' Stallworth before. Several times. Still, I'm going to take the plunge again and say that this time Stallworth is going to have his much-awaited breakout season. Why am I stupid enough to say it again in 2008? Well, he just has too much talent to not eventually surpass his career highs (70 catches, 945 yards, and 8 TDs) ... assuming he plays in a capable passing offense. He did each of the last two years and regressed. I don't have an explanation as to why it's going to be different, except that I have a gut feeling the defenses will key enough on Winslow and Edwards, and that he'll shake free enough times for the huge breakout campaign. I'll predict a career high in catches and yards.

Pro Football Weekly's Dan Arkush is not a patient man. He's gone through the painstaking effort of identifying the decades most high-profile busts, and in looking strictly at the ninth-overall draft picks, he decides that Ted Ginn is the winner (or loser, depending on your perspective).

Yep, Ted Ginn, the guy who's been in the league all of one season, played on arguably the worst team of the decade and had Trent Green, Cleo Lemon and John Beck throwing passes in his general vicinity.

It's worth pointing out that Koren Robinson (2001) and Reggie Williams (2004) were also in the running, but somehow Ginn was deemed a bigger bust. Oddly, Arkush admits that "the verdict is definitely still out on Ginn," but calls him a bust anyway because "draft experts far and wide continue to question the wisdom of his selection in last year's draft over Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn."

Really? Draft experts, show yourselves! Look, I admit to being puzzled by the choice of Ginn over Quinn on draft day, but I'm over it. And as soon as Quinn can beat out a former sixth-rounder cut by the team that drafted him, maybe I'll reconsider.

Arkush also concedes that Robinson merited consideration bout "he had his moments during his time in Seattle..." and for Williams, "it appears the light might have finally gone on for him last season."

The Palm Beach Post's Tim Graham writes that Arkush's reasoning "is sound." If "sound" means "flimsy," then, hell yeah. Otherwise, why don't we wait for Ginn to actually get a chance to prove himself before we say he's worse than Robinson or Williams. Or Quinn for that matter.

Well, this is great news: the Orange and Brown Report's Brent Sobleski writes that Cleveland's second-year cornerback Eric Wright had an outstanding minicamp ($):

Wright was arguably the best player on the field throughout the mandatory mini-camp. The second year cornerback got his hands on plenty of balls and was a consistent presence in the secondary.

Given the Browns' recent injury woes at the position, Wright's going to have play at a pretty high level, particularly since the defense is the primary reason the team didn't make the postseason last year.

Actually, the starters are set (sorta): barring a trade, Brandon McDonald, the guy tasked with filling the enormous void left when Daven Holley was lost for the year with a knee injury, will join Wright at cornerback. And some combination of Sean Jones, Brodney Pool and Gary Baxter will man the safety spots.

The problem, though, is depth.

The quarterback position is solidified, at starter and backup, but the news out of minicamp is less encouraging:

Ken Dorsey is currently the Browns' most consistently accurate quarterback on the roster. Unfortunately for the team, the Miami product is entrenched as the third-string quarterback and his trait does not appear to be rubbing off on the team's first or second choice at the position.

Well, common sense dictates that Romeo Crennel should name Dorsey as the starter. Okay, that's a tad reactionary, and it's June; there's plenty of time to work out the kinks. Derek Anderson did struggle with accuracy last season, but it's going to take more than a few early-season interceptions to see Dorsey on the field. Brady Quinn, however, could be a different story.