Desperation Alley
As training camp winds down, the pressure turns on. Players either have to
perform or face the Grim Reaper. The same type of pressure seeps into the souls
of the coaches, as making tough decisions can wear on these far from ordinary
individuals.
For a team coming off a disastrous 4-12 season, any semblance of hope should
be a welcome sight. Rather than dwelling on the failure of past seasons, the
2007 version of the Browns should be a portrait of progress and stability.
Until you look at the quarterback situation.
Then you can suddenly forget the inspiring, confident words of inspiration
we've heard this off-season. Hope springs eternal, I guess, but the Magic Bus
left Cleveland a long time ago and hasn’t been seen since.
Who is kidding who here? Derek Anderson and Charlie Frye are not the future
of the Cleveland Browns. Both players have been on an extended audition since
last season. The results have been mixed, mostly negative.
Not taking anything away from these two hard working athletes, but neither
player looks like the guy this year or beyond. Cleveland, team and fans alike,
seek a light in the darkness - a leader who shows emotion and character.
It's a difficult situation for both. Perhaps if this organization had a lot
of success and stability in the recent past, Anderson and Frye would be
sufficient. But it hasn't, and they're not.
The attention is focused. This is Cleveland. These are the Browns. Not since
Bernie Kosar walked on the field, replacing an injured Gary Danielson in the
1985 season, have the fans anticipated the arrival of a player that could fill
the huge void at quarterback.
Quinn Arrives
On the day rookie Brady Quinn signed his rookie contract with the Browns,
hope for the future was instantly instilled into this organization.
It looked like the organization would have time to let him learn on the
sidelines. During spring camp and mini-camp, Quinn didn't look close to being
ready. The Notre Dame rookie struggled in practice sessions, while the other
players at the position were clearly ahead of him.
Throughout the early days of camp, Frye and Anderson battled, Dorsey hung
quietly in the background, and Quinn was working in Arizona. Browns watchers
lost hope during his holdout that Quinn would make an impact early in his rookie
campaign.
Flash forward a few short weeks. Frye has clearly been the better
quarterback. Anderson has the look of a player lacking confidence, and his play
has regressed since his impressive spring showings. Dorsey lingers, doing
nothing spectacular, but produces when called upon.
Meanwhile, Quinn has progressed well in camp practices, sneaking up on the
leaders.
The Rookie Mucks Things Up
Times are supposed to be changing for the Cleveland Browns. Just ask general
manager Phil Savage. Everything is rosy, the foundation has been laid, and the
team is half-way through the process and improving.
On the other hand, ask head coach Romeo Crennel how things are going and we
may hear stories about competition, evaluation, and doing what we think is right
to win games.
He's got the right idea. Competition is the age-old method to bring the best
and worst out of an individual.
Since early spring, Crennel has stuck to his plan and kept the Browns’
quarterback position open to competition, which has turned to be anti-climactic
to date.
Frye, Anderson and Quinn have conspired to create a mess for the team,
however. Now that Quinn has forced his way into the competition at a late stage,
how the quarterback situation is handled form here on out could make or
break this team, its head coach, and possibly the general manager.
Business as Usual? Fuhgeddaboudit
The game of football is big business, not a local card game in the backroom of a
bingo-hall. Fans spend enormous amounts of money, hard-earned wages to see a
product. They buy the jerseys, the Orange and Brown Report, and endure
the endless promotion the NFL mashes into the games.
They're smart, they track the team. And they don't expect to be misled, which
they could be when listening to the inconclusive ramblings of the team's head
coach.
They know, and even the media knows, that the two potential starters
identified by the team just don't have much promise.
It isn’t that Frye and Anderson are bad football players, they really are
not. Maybe the impatience of the Cleveland media, the fans, and the organization
itself has driven the stakes to the height they are today.
In actuality, this quarterback race has become a farce in actuality. The
winner is merely going to hold down the fort until Quinn is ready to play.
The problem here is Quinn needs to get playing time with the players who will
be on the roster after the turk visits next week. He needs to get
experience with those he will hopefully someday lead into battle.
This Ain't Complicated
Listen, I'm not advocating Quinn’s immediate promotion into the starting role.
But I do question the process and what this means to a locker room filled with
young players. The players see what transpires in practice and on game-day, they
feel the energy, and have their own opinions as to which leader provides them
the greatest opportunity to succeed.
After sitting through the Browns’ second preseason game against the Detroit Lions, little is left to wonder in regards to who brings the team leadership,
ability, and confidence. Mr. Brady Quinn fills the void at this position on this
roster.
But would rookie mistakes early on this season derail the team or Quinn
himself? Sure, he will make mistakes, none any greater than those ahead of him
on the depth chart. Is Quinn good enough at this time to step in and lead this
team? With two preseason games remaining on the schedule, there is no better
time than the present to evaluate the young man and determine is progress.
Simply put, the Browns organization did not expect or want Quinn to be as
commanding as he was on Saturday, especially in front of the home crowd. The
team had hoped to bring Quinn along at a reasonable pace and there was no desire
to rush the rookie into action.
Hopes were placed on Frye or Anderson to keep the seat warm until this rookie
was ready to step in. One nine-plus minute stretch of a preseason game changed
all that.
Considering that the charted course hasn’t been overly productive the past
few years with this organization, maybe a detour is the best path to follow.
If Quinn is not an immediate hit, there is nothing really lost in a
pre-season contest. But, coming off his performance against the Lions, this
organization would be foolish not to get him on the field when he could face
some of the best talent in the league and let the cards fall where they may.
Let's see what Brady can do.
Now. Not later. Now.
Until next time,
V