Did the Browns have Quinn on the table for Cutler?
Following the Jay Cutler trade to Chicago, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the Browns had a deal on the table that would have sent Brady Quinn to Denver. According to the report, the Redskins would have gotten Cutler, while the Browns would have acquired Washington QB Jason Campbell.
Of course, Browns’ head coach Eric Mangini denied the report less than 24 hours later.
The report comes a little more than a week after Mangini said at the NFL owners meetings that he wouldn’t rule out a trade.
“What I haven’t ruled out is [GM] George [Kokinis] and I looking at any opportunity to improve the team,” he said. “But I in no way am saying that is specific to the quarterback situation. But we would look at any opportunity we thought would improve the team.”
He also said he told both Quinn and Derek Anderson that they’d openly compete for the job in training camp and that he was “excited” about the competition.
There’s more at stake for Quinn in the competition than just the starting job. If he plays at least 70 percent of the snaps next season, he’ll earn $11 million in contract escalators.
There have been more than a handful of rumors this offseason that involve the Browns trading Quinn. Granted, they could all be just that – rumors. But one has to wonder whether or not Mangini is high on Quinn and if he had the choice, whether or not he’d love to blow up the quarterback situation in Cleveland and start over.
But in terms of dealing with this specific rumor, the only thing that doesn’t make sense is why Mangini would want Campbell. Outside of starting experience, why would he want Campbell over Quinn? Campbell has been trying to learn the West Coast Offense for over a year, so to acquire him and try to teach him a new playbook wouldn’t be a very bright idea. If the Browns did make that trade, I think they’d be taking a step back from what they already have.
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If the Browns were getting a QB back in this deal, why wouldn’t they just have dealt Quinn for Cutler (with some other moving parts, of course)? I can’t see why they’d want Campbell. The only way it would have made sense for the Browns to be involved would be if, A. they were getting some picks in return, or B. they were getting Cutler. Then again, Browns fans don’t really know what the priorities are for this new regime….
Campbell has been spectacularly mediocre since becoming the starter in Washington so why the Browns would want him is beyond me, unless they just want to unload Quinn’s contract. The Browns need to make a commitment and stick to it…either send Quinn packing and move in a different direction or hand him the starting job and see what he can do in a full season. Having yet another competition for the QB position is counterproductive at this point and Anderson already proved he’s not the right guy.
Has Anderson already proved he’s not the right guy? If Braylon Edwards plays well early in the 2008 season, things might have gone much differently for DA.
Things would have gone differently if Braylon had been able to catch the ball last year, but a large portion of the blame for DA’s poor season rests squarely on DA’s shoulders. With his arm, size and quick release, DA certainly has the potential to be a good starting QB, but as a Browns fan I can tell you that he doesn’t seem to have the accuracy or intelligence needed to be consistently successful. I’m hoping another team falls in love with his arm so the Browns can deal him.