The Tampa Tribune is reporting that a trade between the Browns and Buccaneers for quarterback Derek Anderson may be in the works.
Free agents such as Byron Leftwich, J.P. Losman and Patrick Ramsey are all being thrown around as possibilities but one possibility that is gaining steam would have the Bucs trading with the Browns for Derek Anderson.
Anderson has one of the strongest arms in the league as well as just about every physical tool you need to be a difference maker at his position. What he doesn’t have is a great understanding of defenses or the game’s nuances.
With a little work and a bit of a push he could be developed into one of the game’s better quarterbacks and word is the Brown might take as little as a third-round pick for him.
When you consider that he’s younger than Luke McCown but has more experience than McCown it doesn’t sound like a bad option for the Bucs to consider, especially with Jeff Jagodzinski running the offense.
This would be a good move for both teams if the scenario plays out. The Browns have already decided to turn the keys to the offense over to Brady Quinn and therefore don’t need Anderson anymore. The Bucs have decided not to re-sign Jeff Garcia and could use competition for McCown. As the report notes, Anderson has the physical tools to be a starter, but he took a major step back last year after his stellar 2007 campaign. It’ll be interesting to see how this story develops.
