When the Browns finally decide on a starting quarterback, it won't be until late in the preseason.

That was the big news from head coach Eric Mangini at today's minicamp. Mangini told reporters he wants to see how Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn perform before deciding.

So when Quinn was receiving playing time with the first team last month, it didn't mean much. Mangini will look at presence in the huddle when making his choice.

"The big (criteria) for me is huddle presence and the ability to run the offense, so who can most effectively run the offense, who can look at the defense, understand what the coverage is and throw to the right place, who can see a blitz look and put us in the right play, who can do the check-with-me's where you have two plays called and understand this is the better of the two selections," Mangini told reporters.

Any deception in naming a starting quarterback could be purposeful on Mangini's part. It could be in an effort to confuse opponents heading into the regular season.

"One of the things that's tough defensively is not knowing who the starting quarterback's going to be," Mangini said. "I hated when I didn't know who the starting quarterback of the other team was. A huge, huge headache."

Notes…
Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository reports that Anderson had to run a lap today after a false start penalty. A quarterback getting that penalty is crazy.

The Plain Dealer has a nice gallery of shots from today's minicamp.

James Walker of ESPN.com is reporting that Brady Quinn holds the early lead in the Browns' quarterback competition.

Quinn has been receiving snaps with the first team ahead of former Pro Bowler Derek Anderson at voluntary minicamps that end today.

While head coach Eric Mangini has said the two quarterbacks will receive balanced repetitions, Quinn's performance has earned him the top spot.

"Brady will get the first reps today," Mangini told reporters today. "He started with the first reps on Wednesday, and that's because he's done a really outstanding job in the offseason program. Not that Derek hasn't done well, but [Quinn] gets the first reps."

Last season, Quinn started three games before a finger injury knocked him out for the final five games of the season. Quinn's best performance was his first start, a 34-30 loss to Denver. In the game, Quinn finished with 239 yards passing and two touchdowns.

After making the Pro Bowl in 2007, Anderson struggled last season. In 10 games, he had 1,615 yards passing, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions.

The Browns acquired quarterback Brett Ratliff from the Jets during a trade on the first day of the NFL Draft. Ronald Bartel is also on the roster.

Notes…
Tip of the hat to commentator Scott for pointing out this story. Matt Bowen of National Football Post says special teams star Josh Cribbs isn't worth a new contract.

Talks between Cribbs and Mangini have taken place, according to Beacon Journal beat writer Marla Ridenour.

We asked, and you told us. More than 1,100 of you voted on whether or not Browns quarterback Derek Anderson will be with the team for the 2009 football season.

A resounding 82 percent of you said he would not.

In 2008, Anderson threw for 1,615 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. That came following a season in which Anderson threw for 29 touchdowns and almost 3,000 yards on his way to the Pro Bowl.

So, following a season of resounding disappointment, let's assume the Browns trade Anderson in favor of Brady Quinn. What exactly could Anderson bring the team in a trade?

At one point in the season, Peter King of Sports Illustrated said the Browns could get a second round pick.

One reader, "jusayin," thinks the Browns could get much more.

"A reasonable exchange for DA," he wrote, "would be to Tampa for a two, three and Brian Griese, the type of limited-arm vet QB who should make an excellent mentor and backup for Brady Quinn."

That wouldn't be bad, but it's unlikely the Browns could get that much.

Tony Grossi of the Plain Dealer practically wrote off Anderson's trade value. He thinks the Browns would also have to eat a lot of Anderson's $5 million roster bonus due in March.

If new general manager George Kokinis gets the feeling that will increase Anderson's trade value, expect owner Randy Lerner to open the checkbook. Anderson then could be held onto until the draft where the Browns could set his value against where the top three quarterbacks, Matt Stafford, Josh Freeman and Mark Sanchez, are falling in the draft. That would also mean the Browns will have to pay Anderson's entire roster bonus.

But who could be the teams in play for Anderson?

The Vikings could be a choice, but many expect them to go after the recently released Jeff Garcia. Conversely, with the Buccaneers releasing Garcia, they could be a player for Anderson's services. The Jets seem to be after a veteran quarterback. San Francisco could theoretically need one with Shaun Hill just being average. Kansas City is also somewhat up in the air at quarterback. New coach Todd Haley uses the vertical passing game a lot, which fits Anderson perfectly.

So, for now, we're still left with plenty of questions. Help us find the answers. In the comments, tell us who you think will trade for Anderson and what the Browns could get for him.

Notes…
The Browns hired two more assistant coaches today. Steve Hagen is back with the Browns to coach tight ends. He held the same position with the team from 2001 to '03 and was quarterbacks coach in 2004. Hagen was on Butch Davis' coaching staff at the University of North Carolina.

The team also hired Gary Brown as its running backs coach. Brown, an eight-year NFL running back, held the same position with Rutgers University in 2008.

Per Adam Schefter, if the New York Jets make a trade for a quarterback, it will be for the Browns' Derek Anderson.

If the Jets decide to trade for a quarterback, the most logical one is Cleveland’s Derek Anderson. For starters, Anderson has the most attractive contractual situation of any veteran quarterback. He is due a $5 million roster bonus on the 15th day of the league year, which is about a month from now. He signed a three-year, $24.5 million deal last year and still has two seasons remaining on it.

Beyond the contract are the relationships. Browns coach Eric Mangini and Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum have enough of a relationship that the two men could work out a deal. Also, Jets coach Rex Ryan worked with Anderson in Baltimore before the Ravens released the QB.

With Brett Favre again dabbling in retirement, it gives the Browns another possible trade partner should they choose to move Anderson. The pieces could fit together.

The Jets, with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, run the same basic offensive system as the Browns. New Jets head coach Rex Ryan was a member of the Baltimore Ravens staff when they drafted him in 2005, so he is familiar with Anderson. I may be making myself feel better, but there is at least one other writer out there who agrees with me.

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Notes…

In other news, the Browns have added George McDonald to their coaching staff as the offensive quality control coach. If you don't know an offensive quality control coach does, read this description.

Could the Browns be interested in bringing in USC linebacker Clay Matthews? He recently met with the Browns, and there could be interest on the team's part. Mel Kiper tends to think that the Browns should be interested in Matthews, should they trade back in to the twenties.

Rumors of Braylon Edwards being moved to the New York Giants are picking up steam.

The Browns will not be raising ticket prices for the 2009 season.

Tony Grossi has done a good job breaking down the Browns offensive and defensive free agents.

ESPN reported this weekend that the Patriots intend to use their Franchise Tag on quarterback Matt Cassell, who played very well this season in relief of the injured Tom Brady.  Cassell is an unrestricted free agent after the season ends, and the Patriots intended to make sure they receive compensation should he intend to depart.

The Patriots are also protecting themselves, should Tom Brady not be ready to start the season due to lingering problems with his repaired knee ligaments. If Brady is healthy, New England will start shopping Cassell in hopes of pulling a trade prior to April's draft.

This will probably put a damper on the Browns ability to trade former starter Derek Anderson.  The Browns need to be able to peddle Anderson, in hopes of recovering picks lost from various trades through the 2008 NFL Draft.  The Patriots can do a few things that will damper the Browns chances of acquiring anything of value for Anderson.

Undercut the market:  If the Browns are asking for a first and third round pick, for example, and the Patriots are seeking less compensation, a team can easily just not make a deal with the Browns.

Take out the competition:  With two starting quality quarterbacks on the market, it limits at minimum one trading partner.

Ride out the storm: If the Patriots sit on Cassell because they don't like the offers, not even trading him until Day 2 of the Draft for either picks in the 2010 NFL Draft, or for a player, it will hurt the Browns also.  In a scenario like this, the general manager (whoever that might be), may get antsy and just trade Anderson early on Day 2 of the draft for lesser value, such as a fourth round selection.

All in all, it makes for a messy situation for the Browns no matter how it is sliced up.  The Browns need to trade Anderson, for at least a third round selection to recoup their own third round pick, traded to the Cowboys in the Martin Rucker trade.  With the t rookie GM, like George Kokinis, it just seems inevitable that the Browns will end getting less value for Anderson.

The one plus in this scenario is that several teams are in the hunt for a quarterback, depending on how free agency and roster shuffles go for them:

• Arizona Cardinals
• Detroit Lions
• New York Jets
• Kansas City Chiefs
• Minnesota Vikings
• San Francisco 49ers
• St. Louis Rams
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The only other positive to this is that Anderson and Cassell play different styles of football, so the same teams may not be fighting over them.  Cassell is more polished on underneath routes, and distributes the ball well.  He is a more mobile passer.  Anderson on the other hand, is a system quarterback.  He has only played in Air Coryell offense in college and the pro's, which focuses on deep passing patterns and a different overall system.  Cassell would probably be more attractive to like the Bucaneers, who play the West Coast Offense; while Anderson would be more coveted by the Chiefs, who run a spread offense with heavy roots in the Air Coryell.

According to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, quarterback Brady Quinn will miss the rest of the season due to a broken right index finger he suffered Nov. 17 at Buffalo.

Quinn elected to play Sunday against Houston, which reportedly caused the injury to worsen.

Team sources said that Quinn and the team made the decision together earlier today. Sources say that not only has the break in his right index finger worsened, but it is also starting to injure the tendons as well.

For the season, Quinn was 45 for 89 passing for 518 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The Browns were 1-2 in the three games Quinn started.

Derek Anderson will start Sunday against the 7-4 Indianapolis Colts.

Amidst a season of crisis, Randy Lerner has finally spoken.  He has said no major changes are coming until January.  Those of you who placed a bet this week on Romeo's fate will likely have to pay up when you see your family on Thanksgiving.

On top of that, he states no passes have been made at former Steelers head coach and current CBS Analyst Bill Cowher.   Again, pay up your bets folks.

Marty Schottenheimer?  He's done with the NFL.

Lastly, head coach Romeo Crennel has said that Brady Quinn will start against the Colts this Sunday.  If you are playing along with me, you owe someone money for some of these random bets.

My take on it all:

Randy Lerner has been absent this year amidst other issues.  It's nice to see him pipe up on the matter, but it seems a bit too late.  When your owner (allegedly) has not seen a game in person this year, how well of a grasp does he have on the issues at hand?

As far as Cowher goes, this is an issue that Browns need to drop, at least for now.  He's loyal to the Rooney family, and lives much more stress-free existence working for CBS.  That train is never leaving the station.

Marty?  Would be a great story, but it's not going to happen.

As far as Quinn goes…it feels like he will facing an uphill battle for the rest of the season with his finger, and a potentially lame-duck coach.  Crennel has gone to the bench once for Derek Anderson, it will just get easier from here.

The Browns played with heart and toughness on Sunday in Jacksonville, gutting out a difficult win against the Jaguars.  The game was physical and hard-fought, with a heart-stopping last second pass by Jaguars quarterback David Garrard broken up by Nick Sorensen for the win.  In a difficult season for the Browns, this was the toughest win they have come by.

The leader of the victory was nose tackle Shaun Rogers, who dominated from curtain to curtain.  Rogers finished with nine solo tackles, a sack, a blocked punt, and was applying consistent pressure all game long.  Rogers was thought to be lazy in Detroit, but he has played his heart out in Cleveland so far.  He was visibly tired near the end of the third quarter, but he hardly rested throughout the game. 

Where the passing game struggled, Jamal Lewis did a solid job on the ground against a physical Jaguars run defense.  Lewis ran for 81 yards on 20 carries, including a touchdown.  This brings the Browns total record to 11-1 when Lewis carries the ball for over twenty times in a game. 

Quarterback Derek Anderson finished the game with 95.6 QB Rating, but the Browns again struggled to score touchdowns.  The Browns were without Kellen Winslow, but again enjoyed another productive day with Steve Heiden starting at tight end.  The offense settled for three Phil Dawson field goals, including the in the fourth quarter where they had a first and goal from the one yard line. 

Finally, the special teams did a good job of containing Jacksonville's ace return specialist, Brian Witherspoon.  The undrafted free agent rookie had been an exciting part of a difficult season for the Jaguars.  He fumbled on a fourth quarter kick return, forced by Browns rookie Beau Bell in his debut, that set up a Phil Dawson field goal.  Cleveland's coverage units were able to hold the speedster in check. 

Game Balls

Offense- TE Steve Heiden  (3 rec, 73 yards): The Browns passing game has hardly faltered in the two games without Kellen Winslow due to Heiden's superb play.  Producing a key 51-yard reception, Heiden's impact in the passing game cannot be overlooked.  His overall impact as a blocker was felt as the Browns ran to his side of the formation effectively.  The Browns typically run to the left when Winslow is in-line as a tight end, a sign that Winslow cannot hold up as a strong-side blocker.  With Heiden in, the Browns showed not only a willingness, but a confidence in running behind Heiden.

Defense – NT Shaun Rogers (9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 blocked FG) &  ILB D'Qwell Jackson (8 tackles, 1 sack):  It would be hard to leave off either player, who both produced their best games all season.  Rogers domination of the Jaguars interior offensive line showed in the one on one matchups the rest of the front seven saw.  Rogers was in on several quarterback pressures, and produced several key stops like the stuff of fullback Greg Jones on a fourth and one rushing attempt. 

Jackson, a player who's been criticized in this space for his lack of production, played a good game against the run.  The Jaguars running backs were held to a total of 53 yards rushing, and Jackson was crucial in that.  Jackson is a player who needs a free path to the ball and reaped the benefits of Rogers occupying the Jaguars line.

Special Teams – ILB Beau Bell (1 tackle, 1 FF):  Making his debut for the Browns, Bell's forced fumble on Witherspoon helped shift the tide again in the Browns favor.  Bell made a nice cut on the ball, and stopped him with a strong hit.  Bell may only play special teams this year due to the time he missed, but his big play ability could be key down the stretch.

Turning Point

Jamal Lewis' second quarter touchdown from two yards out set the tone for a physical day.  The Browns struggles in the end zone this season are well documented, but when coordinator Rob Chudzinski puts the ball in Lewis' hands, it helps make the play action pass a more legit threat.  When the Browns weren't handing the ball off to Lewis and the Browns were using the play action with an Anderson bootleg, teams were able to key on the passing play.  They weren't biting for the fake, but will have to start respecting it with Lewis getting those touches.

Last Straw

Kellen Winslow is talented, but with the ugliness of the past week, the possibility of life after Winslow has become a reality, like it or not.  Steve Heiden is not the vertical threat that Winslow is, but he is a capable receiver and a strong blocker.  The Browns offense has looked smooth without Winslow, but is the team ready to part ways with the star tight end?  The teams also didn't give up a 2009 third round pick to select Martin Rucker without good reason.  Savage's handling of the Winlow situation right now is messy, but he's successfully set up the Browns to live a life after Winslow.  The team is clearly not interested in re-negotiating his contract, and seems confident in the remaining tight ends on the roster.  The last half of the season may well be Winslow's audition for a new team.

Does it ever change?  The Browns lulled themselves to sleep with a horrible offensive performance, suspect run defense, and overall an effort that lacked any fire.  Coming off a huge victory just six days before, the Browns were looking to use this game to continue their rally of the 2008 season.  Instead it became another game that showed how inconsistency can bury a talented football team.

The Browns biggest issue right now is that both Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards are playing poorly.  The Giants game was good for them, but they took two steps back this week.  Anderson had trouble hitting his receivers, and when he did they were getting lit up by defenders.  Anderson has everything you would want in a quarterback, but he has trouble with consistency.  Also, rallying his team from a defecit is not one of his strong points.

Finally on offense, the Browns holy trio of Edwards, Donte Stallworth, and Kellen Winslow were to be on the field, yet the game produced one of the worst passing days all season.  Winslow gutted out a tough performance, but was not on the field much.  Stallworth was targetted a few times, and had a few drops.  Edwards was a whole other ball of wax. 

Anderson's partner in crime, Edwards, has morphed back into his 2006 form.  During that season, Edwards struggled with running good routes, catching easy passes, and mental lapses that cost the team points and turnovers.  Edwards has especially had trouble with comebacks, or any other pass where he's not in motion catching the ball.  He is a dominant wide receiver when he plays crisp (see the two point conversion in the fourth quarter), but that is becoming few and far between anymore.

Game Balls

Offense – Jamal Lewis, RB:  No one else on offense really showed up, and the line had a lackluster effort.  Lewis fought for yards that weren't there in many instances, and gave the Browns a shot late in the game.  The Browns have never lost a game that Lewis gets 25 plus carries in. 

Defense – Sean Jones, SS:  It was nice to the Browns leader of the secondary back after more than a month off due knee surgery.  Jones lead the team in tackles Sunday, and had a forced fumble. 

Special Teams – Dave Zastudil, P:  Zastudil did a good job of pinning the Redskins deep in their own territory, with three punts inside the 20 yard line. 

Turning Point

While we don't have a play book in front of us, the Browns last stand to in the fourth to get into scoring position was proof positive of the issues with Anderson and Edwards.  The two cannot seem to connect on any passes this season unless Aaron Ross trips in front of Edwards.  It's clear that last week's victory against the Giants wasn't a turn for the better.  The two of them shoulder a big part of the Browns offensive troubles.  Edwards cannot be replaced, but Anderson can. 

Last Straw

Shortly after this game, Kellen Winslow admited that he didn't feel like a part of the team.  What's sad is that Winslow is a guy who cares the most.  His passion for the team and winning is clear.  At times, it's easy to wonder if his teammates feel the same way.  Winslow's passion for the Browns shows up on the field, and not many Browns can say that after yesterday's loss.

Since the Browns lost to Dallas and Pittsburgh to begin the season, man fans have angrily been calling for the firing of head coach Romeo Crennel and the benching of starting quarterback Derek Anderson.

So, with having two weeks to prepare for Monday night's game against the Giants, should Crennel be gone if the Browns drop to 1-4? If Anderson continues to complete less than 50 percent of his passes and throws more interceptions than touchdowns, does he automatically get benched?

During the Browns' week off, that is all I've been able to think about with the team. Not how Ryan Tucker will probably play his first game of the season. Or how Browns cornerbacks will do against Plaxico Burress, who is probably motivated after coming off suspension. I haven't even thought about how the somewhat sluggish offensive line is going to stop the renowned New York pass rush.

Nope. It's been whether or not we'll be seeing the last of Crennel and Anderson this season. This may not necessarily a rub off of the loser mentality most Cleveland sports fans have, but it sure seems like it.

Notes…
Patrick McManamon checks in with his weekly 1st and 10. Always a solid, quick read.

McManamon also had a really good column today on penalties in the NFL and how it relates to the Browns.

Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository gives this season a kick in the pants, and I don't mean the back side.

Hey, by the time I wrote that all out, I had a new thought about the Browns! They were losing 30-3 in the second quarter of the preseason game against the Giants. Oof.