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Coach says Anderson is starting quarterback
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Tuesday, Jan 01, 2008
BEREA: More emphatically than ever, Browns coach Romeo Crennel said Monday he wants Derek Anderson as his starting quarterback.
In the locker room, receiver Joe Jurevicius and tight end Kellen Winslow stood a few feet across from each other and took opposite views of what will happen next season.
Without a new contract by Feb. 28, Anderson is scheduled to become a restricted free agent and is sure to draw suitors. Waiting in the wings is Brady Quinn, the 22nd overall pick who played one series all year. In a draft-day trade with Dallas, the Browns surrendered a 2007 second-round pick and 2008's first-rounder (ironically No. 22) to select the former Notre Dame star.
''You draft a guy, especially in the first round, he's playing,'' Winslow said. ''Derek's a great guy, but that's just the way this business works.''
After Cleveland wrapped up a 10-6 season Sunday, Crennel said there is no quarterback controversy and that if camp started today, Anderson would be No. 1. Jurevicius shared that view.
''Derek Anderson's our man,'' Jurevicius said. ''He deserves to be here. He deserves everything he has coming to him. Not only is he going to get better, we're all going to get better.
''I know Cleveland has been looking for a good quarterback for a while now, and I think Derek has proved he's a legitimate quarterback. I think he took advantage of things. That's a testament to how strong he is, how determined
he is to be an NFL quarterback, and it showed.''
In his third year as a pro, Anderson went 10-5 as a starter and helped turn a 4-12 team into a playoff contender. His 29 touchdown passes tied Frank Ryan for second most in a Browns season, trailing only Brian Sipe (30 in 1980). Anderson finished with a rating of 82.5 and completed 56.5 percent of his passes with 19 interceptions. His 3,787 season passing yards rank fifth in team history, surpassed only by Sipe and Bernie Kosar.
''I did some good things this season, but I'm not totally satisfied with my performance,'' Anderson said. ''I wanted to get into the playoffs and see what we could do there. That will kind of drive me through the offseason.''
General Manager Phil Savage and Crennel have a decision to make on Anderson before free agency begins Feb. 29. Crennel said having two good quarterbacks shouldn't be an issue.
''Probably both guys are not going to be happy,'' Crennel said. ''But it's a good problem to have. We've had not enough good players around here for a while and we saw the results of that.''
The Browns could offer Anderson the highest restricted free-agent tender, which would pay him $2.562 million next year and require first- and third-round picks as compensation should the Browns elect not to match. They could slap him with the franchise tag, which would pay him about $10.6 million in 2008 and give them a year to negotiate a long-term deal. Or they could sign him in the next two months and shift the speculation to Quinn's future.
''Hopefully, I'll be back, but I obviously don't control that,'' Anderson said. ''It took me awhile to grow and really like it here. I like my teammates, I like the city and part of me doesn't want to move.''
Anderson and Quinn have a friendly, barb-trading type of relationship. Both handled a ticklish situation this season like pros.
''We're functional,'' Anderson said. ''He gives me a hard time; I give him a hard time. We both get annoyed with each other. The relationship is good.''
Anderson heads home to Oregon today and will take a week off to relax, heal and let his mind clear, he said. Crennel saw no need to give Anderson a vote of confidence before he left.
''The guy just won 10 games for us. Does he need a vote of confidence?'' Crennel said. ''You guys are always the ones who bring up this quarterback thing. I don't see anybody saying Jason Wright should be the starting running back. But everybody says Brady Quinn should be the starting quarterback.
''Just because you're a draft pick doesn't guarantee you success in the NFL. You have to prove it. And you have to have an opportunity to prove it. I agree there, but Anderson has done a good job with his opportunity. Brady will do a good job with his opportunity when he gets it. He will because he's that type of guy. When that's going to come, I don't know.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: More emphatically than ever, Browns coach Romeo Crennel said Monday he wants Derek Anderson as his starting quarterback.
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