As the Contract Talks Turn…

The Plain Dealer’s Bud Shaw has written an article on a question most Browns fans are becoming increasingly familiar with – what to do with quarterback Derek Anderson? As of right now, the two sides are very far apart on a potential deal, with Anderson commanding the kind of money Tony Romo got in his extension – something like $30 million guaranteed.  Much to Anderson’s apparent dismay, he is only being offered a three-year deal worth somewhere between $15 million and $20 million.  Someone, presumably Anderson’s agent, needs to sit him down and tell him that if he wants to stay with Cleveland, he better be willing to accept less, especially after a mediocre second half last season.

But these rough negotiations are signaling the potential end of the sweet but short-lived Derek Anderson era in Cleveland.  There are numerous quarterback-starved teams and should any of them blindly sign this now-Pro Bowler, the Browns are going to receive a first and third-round pick.  Anderson knows what he can make now that he is a presence in the NFL, and I get the feeling that he wouldn’t mind earning it somewhere else, especially if it means $30 million guaranteed.

The Browns just can’t seem to go one year without having some ridiculous situation on their hands.  They found a Pro Bowl quarterback by a pure stroke of luck and there is potential (great potential, actually) for him to be leaving after this season.  The only difference with the past teams with wins closer to zero than ten is this: there’s a legitimate starter waiting in the wings in Brady Quinn.  At this point, everyone knows Anderson wants his money and he’s not going to get it in Cleveland (thank you, wise master Savage).  Maybe it’s time to start thinking about Quinn as the starter and a first-round pick to help the defense.