Cleveland Browns veteran QBs have been bridge to nowhere
By Thomas Moore
The 2010 Cleveland Browns once again found themselves searching for a quarterback.
The Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn daily double had washed out over the previous two seasons, and for some reason the club thought that Jake Delhomme was the answer.
(Jake Delhomme) reminds me a little bit of Brett Favre.” – Eric Mangini
The 35-year-old Delhomme had been released by Carolina after throwing 18 interceptions in 2009. The Panthers were so over Delhomme that they let him go despite still owing him $12 million. And, just to add to the confusion, the first year of Delhomme’s new contract with the Browns included $7 million signing bonus in addition to his $900,000 salary, meaning he was guaranteed more than $19 million.
Did we mention Delhomme was coming off the worst season of his career when the Browns signed him?
“I don’t like making comparisons, but I will,” then Browns coach Eric Mangini said of Delhomme. “He reminds me a little bit of (Brett) Favre that way. He enjoys practice. He enjoys being around the guys. He’s able to be serious and still keep things light. He has a good rapport with the offensive guys, defensive guys and you just see it in their interaction in the weight room and all the different areas. It’s positive, really positive.”
Yeah, Mangini was about as good at making comparisons as he was at coaching football games.
Delhomme would start four games for the Browns (and appear in one more) while going 2-2 that season. (Making him, percentage wise, one of the best quarterbacks the team has employed since 1999.) He would throw seven interceptions while adding just two touchdown passes in his time in Orange and Brown.
The club released him the following summer and Delhomme would play just one more NFL game, with Houston in 2011, before retiring.
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