The Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns have a very similar problem. Both teams have fans that want to see another starting QB next season.
Bears fans have a legitimate gripe. Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton are terrible. Let's just clear that up in case anyone thought that Rex could be decent.
Browns fans are being ridiculous though.
Seriously, you have a Pro Bowl QB in Derek Anderson. To top it off, a Pro Bowler in the AFC, where Peyton Manning and Tom Brady take the top two spots every year. Yet the fans still clamor for Brady Quinn. I understand the whole "hometown hero" thing, but look at what you've got in front of you.
Take emotions and names out of the equation and ask yourself who you would rather have as your starting quarterback: A Pro Bowl player who has already developed a relationship with your key offensive talent, or a second year player who has seen no meaningful playing time since being walloped by LSU in a bowl game two years ago.
Here's where the two teams should meet up. The Bears need a quarterback, and the Browns have two. Browns management likes Anderson, and would like to keep him, but have a financial obligation to Quinn.
So here's the offer. The Browns send Quinn to Chicago for a 2009 first-round pick and Rex Grossman. The Bears get Quinn, and don't have to face the pressure of whether or not to draft a QB next year after the Grossman/Orton pupu platter falls on their face. The Browns get the pick they invested in Quinn back, and they get a back-up quarterback for Anderson.
Grossman also gets a change of scenery, which many feel could jump-start his career. Quinn gets his own team. Anderson gets some job security. Phil Savage gets to have a purpose on the first day of the draft. Chicago fans finally rid themselves of "Sexy Rexy." Everyone wins.
Again, I have heard nothing that suggests that this would happen, but it makes sense, right?
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5 months ago
Derek Anderson IS the better quarterback. Of that, there is no doubt. Cleveland fans need to suck it up and realize that this guy really improved the team a lot this season. That being said, I'm not sure Quinn is the answer for Chicago. I was one of the people who thought he was overrated at Notre Dame. I thought the hands and speed of Jeff Samardijza and Rhema McKnight made Brady Quinn what he was back then. I once heard someone credit Quinn with single handedly leading the Irish to the last second touchdown against UCLA. Now I'm an Irish-hater at heart, but I do give credit where credit is due and that win belonged to Samardijza. Afterall, Quinn threw him a short pass and he ran some ridiculous length of the field, 80 yards give or take a few, juking and jiving and breaking Bruin tackles. That's just one example of how Quinn was an over-hyped Heisman hopeful. I'm not keen on him and I don't think the Bears would benefit from him.
...then again, anything's better than Grossman.
5 months ago
the bears have bigger problems on offense...they might not gain 4000 total yards next season, regardless of who the quarterback is. to show how low 4000 yards is...the atlanta falcons had 4816 total yards last season. and they had the third overall draft pick
5 months ago
Why would the Browns want Grossman? You've already stated he's terrible.
Bears fans need to see the light. DA came around after Phil Savage put together a phenominal O-line to protect him.
But if they were to make a trade, say noto Grossman. They'll take a defensive secondary starter and the Bears first rounder!
from 5 months ago
Grossman is only under contract for one year. He would provide a solid back-up for the Browns should Anderson get injured. I don't think you'd be able to get a first-rounder and a defensive starter for just Quinn.
5 months ago
I'm a Browns fan. Most Cleveland fans will agree that right now DA is the best option to start this coming season. However, Quinn has intangables that DA does not. He doesn't have the big arm DA posesses, but, from the little we've seen, Quinn is a leader, more accurate, and a good decision maker. Notre Dame is obviously nothing without him. I'm not denying that DA didn't improve, but I watched him throw a lot of balls that should have been inteceptions. We will not trade DA or Quinn this season. Competition will bring out the best in both. We're in a good situation, Savage is not an idiot. No way we trade for Grossman.
5 months ago
I see the Bears calling the Browns possibly in training camp or at the beginning of next season once Quinn or Anderson officially establish themselves as the face of the franchise. Which ever QB finishes second, the Bears could gauge interest and see what thr Browns would want. With both QB's under contract, the Bears would have to think about making this deal.
What do you guys think? Who would you rather have, Quinn or Anderson, and why?
from 5 months ago
Honestly, as long as we're wining, I don't care. With the receiving weapons we have in Edwards, Winslow, Jerevicius, and now Stallworth, any QB should have some success. I like both, but would rather have Quinn.
Quinn, I believe, will develop great play reading abilities and can throw all over the field. He showed this at ND, in the preseason, and against the 49ers. DA is a deep ball QB, perfect for the offense he had at Oregon State, but needs to improve his underneath passes.
Quinn can get out and run, if need be. Not too much good came from DA getting out of the pocket.
Quinn is a leader. I loved how he is always talking to players. Going over plays on the sidelines with recievers, in the huddle. Making sure everyone knows whats going on. I didnt really see that out of DA. I think of DA as just "going through the motions".
Marketability. Quinn is more marketable.
Coachablity. It's going to come down to who can retain the most knowledge, and awareness. I still cannot tell who is more coachable.
I can't wait to get up to Berea this year and watch the battle. Quinn is still moslty unproven, so I cannot rule DA out. It will be an interesting year.
5 months ago
Are you kidding me, DA was an alternate pro-bowler and did not preform that well in the pro-bowl... remember. He throws way too may interceptions, a live by the sword die by the sword QB. If you take away Quinn he has no one to compete against and will fall.. If DA was really that great, wouldnt he have beaten out Charlie Frye last preseason. The future is with Quinn no doubt, I am sure DA will be traded next season much in the way the Rivers/Brees thing worked out.
5 months ago
I am a major Notre Dame fan and truely believe in Brady Quinn. I just want to see him play somewhere. I don't care if it is for Cleveland or Chicago. I like them both. Anderson did not impress me last year. If everyone thinks he is that great, why did he not take them to the playoffs? I just wish Cleveland would give Brady a chance this year to have more playing time to show what he can do.
5 months ago
DA is not the future of the Browns. If he is so good why wasn't the offers this off season just rolling in. Miami/ Dallas deal is the only real deal that I know of that came to light. If DA was so great why did he throw so many INT's. Mobility and accuracy are so vital to a QB's longevity in this league.
5 months ago
I love Brady Quinn's personality and I see some valuable leadership qualities in him that the Bears sorely lack. Grossman is not a leader and the only time he is ever vocal is when he's yelling expletives at Darren Sharper
5 months ago
First of all, DA is good, not great, and no way near Peyton or Brady. His QB avg last year was a respectable 82...but that was only one year, and he threw a ton of interceptions in games the Browns had to win. That said, he still the Browns #1 QB, but I don't think the Browns would bite on the proposed 1st rounder + Grossman trade.
The Browns are on the cusp of making a serious run in the playoffs and Quinn provides nice insurance if DA goes down. The Browns are emerging from their rebuilding and another pick in 2009 does not help now. The Bears would have to give up a legit starter to get access to Quinn. I believe the Browns will sit on Quinn, just like the Chargers sat on Philip Rivers when Drew Brees was playing. Grossman would make the Browns a worse team in 2008 and they're not going to take that risk with Quinn's upside.
5 months ago
Last time I checked, it was Grossman who had a superbowl start under his belt, and not Anderson.
If this article is written by a Bears fan, you need to stop whining and wake up and smell the roses. We tried 3 different QBs last season, even a 10 year veteran who was supposed to be the answer if Grossman faltered. He came in and was WORSE. Orton played horrible to mediocre against some of the league's worst defenses.
Grossman has proven he can win when he gets protection and receivers that will actually catch the ball. What do you expect? Are you insane? Did you see what happened to Tom Brady in the SuperBowl without an offensive line? He posted WORSE stats than Grossman did against the same Giants team.
Or how about Peyton Manning when he lost his left guard, running back and wide receiver for a three game stint. In those three games, Manning tossed 9 INT's, SIX IN ONE GAME and averaged a 37 QB rating.
A QB without a line, a running game that ranks last in NFC, and receivers that lead the league in drops (WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT GROSSMAN HAD) is NO WAY NO HOW going to be successful. You'd think you moronic Chicago fans would realize SOME 21 QBs LATER that switching the QB out everytime you get your panties in a twist because he isn't the next Peyton Manning right out of the gate ISN'T WORKING.
Grossman came in, had 3 consecutive injuries, 2 season ending included, came back the next year in what was basically his rookie year and HE TOOK US TO THE SUPERBOWL, WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT OUT OF THE GUY!!?? You people need to shut up until we see what he can do behind a line that FINALLY got upgraded and with some young receivers and a two-back running game again. Give the kid some credit for what he's done here and what he's dealt with. He could be whining like the other 20 players on the Bears who want more money and contract extensions and that they're not getting their due respect, but he comes ready to play everday for a city that doesn't know the meaning of the words "QB DEVELOPMENT" and he shows a loyalty to this team unlike any player I've see.
I'm tired of all the bitching. We could do SO much worse than Grossman.
from 5 months ago
thank you, for once there's actually a person that knows what he's talking about when it comes to Grossman and the Bears. But i do not think Orton is a bad quarterback.
from 5 months ago
What got Rex to the Super Bowl was a killer defense and an unstoppable returner. Along with that, he had a very dominant running game.
Saying that Rex got the Bears to the Super Bowl is like saying that the Ravens won their Super Bowl thanks to Trent Dilfer. Grossman was the weakest link on their starting 22 that year.
Yes the Bears had other offensive issues as well last year, but Grossman lives and dies by the deep ball. He can't read coverages, he doesn't check down, he doesn't have good footwork, and he's had years to fix these things. It's great that he can complete the 60 yard pass, but if he can't hit the 7 or the 15 yard routes, he's no good as a starter.
from 4 months ago
Jimmy, you make some good points about Grossman not having a trustworthy O-Line and running game, but honestly, anybody who thinks Grossman "took" the Bears to the Super Bowl is delusional. Against New Orleans, Thomas Jones had 19 carries for 123 yards and two touchdowns. In the week before, he only had 66 yards on the ground, but still had two touchdowns. Conversely, Grossman's QB ratings in those two games were 76.9 and 73.2—basically, his average passer rating for 2006. You're right, Jimmy, it could be much worse. But if the Bears ever want to win a Super Bowl, it's gotta be much better.
from about 1 month ago
I agree with Luke, Grossman would not have made it to the super bowl without that defense...he deserves some credit but every other part of the team was the reason they made it to the Super Bowl
5 months ago
thank you, for once there's actually a person that knows what he's talking about when it comes to Grossman and the Bears. But i do not think Orton is a bad quarterback.
5 months ago
Quinn isn't going anywhere. And the offer of a first round pick and Grossman is no where near the value of what it would take to get him.
5 months ago
Grossman didn't take us to the Super Bowl anymore than Orton took us to the playoffs the year before. Grossman may occasionally play well but he's choker and hot house QB. If they can get the running game started, they just need a tough minded QB that isn't flashy. I say give Orton a REAL chance. Let him start training camp as the starter give him a shot at playing time with the FIRST team during training camp and preseason instead of letting Grossman have all the practice with the starters and then thrusting Orton in there and expecting him to do something.
5 months ago
I dont want Rex Grossman. He isnt good enough to be a backup. It is a dumb trade, because Anderson could be a one year wonder for all we know. Quinn might even be a bust. But at least hes there ready to go if Anderson falters and thats a situation i like having. I feel better about Quinn coming in if Anderson gets hurt than I do Grossman. Terrible idea.
4 months ago
Brady belongs in Chicago. Give him this year to prove himself in Cleveland and bring him to where he will get the chance to shine like he deserves. Brady is like fine wine, he only gets better with time. The more playing time he gets, the more he will improve and contribute to the success of any team he plays for. Look at his first two years with Notre Dame. It was after he was able to get the necessary experience and field time when he truly evolved as a player.
about 1 month ago
I say, give the Browns Grossman AND Orton AND the draft pick. Why wait? We know Jerry Angelo is terrible at drafting offensive talent, so expecting him to get a good QB in a future draft is pointless. We know that neither Orton or Grossman is anything more than a backup, with or without a good offensive line. We have the defensive core under contract for the next few years. We all know that Quinn can play, so lets get him now so we can build around him for the next year or two while the defense is still young and good enough to win it all. The Bears are wasting time as we speak.
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