Lions and Jets Should Learn From The Browns' Mistake

All eyes will be on Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez at their respective training camps when they open. They will both excite the crowds during the preseason when they enter the game for the first time. In all likelihood, they will perform well against the other teams' third-stringers.

Then once the regular season starts, neither of these guys figures to play. The Jets will likely go with Kellen Clemens and the Lions will go with Daunte Culpepper (although part of me thinks they should go with Drew Stanton—read about why here).

These guys will likely play very well. The reason is that they know that the guy behind him is the guy the franchise is committed to. So they will play like they are auditioning for other teams. It would be great for the Lions and Jets if these guys played great, and then they get a damn good trade for them. It is a win-win for everybody.

Now it is important for the Lions and Jets not to lose sight of their plan. Their ultimate plan is to have Stafford and Sanchez be the quarterbacks of the future. Don't let that change. If Stanton/Culpepper or Clemons have a Pro Bowl year, GREAT! That makes their trade value even higher.

Let's look at another team. Two years ago, the Browns drafted Brady Quinn to be their quarterback of the future. Sure enough the fans, went crazy when he entered his first preseason game. They continued to go crazy as he came out throwing strikes. After a solid preseason, the city embraced him as the quarterback of the future.

That was until Derek Anderson came in and had a great regular season. That was good for Quinn because he wasn't forced into action too early. Anderson made the Pro Bowl in spite not taking his team to the playoffs. That was when Cleveland got distracted from their plan.

Anderson was a restricted free agent. They could have let him sign somewhere else and received compensation. Another option would have been to re-sign him, then trade him when other teams wanted him. Instead they signed him to a three-year deal worth more than $20 million.

Now they have two QBs with big contracts. Quinn was to spend another year developing. Then they would trade him after Anderson established himself as the franchise QB. Well, we all know how it worked out.

Anderson was nowhere near the performer the next year. Sure, some things went against him, like dropped passes and poor protection. However, he has always been inconsistent, dating back to his college days.

Quinn replaced him in Week Eight as the starter. He had a couple of pretty good games against Denver and Buffalo. His development was cut short with a broken finger. He tried playing with it, but couldn't.

Then I am thinking this could be a blessing in disguise. If Anderson does well these last few weeks, they can get a good trade out of him. Instead, he was even worse in the game and a half than he returned for before being benched.

Now, the Browns have a mess for the new regime. They still have two huge contracts at quarterback. They have said that they are open to trading either. The only problem is that the fans don't want Quinn traded, and Randy Lerner knows that.

Eric Mangini and George Kokinis have received offers for Quinn. Some have included first-round draft picks. While they may be open to these trades, it seems as though Lerner won't let it happen. It is understandable why Lerner wouldn't want it. It would upset the whole city.

While the Browns have refused offers for Quinn, it seems as though they can't give Anderson away. Nobody wants to acquire that contract for what is perceived to be a likely career backup. A year ago, the same guy was considered a Pro Bowl quarterback. They could have gotten a damn good deal. Now they will be lucky to get a sixth-round pick.

So the Lions and Jets should learn from the Browns mistake. Let your future franchise quarterback learn by carrying a clipboard. At the same time, hope your current QB plays great. But at the end of the day, don't lose sight of your plan.