Final Curtain Call for Derek Anderson as a Cleveland Brown

Derek Anderson’s career path has been as erratic as his arm.

He was a much heralded two-sport star in high school in the state of Oregon. He was nationally recruited in basketball but chose to play football at Oregon State, much to the delight of his hometown fans.

He started as a sophomore in college and struggled. Anderson played so poorly that some wondered whether he deserved a second chance.

With very little waiting in the wings at Oregon State, he was given the starting nod again his junior year and showed improvement under former NFL coach Mike Riley.

In his senior year, Anderson finally showed the promise that made him an idol in Oregon. He became just the fourth passer in Pac-10 history to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season and finished his career second all-time in career touchdowns.

Anderson was not drafted until the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2005 NFL draft. Being the 215th player picked, there was little hope that he would someday become a starting quarterback at the professional level.

He was waived just weeks into his rookie year and was claimed by the Cleveland Browns. He carried a clipboard for the entire 2005 season as the third string backup.

In 2006, Anderson served as Charlie Frye’s backup when the team decided that Trent Dilfer would not cooperate with his role as a second-stringer. Anderson received no valuable playing time until Frye was injured in a December game.

Anderson entered the game trailing 28-14 but was instrumental with both his arm and legs in leading the team to a 31-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. He threw two touchdown strikes and scrambled for a 33-yard run to set up the game-winning field goal.

In 2007, the Browns chose the heralded Brady Quinn in the first round of the draft, and it looked again like Anderson was living on borrowed time. But Quinn missed a good portion of training camp due to contract demands.

Although Anderson outplayed Charlie Frye during most of the preseason, Frye was handed the starting job. Head coach Romeo Crennel claimed that Frye won a “coin toss” to open the season.

Frye played so terribly against the Pittsburgh Steelers on opening day that he was soon traded. Most thought that Anderson would just keep the seat warm at quarterback while Quinn was getting up to speed.

Instead, Anderson went on a magical run that saw the Browns win 10 of his 15 starts. He finished the year with 29 touchdown passes and was named a Pro Bowl alternate.

We all know what happened from there. He started the 2008 season and was benched after ineffective play. He was reinserted as a starter only after a Brady Quinn injury.

In the current season, Quinn was given the starting nod, but he was benched for DA because of his own ineffective play.

Anderson got new life again, but failed to take advantage. The current coaching staff sat him down once again after he could not get the job done.

Like a boomerang, Anderson gets yet another look this week against the Oakland Raiders after an injury has sidelined Quinn yet again.

But like a cat with nine lives, this may be his last. It is fair to say that Anderson is auditioning for another team.

He has a $7 million contract for next year, which includes a $2 million bonus. It is a sure thing that the Browns will not pay that bonus.

The question for Anderson becomes, “Will another team take a stab at him?”

It will be surprising if someone does not. He is, after all, just 26 years old.

But his next opportunity will most likely come with the understanding that he will be an understudy once again.

He was a good soldier while a Cleveland Brown. He never pouted and was never considered a bad teammate despite being treated like a yo-yo.

In fact, there were rumblings from within that his own teammates did more whining when Quinn was given the job this year, but not a word from Anderson.

He led the team to one of its only successful seasons since its rebirth in 1999. Yet he was reviled by much of the fanbase for standing in the way of their chosen one.

Anderson’s play was to blame for his treatment by the organization. He frustrated fans and coaches alike for his head-scratching decisions on the field.

But his ability to continue to rise from the dead has to be applauded at some level.

This will not be an easy test for DA. Although the Raiders have struggled as a team, he will be throwing against one of the elite cornerbacks in the National Football League in Nnamdi Asomugha.

The Raiders, like the Browns, have played inspired football despite their record.

He will, however, have a chance to get some NFL executive to fall in love with that incredible, albeit inaccurate, arm.

These last two weeks are the final curtain call for Derek Anderson as a Cleveland Brown, and this writer certainly will not miss his propensity to throw the ball into coverage.

But I will be rooting for him nonetheless.

Good luck and Godspeed, Derek.