2010 NFL Draft: Why the Browns Will Have a New Franchise QB Starting in 2011

New Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren was brought into the organization to not only help a team that has been hurting the past decade, but to find the team a franchise quarterback which they have lacked since the memories of Bernie Kosar.

Newly acquired quarterback Jake Delhomme is not the new franchise quarterback, but according to the $7 million salary he will receive for the 2010 season, he will be the starter come opening day of the regular season.

Former franchise quarterback Brady Quinn may or may not fit into Holmgren's plan and is easily trade bait now with not only the acquisition of Delhomme but with the addition of Holmgren's former backup quarterback while he was in Seattle, Seneca Wallace.

So to recap, there will probably be a 99 percent chance that Delhomme starts in 2010, Wallace is his backup, and Quinn will most likely be a backup (or competing for a starting job) while wearing a different team's colors.

This leaves a hole in the area of who will be the future franchise quarterback for the Browns.

That is what the 2010 NFL Draft is for.

There is a slim chance that the Browns could make a move up in the first round if Holmgren likes Sam Bradford and both the Rams and Redskins pass on him with the No. 1 overall pick and No. 4 overall pick respectively.

The cost for the Browns to trade up into the No. 5 slot with the Chiefs would only be a third-round pick, and the Browns have two of those right now.

It may be doubtful that Holmgren will use the first-round pick on a quarterback since there are glaring holes in the secondary, with openings in the starting positions at both cornerback and safety, but the second or later may be where a quarterback is chosen.

The Browns currently hold eight draft picks between Nos. 39 and 162 (second through fifth rounds) and this is were Holmgren will most likely find the future franchise quarterback of the Browns.

With many quarterback names that will be available throughout those picks, Holmgren will have a good selection of players who will be the Browns' third-string quarterback in 2010, but who will then have his chance to be the starter when the 2011 regular season rolls in.

Whether it's Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow, Dan LeFevour, Tony Pike, Jarrett Brown, John Skelton, Jevan Snead, Sean Canfield, Zac Robinson, or another to-be-named-later quarterback from the draft, one of these men will be the future of the organization.

Delhomme was obviously brought in to not only start, but to mentor one of the names listed above since his salary is that of an NFL starting quarterback. And look for a full year of development to prepare the future franchise quarterback of the Browns for the 2011 season and beyond.