Why Jake Delhomme Could End Up Being More Than Just a Stop-Gap QB for the Browns

There were many who were extremely critical of the Browns when they signed veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme in the offseason.

Many fans and pundits alike believed that he was "washed-up" after struggling the past two seasons in Carolina since returning from season-ending Tommy John surgery in 2007.

His struggle began in the 2008 playoffs where he threw five interceptions in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and continued in the next season, where he threw 18 interceptions before being replaced by Matt Moore.

The Panthers released him after the season, when he signed a two-year contract with the Browns.

It appeared to many as an act of desperation on the part of the Browns. Many believed that at age 35, Delhomme didn't have much gas left in the tank. Others complained that they over-paid for him at $7 million a year.

The one thing that everyone seemed to agree on was that he would only be a one year "stop-gap" measure to buy some time and help the Browns groom a younger quarterback for the future.

Many have opined that Delhomme wouldn't even make it through a full season as the Browns starter. But so far Delhomme has looked anything but "washed up".

In three preseason games, Delhomme has completed 38 of 48 attempts for a 79% completion percentage.

He's thrown for 345 yards, 2 touchdown passes and no interceptions, for an overall passer rating of 110.5.

Granted, it's just the preseason, but that hardly seems like the stat line for a guy who's "washed up".

Now I'm not so optimistic as to believe he can keep up those kind of super-human numbers for a whole season, but it seems to me that rumors of Jake Delhomme's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Even so, most people would say that at 35 years old, Delhomme still probably doesn't have enough left to make it past this season, maybe next season at the most. But Delhomme is a young 35 in NFL terms.

Most people forget that Delhomme started his career in NFL Europe, where he played two seasons, but only started 12 games.

He then "rode the pine" in New Orleans for 4 years before going to Carolina in 2003, where he led them to the Super Bowl in his first season as an NFL starter.

In fact, if you total all the games he's started, including his time in NFL-E and the playoffs, it totals just a little over six full NFL regular seasons.

To put that in perspective, that's about a half a season more than Eli Manning. He's started just barely more than a third of the games Brett Favre has.

When you look at it that way, it seems like he might have a lot more mileage left in his arm than most would think.

What's more, Delhomme appears to be playing like a man who has something to prove. He's been beaten down, mocked, ridiculed, and yet he's playing with the same fire and confidence that helped him lead Carolina to the Super Bowl in 2003.

It appears that he's taken all the criticism to heart, and is trying to use it to fuel what would be one of the more remarkable comeback stories that we've seen in the NFL for a while.

Delhomme is a born leader. He is the epitome of confidence and professionalism. If he can play well this season, I don't see any reason to think that the Browns wouldn't consider extending his contract another year or two.

If you add that to his current contract, that would have him playing until he's 38. That would be 10 years starting in the NFL. That's hardly unheard of.

It's still very early in the season. In fact, it hasn't even really started yet, but has anyone even considered the possibility that Delhomme could be our quarterback for more than just one season? Maybe, just maybe, it's time that we started.