Is Brady Quinn the Answer the Browns Have Been Searching for?

Ever since the Browns drafted Brady Quinn in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft, he has been a star in Cleveland.  Almost everywhere you went in the city last year you could find at least one person wearing a Quinn No. 10 jersey.

And chances are if you asked around about which player people were most excited about, you'd find more than a hand-full of his die-hard groupees singing his praises. 

I've got to say, that's pretty good for a guy who before last week had never started a game in the NFL.  It's especially amazing when the Browns' actual starting quarterback (at the time) was having a year that propelled him into the Pro Bowl. 

That being said, Quinn has impressed so far in his first two regular season appearances for the Browns, both of which came down to the wire with one resulting in his first career win. 

This seems to be enough to convince some that he may be just what the Browns have been looking for to fill that giant question mark at QB once and for all.  But, when it comes to making predictions about the future, look at the past.

The Browns have had numerous starting QBs since they came back in 1999.  In '99, No. 1 draft pick Tim Couch was the end all be all for the Browns.  He was going to be the foundation for a budding franchise. 

However, by 2004 Couch wasn't cutting it anymore so they went to veteran Jeff Garcia who did no better.  Kelly Holcomb who led the Browns in the 2002-03 playoffs was also at one point thought by some to be the answer.  But that didn't pan out.

After a brief stint with Trent Dilfer, Cleveland turned to Charlie Frye who was a bust and then there was Derek Anderson.  He fought his way into the starting job and then there they were back in the playoff race with a Pro Bowl quarterback in Anderson.  But this year, not so much. 

Does anyone else notice a trend here?

Now, Brady Quinn without a doubt seems to have the tools to be successful in the NFL but the time for Cleveland fans to get their hopes up yet again is not here.  It won't be here for at least a year or two if it comes at all.  

He is still young and I think that Quinn will benefit from the time he's had to grow on the sidelines, which is something their last rookie phenom, Tim Couch, never had. 

Although Quinn has been all right so far, only time will tell if he can be truly successful under center for the Browns in the long-run.

FYI: Some other starting QBs for the Browns over the years according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer whom I won't even attempt to list chronologically are Ty Detmer, Spergon Wynn, Luke McCown, and Doug Pederson.