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By Joe Starkey
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, May 4, 2007
If the Cleveland Browns really believed Brady Quinn was a franchise quarterback, they would have taken him with the third overall pick of the NFL draft last Saturday.
Think about it. If you have a choice between a franchise left tackle and a franchise quarterback, you take the quarterback every time, even if it costs you a bundle of cash.
The Browns took the tackle, Joe Thomas, then got silly and traded next year's first-round pick to Dallas, so they could peel back and pull Quinn out of commissioner Roger Goodell's private suite with the 22nd pick (couldn't Quinn stand the heat in the green room?). The Browns also plummeted from No. 36 to 53 in the second round as part of that deal and another.
Cleveland's tortured sports history already features "The Drive," "The Fumble," and "The Shot."
You may now add "The Reach."
This move reeked of a frenzied front office, one that obviously believes it must win now. In such a state, it was willing to mortgage the future. Next year's first-rounder might be a top-five pick.
Everybody thought the Miami Dolphins were going to take Quinn at No. 9. Dolphins coach Cam Cameron obviously knew better.
Cameron helped to develop Trent Green, and he tutored Philip Rivers in San Diego the past two seasons, so he knows a promising quarterback when he sees one.
He didn't see one in Quinn. Miami took Ted Ginn Jr., a pick many believe will live in infamy.
I say Ginn becomes more of an impact player than Quinn, even if it's only on special teams.
Plenty of others question Quinn's pedigree.
Analyst Merril Hoge ripped Quinn a day before the draft on ESPN Radio 1250. Watching video of all Quinn's throws at Notre Dame, Hoge said, was akin to watching "a bad ball drill."
Lots of completions, sure, but not many that put the receiver in position to keep going.
"It was like these acrobatic catches, down in the dirt, behind the shoulder," Hoge said. "He's very erratic in the pocket, very jittery."
Hoge went on to say that Stanford's Trent Edwards and Brigham Young's John Beck were better prospects than Quinn. The Dolphins took Beck with the 40th pick. The Buffalo Bills took Edwards, who was injured most of last season at Stanford, at No. 92.
When I contacted Hoge on Thursday, he didn't exactly back down from his stance on Quinn.
"It's not like you can debate it -- he really has accuracy issues," Hoge said. "Cam (Cameron) knows that. That's why they didn't take him. Cleveland made a big mistake."
In comparing Quinn with Beck and Edwards in various categories, Hoge said Quinn would win in only two: "Notre Dame and Charlie Weis."
By that, Hoge meant Quinn was radically overrated because he played for Weis.
Hoge was dead-on. After a bad year and a so-so one to start his career, Quinn's numbers skyrocketed when Weis arrived.
Did Weis tap into the franchise quarterback within Quinn, or was Quinn simply a product of the system? Cleveland won't like the answer to that question.
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, May 4, 2007
If the Cleveland Browns really believed Brady Quinn was a franchise quarterback, they would have taken him with the third overall pick of the NFL draft last Saturday.
Think about it. If you have a choice between a franchise left tackle and a franchise quarterback, you take the quarterback every time, even if it costs you a bundle of cash.
The Browns took the tackle, Joe Thomas, then got silly and traded next year's first-round pick to Dallas, so they could peel back and pull Quinn out of commissioner Roger Goodell's private suite with the 22nd pick (couldn't Quinn stand the heat in the green room?). The Browns also plummeted from No. 36 to 53 in the second round as part of that deal and another.
Cleveland's tortured sports history already features "The Drive," "The Fumble," and "The Shot."
You may now add "The Reach."
This move reeked of a frenzied front office, one that obviously believes it must win now. In such a state, it was willing to mortgage the future. Next year's first-rounder might be a top-five pick.
Everybody thought the Miami Dolphins were going to take Quinn at No. 9. Dolphins coach Cam Cameron obviously knew better.
Cameron helped to develop Trent Green, and he tutored Philip Rivers in San Diego the past two seasons, so he knows a promising quarterback when he sees one.
He didn't see one in Quinn. Miami took Ted Ginn Jr., a pick many believe will live in infamy.
I say Ginn becomes more of an impact player than Quinn, even if it's only on special teams.
Plenty of others question Quinn's pedigree.
Analyst Merril Hoge ripped Quinn a day before the draft on ESPN Radio 1250. Watching video of all Quinn's throws at Notre Dame, Hoge said, was akin to watching "a bad ball drill."
Lots of completions, sure, but not many that put the receiver in position to keep going.
"It was like these acrobatic catches, down in the dirt, behind the shoulder," Hoge said. "He's very erratic in the pocket, very jittery."
Hoge went on to say that Stanford's Trent Edwards and Brigham Young's John Beck were better prospects than Quinn. The Dolphins took Beck with the 40th pick. The Buffalo Bills took Edwards, who was injured most of last season at Stanford, at No. 92.
When I contacted Hoge on Thursday, he didn't exactly back down from his stance on Quinn.
"It's not like you can debate it -- he really has accuracy issues," Hoge said. "Cam (Cameron) knows that. That's why they didn't take him. Cleveland made a big mistake."
In comparing Quinn with Beck and Edwards in various categories, Hoge said Quinn would win in only two: "Notre Dame and Charlie Weis."
By that, Hoge meant Quinn was radically overrated because he played for Weis.
Hoge was dead-on. After a bad year and a so-so one to start his career, Quinn's numbers skyrocketed when Weis arrived.
Did Weis tap into the franchise quarterback within Quinn, or was Quinn simply a product of the system? Cleveland won't like the answer to that question.
