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| Andrew Perna. 2nd March, 2008 - 3:54 pm
 The Cleveland Browns and Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Anderson danced around during their contract talks this offseason but ultimately agreed to terms on a three-year deal worth $24 million early Friday morning.
Anderson, who became an unrestricted free agent the very same day, threw for 3,787 yards with 29 touchdowns and 19 interceptions for the Browns in 2007. Cleveland just missed out on a playoff berth thanks to Anderson’s strong play during his breakout season.
However, his rocky ride in Cincinnati against the Bengals in Week 16 when he tossed four interceptions ended up costing the team their first postseason appearance since just after the Stone Age.
The Browns, who were rumored to be content with losing Anderson via free agency, were never going to give him the money he could have gotten elsewhere. With that said, Anderson cemented himself as the team’s quarterback of today with his tremendous play. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s top pick Brady Quinn seems to have been placed on the backburner for now.
GM Phil Savage and Coach Romeo Crennel didn’t even give Quinn a single snap until the season finale, when he went 3-for-8 with 45 yards passing. So much for making an impact right off the bat.
Quinn is still young enough to make strides in the league. The former third-round pick is smaller than Anderson and has never showcased a very strong arm.
Anderson’s career campaign may only be a brief preview of what will take place in Cleveland over the next three years. In addition to his further development, the Browns have tremendously talented options at a trio of other offensive skill positions. They locked up running back Jamal Lewis earlier this offseason, who seems to be rejuvenated in Cleveland, and Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow are two of the best young players in the game right now.
Edwards caught 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2007, numbers that could increase if the Browns place another respectable target (other than Joe Jurevcius) on the opposite side. Rumor late on Saturday was that Cleveland was close to signing Donte Stallworth away from the Patriots, the very type of player that could fill the role alongside Edwards.
Winslow posted impressive numbers as well, tallying 82 catches with 1,106 yards and five trips to the end zone. However, he could turn out to be more of a threat in 2008 after having offseason surgery to clean up his famously injured knee.
The $24 million deal, which will pay Anderson $13 million in guaranteed cash, should be considered a bargain this winter. There aren’t very many serviceable quarterbacks on the market and none that have shown the same promise and production that Anderson did last season.
The Browns signing of Anderson should be regarded as somewhat more substantial than some of the more high-profile agreements we’ve seen thus far especially when you consider the following: seemingly more desirable locations such as Oakland and Miami were in the market for a signal-caller.
Grade for the Browns: A-
This signing keeps Cleveland in the AFC North race for the time being. Upgrades on the defensive end will be needed to take the next step, but with Baltimore in transition, Cincinnati having a down year (not to mention the Chad Johnson saga), and the Steelers relatively unproven under Mike Tomlin – the time might be now for the Browns to grab themselves a division title.
However, the Browns are not going to sneak up on anyone in 2008. Posting another 10-6 record isn’t going to be easy for Anderson and his Cleveland teammates this fall, but with the former Oregon State product slinging the ball around, their chances are significantly better than they would have been if he signed elsewhere.
Andrew Perna is a Senior Writer for RealGM.com. Feel free to contact him via e-mail (Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com) with comments or questions. |
