Since the Browns have come back to the NFL, and especially the last 3-years, it seems to me that they get on the board first the majority of the time. Since we don't get the games in the Southeast I live by the ticker that shows all the other scores in the game I am watching, and it always seems like every games begins Browns 3, other team 0. So how do they seem to drive down the field at the opening of every game and then struggle to get back down the field the rest of the game? I have no idea how to find the stats, but I would love to see how many times they get on the board first over the last 3 years and then lose. Even more interesting would be how many time have they been tied or led going into half time only to lose.

@roach said:

It is a poor strategy to hold on to a player that is not contributing just because he is a high choice. We've had players that have been just the opposite- that is they contributed significantly despite being drafted low (or at all). Cribbs and Pontbriand come to mind right away.

Look at what we got for Quinn. That should tell you what his worth was to the team, and to other teams.

This is a win-win-win scenario. For the Browns, Quinn's presence was clearly a distraction for management and the coaching staff. They could not develop their talent with all the disruption caused by the fan base and media. Now they can get to their jobs. For the Broncos, they get a QB with some upside that will play behind their starter (and perhaps compete with him). For Quinn, he gets a fresh start in a good program.

Holmgren had to let hm go. We can focus on football once again. It is a good strategy.

I am not disagreeing with you, but perhaps rather than having a fire sale for our top draft picks we should get something of value for them. See the article below that seems to agree with me. And how is Jake Delhomme an upgrade to Quinn? The Panthers paid him $12M next year to NOT show up at camp and we were willing to give him another $7M on top of that to lead our team. Sorry that is not strategic, that is saying let start over, yet again.

From Yahoo.com

Let's quickly review the value given to the Cleveland Browns from the Brady Quinn(notes) experiment: They spent a first round draft pick on him, watched him play about three good games in three years, and then shipped him off to Denver in exchange for three soiled pairs of these socks.

Not good. That's the kind of thing that cripples an organization. It's the kind of thing that makes the Browns the Browns.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that Brady Quinn was poised to be the next Bernie Kosar, or even Eric Zeier. But the quarterbacks currently on the Browns roster are Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace(notes) and Brett Ratliff(notes). Wallace will be 30 when the season starts and has never proven that he can be a reliable, consistent starter in the NFL. Starting Jake Delhomme(notes) at this point is akin to juggling gasoline-soaked dynamite sticks while standing over a campfire. Ratliff has never thrown an NFL pass.

And there's no room there for Brady Quinn?

The guy wasn't completely without promise. I don't think anyone can look at him and say, "Yes, I am 100 percent certain that Brady Quinn will never be a serviceable NFL quarterback." Maybe 75 percent, but still. He hasn't been a total washout. Given what else they have at quarterback, it's hard for me to believe that Quinn had less value to the organization than Peyton Hillis(notes) and a sixth-round pick.

Maybe the move is less about Quinn himself than it is a symbolic purge of the roster in favor of starting anew. If that's the case, it's certainly understandable, and something I'm sure Browns fans will embrace. Maybe this deal is just a lump that the Browns had to take.

But I don't believe we've heard the last of Brady Quinn. The deal is great news for him, as he'll get a shot in Josh McDaniels' talent-optional offense, where even Kyle Orton(notes) can look good for about half a season. I like his chances of success in Denver better than I like Delhomme's in Cleveland.

@lebrent said:

I'm gonna miss those days...

I won't! I still miss these days!!

I do strategy for a living and I really don't understand the plan for this team. Since Mangini got here, and now with Holmegren, we continue to "Give Away" first round draft picks and get little to nothing in return for them, this is history repeating itself and our recent history sucks! When Butch Davis got here he traded away all of Chris Palmers draft picks, like wise when Crennel got here he shed all of Davis' picks and now Mangenius and Holmgren are dumping Crennel's first rounders at an alarming rate. I'm not saying any of the previous picks were right or wrong, what i'm saying is that since 1999 this team has seen no stability in its roster which continues to be purged year after year. If you look at the best teams in the NFL over the last 10 years you see that they have a nucleus of core players that don't turnover, but instead use the draft and free agency to fill small holes. Look I'm not saying we need to win the superbowl, but just put a competitive team on the field for a few years in a row. I am a life long fan with many ties to Cleveland, but until there appears to be a sound strategy for this team and we can at least get to .500, I will not be spending my hard earned dollars here.