Dawg Pound Lounge ,

The Cleveland Browns have been one of a number of NFL teams being held under the national microscope for their actions in the 2012 NFL Draft. Especially considering they traded up one spot from No. 4 to No. 3 to secure their running back of the future (Trent Richardson), and then used the No. 22 pick on a 28-year old quarterback (Brandon Weeden).

This week, ESPN has decided to once again focus their attention on the continuously rebuilding franchise. While there was yet again some focus on the selection of Weeden and success rate (or lack thereof) of quarterbacks drafted in the 20s, the article decided to focus on a more controversial and rather boneheaded idea.

It was suggested the Cleveland Browns should entertain the idea of signing former Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback Donovan McNabb.

For those of you who have been under a rock for the last few months, the Cleveland Browns have hired former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress to take over their offense, and the connection between himself and McNabb is essentially the premise for this article. Before he coached in Minnesota, Childress was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Eagles from 1999-2005—also known as the beginning of McNabb’s career in Philly.

Childress’ cultivation of McNabb cannot be denied. He took the No. 2 overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft out of Syracuse and turned him into a Pro Bowl quarterback. But developing a quarterback when he is young and raw is much different than attempting to get another year of juice out of a 35-year old.

Looking past the fact that McNabb hasn’t been himself the past few seasons, the idea of bringing him in just because Weeden may not be ready to assume the quarterbacking duties from day one makes zero sense. The Browns did not draft a 28-year old quarterback with a first-round pick to have him sit a year and learn. They brought him in to win the starting quarterback job.

The team has Colt McCoy, who has starting experience, if Weeden struggles to grasp the playbook at first. His numbers haven’t been amazing, but he is coming into his third year with the franchise (second in the West Coast Offense) and knows the personnel on the team much better than McNabb would. If McCoy struggles, there is always Seneca Wallace, a player who has been in the WCO nearly his entire career.

With those three players in the system, there is no room for a washed up veteran like McNabb in Cleveland. Yet this is the exact opposite the author of the article wants you to believe, stating, “…McNabb is a buffer. He doesn’t need a five-year deal. Bring him in; see if he can play. His upside is a chance to win a little more now while strengthening Weeden’s chance to succeed. Really, what do the Browns have to lose?”

What do the Browns have to lose? With all due respect, the writer (Chris Sprow) does not seem to have a firm grasp on the state of football in Cleveland.

Once Weeden starts, the Browns will be on lucky No. 17 for different starting quarterbacks since rejoining the NFL in 1999. The list stretches from a No. 1 overall draft pick in Tim Couch, to vagabond backups like Kelly Holcomb, Spergon Wynn, Luke McCown and Ken Dorsey.

It also mixes in aging veterans like Ty Detmer, Doug Pederson, Jeff Garcia, Trent Dilfer and Jake Delhomme—all looking for one last breath of NFL starting air. And who can forget the likes of Charlie Frye, Bruce Gradkowski, the Golden Domer bust in Brady Quinn and the one-year wonder off the Ravens’ practice squad in Derek Anderson?

To answer Sprow’s question, the Browns have a fan base to lose. They have a city tired of a revolving door at quarterback, and are certainly tired of watching stop-gaps and buffers attempt to lead their team out of the cellar and back into the playoffs.

Weeden may be old for a rookie and McCoy has struggled early in his young career, but those two are the current quarterbacks for this franchise. Weeden will likely emerge as the starter because of his big-arm, accuracy and ability to impact the game plan of opposing defenses.

And if the Browns only get six years of starting out of him (like this writer has said a million times before), it is longer than any quarterback not named Bernie Kosar since 1984. The Browns’ organization should just say no to McNabb, because a “buffer” is not needed.


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