Browns57 Posted June 14, 2010 Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 eveland Browns' Eric Mangini stops short of naming Jake Delhomme starter heading into camp Published: Saturday, June 12, 2010, 1:44 PM Updated: Saturday, June 12, 2010, 8:44 PM Mary Kay Cabot, The Plain Dealer UPDATED: 8:40 p.m. Jake Delhomme says he's not worried about whether Seneca Wallace gets some playing time this season. "Seneca Wallace can play football," he said. "I don't think there's any way around it. And not just running. He can throw the football." BEREA, Ohio -- Eric Mangini stopped short of naming Jake Delhomme his starting quarterback heading into next month's training camp, revealing Saturday that Seneca Wallace will also work with the first-team offense. [/color]"We're heading in that direction [with Delhomme as the starter], but we'll go into training camp and see what happens," Mangini said on the final day of minicamp. "I think he's done a great job. On the flip side, I think Seneca has done a done a really nice job as well. [Delhomme's] been working with the ones and we're going to work Seneca with the ones as well." Mangini said he wasn't just saying it just to keep his opponents guessing. "I just want to see how it goes," he said. "I really like what [Delhomme's] done and I've liked what Seneca's done. I just want to see a little bit more before we [name a starter]." Evoking memories of last season's competition between Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn, Mangini said the two quarterbacks would receive equal reps -- but not necessarily both with the first team. "We have enough reps in training camp for everybody to get their fill," said Mangini. "They're going to both need an equal amount of reps and that's how it will be structured -- for the one and two to get the same amount of red area, etc. They may not be with the same group, but they'll get the same amount of work in those areas." The decision seems an about-face from what the Browns have been saying all off-season -- that they don't want to repeat the training camp competition they conducted last season. Specifically, team president Mike Holmgren has been very vocal about picking one guy and supporting him fully. But Holmgren is also very high on Wallace, whom he drafted and groomed in Seattle, and has been saying that he has tremendous potential -- and starting ability. So it's doubtful that Mangini is opposing Holmgren's wishes. In fact, Holmgren and his right-hand man Gil Haskell, who also coached Wallace in Seattle, are heavily involved in the quarterback decision and have seen Wallace shine this off-season. What's more, Mangini suggested that it wasn't the open competition that resulted in poor play last season, but perhaps the quarterbacks involved. "Both [Quinn and Anderson] got a ton of reps last season," said Mangini. "Last season was last season. It's worked for these guys and I'm happy with them. It's good to have this situation." Mangini hinted on May 27 that Wallace could be in for significant time when he said he wouldn't rule out playing both because of their contrasting styles. He seemed to be talking about more than just the WildDawg, which the mobile Wallace can run. "If you can incorporate them both in a plan that makes sense, that works, then that could be a good thing," said Mangini. The quarterbacks weren't available Saturday after Mangini revealed the plan for camp. But Delhomme, a 12-year veteran, is fine with giving at least some of his playing time to Wallace. "I'm better than good," said Delhomme, who signed a two-year deal that will pay him about $7 million this season. "Seneca Wallace can play football. I don't think there's any way around it. And not just running. He can throw the football. Some packages we can do with him are outstanding. I think he's a heckuva quarterback. No. 16 [Josh Cribbs] isn't bad himself. With those two in the game – just think about it. The defense has to prepare so much that week with the possibilities of what can happen they can't prepare as much for a conventional offense." He admitted he might've resented sacrificing reps back in 2003 when he first got to Carolina. "I probably would've been a little ticked," he said. "Yeah, I'm not going to lie to you. But right now, you appreciate the game more. The older players, you start to act like a coach. You're wearing your shorts higher, you know what I mean? There's an appreciation, the shield, it's an honor to play in the NFL." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browns57 Posted June 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 I don't know what to make of this article. I hope that this is just some smoke for the off season. For all that we went through the last couple of years I certainly would hate to see a qb debate again. I guess the question I have is....Could Wallace a career backup thus far actually be a better QB than Delhomme? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpeen Posted June 14, 2010 Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 I don't make anything of it other than Cleveland sports reporters are so accustomed to writing about every aspect the QB situation they don't know how to write about anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobuo Posted June 14, 2010 Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 I can't see them paying Delhomme what they paid him to not be the starter unless Seneca is just /that/ much better. I agree with Ballpeen's assessment. We're so used to a QB controversy that if we have more than one QB on the roster, there's automatically a competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowburn Posted June 14, 2010 Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 from what i hear neither jd or sw is lighting it up....The competiion will result in a starter based on who sucked the least Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLEVELandMILIDH Posted June 14, 2010 Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 He hasnt named a starter at ANY position, its a open competition at every postion heading into training camp. Obviously theres front runners at each position but its still a competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 The treasure is still there boys, believe me. The old tactician has got a plan to take us to the playoffs. We've got bigger fish to fry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gips Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 Jake will start barring an injury to his aging body...pay no mind to the QB babble its just mangini is not ready to actually name him the starter for the obvious reasons of respect and fairness to wallace, what he does say in so many words is he is leaning toward delhomme unless wallace whom is very competitive can step it up and change his mind once the pads come on... If delhomme stays healthy he will be our starter and wallace will be our flash package man, if jake gets hurt wallace is competent so its a win/win as compared to years past, both experience and talent wise at the position... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ_Browns Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 Jake will start barring an injury to his aging body...pay no mind to the QB babble its just mangini is not ready to actually name him the starter for the obvious reasons of respect and fairness to wallace, what he does say in so many words is he is leaning toward delhomme unless wallace whom is very competitive can step it up and change his mind once the pads come on... If delhomme stays healthy he will be our starter and wallace will be our flash package man, if jake gets hurt wallace is competent so its a win/win as compared to years past, both experience and talent wise at the position... nice breakdown of the qb situation. i felt the same way when i read mangini's comments about the qbs. just reading between the lines you could tell mangini was leaning towards jake, but just wasn't ready to announce it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bag O'Browns Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 What a difference a year makes! It is refreshing to go into the season and feeling you've got 3 guys who you feel can do the job. Perhaps i'm just riding the high of good vibes but last summer it didn't feel this way at all! It is Jake's job to lose and you know Seneca will be playing to show the Brown he's their guy. I love Delhomme's selflessness. This guy is a pro and understands that having a guy like Seneca around could make his career last longer. He's the sort of vet you'd like versus the guys we DID bring in like Garcia and Dilfer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadWombat Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 Alright! Another QB competition! Just when I thought we didn't have enough dismal seasons marred by QB controversy in Cleveland.... Mangini hints at another QB competition. /sarcasm Look, just name Delhomme the @!$#in starter already. Wallace and Cribbs can take the field as much as they want (hopefully a lot if they work out how to use their Cyclone package)... but give Delhomme the reins on game day. Just because he starts doesn't mean he has to be on the field on every down. The team needs a leader with unquestioned authority, and Delhomme needs the confidence. This isn't difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browns57 Posted June 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2010 BROWNS QUARTERBACK DERBY Risky restraint Mangini's hesitation to choose Delhomme could create chaos By Marla Ridenour Beacon Journal sports columnist Published on Tuesday, Jun 15, 2010 Please, say it isn't so. Please tell me that Browns coach Eric Mangini's reluctance to name Jake Delhomme as his starting quarterback heading into training camp was merely in deference to his two new bosses or because of his obsessive compulsion to study the offseason workout video just a little longer. Please tell me that the Derek Anderson-Brady Quinn soap opera wasn't canceled for a Delhomme-Seneca Wallace sequel. Whatever Mangini's reasoning, eyebrows were raised Saturday when the Browns concluded their mandatory three-day minicamp and Mangini hesitated to anoint $7 million man Delhomme as No. 1. ''We're heading in that direction, but we'll go into training camp and see what happens,'' Mangini said, which means he'll wait until at least early August. To observers, Delhomme's performance during the team's training sessions was far superior to Wallace's. In fact, it seemed that although young receivers Brian Robiskie, Mohamed Massaquoi and Chansi Stuckey made strides because of their offseason dedication, having an accurate 11-year veteran like Delhomme throwing to them seemed to enhance their progress. Mangini's response to the starting quarterback question was so stunning that the media gave him several more chances to climb out of what could have been another controversial hole. Yet he kept digging. ''[Delhomme's] been working with the ones and we're going to work Seneca with the ones as well,'' Mangini said. ''It's no competitive advantage I'm trying to keep here. It's just both of those guys are going to work with them and I want to see what happens. ''I really like what [Delhomme's] done. And I've liked what Seneca's done. I just want to see a little bit more before we do that.'' Mangini said there will be ''enough reps in training camp for everybody to get their fill.'' He said Delhomme and Wallace will get the same number of snaps in situational drills, such as the red-zone and two-minute drills, although perhaps not both with the first team. One could imagine Browns president Mike Holmgren listening in his office upstairs and slapping himself in the forehead, saying, ''What is he doing?'' It seemed as if Mangini had learned nothing from the Anderson-Quinn debacle that sent the two quarterbacks packing for warmer pastures. Just when you thought the atmosphere of insecurity was sent packing with them, Mangini seemingly cracked open the door for it to sneak back in. This wasn't what everyone expected when quarterback guru Holmgren arrived and quickly declared his disdain for quarterback competitions. ''I've had a couple instances where I thought that was kind of a good idea and it didn't work,'' Holmgren said on Jan. 28. ''You go into training camp and nothing is exactly even. You prefer one over the other or you think one guy's a little bit better or he's a better fit. I've learned, one man's opinion, it's better [to] just pick that guy. He understands you believe in him and you have a better product coming out the other end.'' But Holmgren did hedge a little on March 15. Asked about naming a starter before training camp, he said, ''I would hope, or not too long into that we have decided that this is the way we want to go.'' Mangini knows Wallace played six of his seven years in Seattle under then-coach Holmgren. In terms of touchdown-to-interception ratio, Wallace had the best year of his career under Holmgren in 2008, with 11 touchdown passes and only three interceptions. He's played in 48 career games, but Wallace carries a 5-9 record as a starter and stands just 5-foot-11. It seems certain that Wallace will play this season, perhaps in a WildDawg package with Mr. Everything Joshua Cribbs. Delhomme is willing to put his ego aside for the sake of winning and surrender some snaps, something he acknowledged he would not have embraced a few years ago. ''Some packages we can do with him are outstanding,'' Delhomme said of Wallace. ''I think he's a heckuva quarterback.No. 16 [Cribbs] isn't bad himself. With those two in the game, just think about it. The defense has to prepare so much, they can't prepare as much for a conventional offense.'' Perhaps he merely articulates it better after going 54-38 as an NFL starter, but Delhomme seems to have an amazing grasp of the psychology of his position. He spoke Saturday of learning about his players, finding out which ones need to be chastised and which ones need to be patted on the back. He also knows he must establish himself as the leader. ''When you get in the huddle, I want those 20 eyes just staring right at me believing every word I say,'' Delhomme said. In his limited time in front of the microphone since arriving in a March 8 trade with the Seattle Seahawks, Wallace hasn't shown the same inspiring vocal command to get all 20 eyes on deck. The Browns' decision on which quarterback will take the first snap on Sept. 12 at Tampa Bay seems to be a no-brainer. Perhaps Mangini is treading lightly because of Holmgren's affinity for Wallace. Perhaps Mangini is wary of Delhomme's 2009 meltdown with the Carolina Panthers and wants to see him in pads before he makes a proclamation. But when Holmgren's plane touched down in Cleveland, fans believed order would be restored under center after 11 years of chaos. That means making a commitment. Soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddybull1 Posted June 17, 2010 Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 Bullcrap!!!! Why do you need to name a starter in June.... These aren't incumbent QB's, both are new to the organization, system and players... Jake was signed to start, Wallace was signed as insurance.... Jake will start but both will play but why announce it in June unless you're a beat writer in the slow season trying to come up with a story.... Nice try, take it somewhere else, no controversy....................... Peace T.Dawg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ_Browns Posted June 17, 2010 Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 Bullcrap!!!! Why do you need to name a starter in June.... These aren't incumbent QB's, both are new to the organization, system and players... Jake was signed to start, Wallace was signed as insurance.... Jake will start but both will play but why announce it in June unless you're a beat writer in the slow season trying to come up with a story.... Nice try, take it somewhere else, no controversy....................... Peace T.Dawg agreed. the writer of that article is just reaching for something negative. seriously, how do people like this even get a job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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