10 Questions Brady Quinn Must Answer in 2009

The Cleveland Browns are set to begin the 2009 season with a new head coach in Eric Mangini, but a familiar face and fan favorite quarterback in Brady Quinn.

For two seasons now, Quinn has spent the majority of his regular season NFL career holding a clipboard while Derek Anderson manned the offense. Quinn finally got his chance to start near the end of 2008, but his time behind center was marred by inconsistency and ended via injury.

Quinn expects to become the starting quarterback for the Browns in this, his third NFL seasons. But before he can take the reigns on offense, there are 10 questions he will need to answer over the course of the next few months in order to become the true leader on this football team.

1. Why should you be the Browns’ starting quarterback this season?

Quinn’s name has been dragged in and out of trade talks all off season. Jay Cutler was coming to take his place, Quinn was going to Washington or Denver, he was not Eric Mangini’s type of quarterback, etc. There even was speculation that Quinn himself demanded a trade if he is not named the starting quarterback for the Browns this year. All of the rumors and gossip aside, Quinn will have to prove himself to the new coaching staff this summer if he indeed desires to become the Browns’ starting QB in 2009.

2. It took nearly two seasons for you to get your first regular season start. Was the previous coaching staff holding you back? Or were you really that much behind Derek Anderson?

Blaming it on the previous regime would be an easy out for Quinn. Those guys brought him to Cleveland and yet decided to hold him back from the field for well over a season. It took an injury to Derek Anderson — and consistently bad play, to boot — for Quinn to get the nod as the starter in a regular season game. While it is hard to believe that Quinn could not have been better than the struggling Anderson, something was keeping him off the field while DA was healthy.

3. When you finally got the chance to start, it went well against Denver. But your production dwindled in subsequent weeks. How do you plan on becoming a more consistent quarterback for this team?

Quinn burst onto the scene last season with living-up-to-the-hype type performance against the Broncos on The NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football. It came in a losing effort thanks to the fourth quarter heroics of — ironically — Jay Cutler, but Quinn threw for 239 yards on 23-of-35 passing with two scores and no turnovers. He demonstrated poise in the pocket but could not deliver a last-chance drive down the stretch to put his team back ahead, though a few untimely drops helped do in his effort to do so.

But it was downhill from there for Quinn. After posting a 104.3 passer rating in that game against Denver, Quinn’s passer rating never topped 55.9 during his next two starts and he failed to throw another touchdown before succumbing to an injury of his own. If he wants to keep the starting quarterback job in Cleveland, Quinn will have to display more consistency and maturity at the position.

4. How do you plan on becoming the Browns’ undisputed leader in the locker room?

The Browns have lacked a true locker room leader at quarterback for several seasons now. If there is a leader in the offensive huddle on this team currently it would almost certainly have to be veteran running back Jamal Lewis. But Lewis’ days in the NFL are numbered as the big back approaches 30-years-old, the age at which almost all running backs see a significant drop in production.

That means the time is now for Quinn to grasp the reigns in the locker room and in the huddle and become the face of this franchise. Quinn needs to lead by example in training camp, the preseason and the regular season by being an accountable and dependable figure. He needs to handle the media, he needs to take responsibility for the team’s short comings and he needs to take it upon himself to make this team better by pushing and inspiring his teammates.

5. Will learning a new system under Eric Mangini affect any progress you made in previous seasons under Romeo Crennel?

While Quinn did not get much of a chance to be the starting quarterback the Browns originally drafted him to be a few years ago, he spent the last two seasons learning a system that is no longer in place. Time to start over again.

In comes Eric Mangini and in comes a new offensive playbook. Quinn needs to be a quick study to show the new regime that he can handle the new offense, or else he could get run out of town much in the way Chad Pennington did in New York.

6. How big of a loss will Kellen Winslow be to the productivity of this offense? Who do you expect to pick up the slack in the passing game?

It is going to be hard to replace the production of one of the league’s top pass-catching tight ends. Winslow always was willing to go over the middle and make the tough catches. While Braylon Edwards may be a talented receiver, mental, and physical toughness are not his strongest suits at this point of his career.

So who picks up the slack? Steve Heiden is a fan favorite but suffered a serious knee injury late last year that could hamper him the rest of his career. Robert Royal was brought in for depth purposes, but showed little promise in his previous NFL stops. Martin Rucker is the sleeper here as a guy who can do a lot with the football in his hands, but will he be able to emerge during training camp?

7. Everyone knows about Braylon Edwards’ problems last year with dropped passes. Have you as a quarterback lost any confidence in him?

Speaking of Edwards, the contract-year receiver could be in for a big year if he can hold onto the football. He is the undisputed best receiver on this football team with Winslow out of the way and will see his share of targets. But holding onto the football has been a major issue for Edwards in the past. Quinn and Edwards need to get together this off season much in the same way Peyton Manning gets together with his best receivers to work on chemistry and timing. If Quinn has lost any confidence in Edwards, working with him in the off season would be a good way to restore it.

8. Realistically, what are your goals for this team in 2009? How good can these Browns really be?

In a division as tough as the AFC North, Quinn and the Browns are only going to get as far as Pittsburgh and Baltimore let them. It is hard to imagine this team finishing above either of those teams this year and even Cincinnati could be improved with Carson Palmer back at the helm. Improving on last year’s four-win mark is a good place to start as a goal for 2009, but that might not be enough for the eager young quarterback — nor should it be.

9. You had three starts last year against, on average, less than stellar defensive units. How are you preparing for the Baltimores and Pittsburghs of the NFL?

And speaking of the Steelers and Ravens, Quinn will do battle with these two elite defensive units four times every season. Those games will test his mental and physical toughness as a quarterback, so Quinn will have to shed his pretty-boy label to become more like the two quarterbacks leading those teams — Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco. Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl rings to his credit and is widely regarded as the most physically tough quarterback in the NFL. Flacco was good, bad and ugly last year for Baltimore, but he helped lead the Ravens to the playoffs by showing a ton of mental toughness.

10. There is a good amount of pressure on your shoulders. The Browns traded back into the first round to draft you a few years ago, and most of the fan base has been waiting for this to become your team. Can you handle the intense scrutiny of the Cleveland fans and media on a day-in, day-out basis?

Cleveland is no New York, but the fans in northern Ohio are passionate about the Browns. And the local media is brutally honest and scrutinizing of the team’s every move, no matter how seemingly insignificant. If Quinn is the day one starter, he will be praised for every win and burned for every loss. Will he be able to handle the positive and the negative with the same demeanor? Or will the heat from the intense, focused spotlight slowly melt away his career in Cleveland?

Daily Haze: 30-year-old RBs

Read a good piece this weekend over at Fantasy Football Xtreme about a few running backs nearing or hitting that age when production begins to decline significantly. All of these guys have substantial fantasy relevance—LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Westbrook, Larry Johnson, Thomas Jones, and Jamal Lewis.

I agree with Smitty (the author) that Tomlinson, of all these guys, has the best chance to buck the trend and go off for great numbers this year. He has been a beast throughout his career and has only recently succumbed to injuries.

He is enjoying a healthy offseason that should give him time to prepare his body for the beating it is going to take this season and he has some help in the backfield with the emergence of Darren Sproles.

So while LT2 is slipping on some owners draft boards, others could grab a steal in the mid- to late-first round of fantasy drafts.

Here are today’s great reads:

• Get ready for the summer of non-stop, in-your-face Michael Vick coverage courtesy of ESPN. [The Big Lead]
• All of these backup running backs need to be on every fantasy owners cheat sheets this summer. [Bruno Boys]
• Dynasty league owners not in possession of Darren McFadden at the moment should make a play for him now if wanting to own the second-year running back. [Pancake Blocks]
• I do not know too much about individual defensive player leagues, but I have a feeling Patrick Willis is the consensus No. 1 linebacker in IDP leagues. [Kilroyz Krystal Ball]

Got a pressing fantasy football question and need an answer now? Or just want to chat about all the recent developments in the sports’ world? Head over to The Hazean’s fantasy football forums for all that and more.

If you are a Tweeter, follow The Hazean on Twitter. If it is a good chuckle you desire, check out The Hazean’s Facebook page. Remember to follow (Twitter) and become a fan (Facebook) of The Hazean on both popular social networking sites.

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Thank you for reading the latest post from The Hazean. Please visit our website for more great fantasy content!

Daily Haze: Another TGIF

Rejoice, we are one weekend closer to the traditional summer kickoff three-day weekend known as Memorial Day. Need to get a grill to ring in the summer with style.

Couple of things going on today at The Hazean headquarters. First of all, thank you for becoming a fan of The Hazean on Facebook! We reached our 100th fan over the course of the last two days when Tomasco Neuin visited and became a fan. Now we need your help to reach our second hundred, so head over to the page today and check out all the fun stuff going on over there.

We still are accepting applications for The Hazean’s fantasy mock draft database. Plan on working on it all weekend to get it out for everyone to enjoy, so look for it Monday.

And don’t forget about our fantasy football forums!

Here are today’s great reads:

• Good thing Ben Roethlisberger already has two Super Bowl rings, because he might not have that long of a career according to some numbers. [Shutdown Corner]
• Five faces in new places this season, all of whom could see an uptick in fantasy value. [Fantasy Clicks]
• Dynasty owners take notice: Jeff Garcia is threatening to steal the Raiders’ quarterback job away from JaMarcus Russell. [NFL GridIron Gab]
• One of the more interesting dynasty drafts I have seen so far. Michael Crabtree No. 1 overall and—more surprisingly—Darrius Heyward-Bey at three. Yikes. [Football Jabber]
• Leon Washington is close to inking a new deal with the New York Jets. I wonder how this makes Thomas Jones feel. [ProFootballTalk]

Got a pressing fantasy football question and need an answer now? Or just want to chat about all the recent developments in the sports’ world? Head over to The Hazean’s fantasy football forums for all that and more.

If you are a Tweeter, follow The Hazean on Twitter. If it is a good chuckle you desire, check out The Hazean’s Facebook page. Remember to follow (Twitter) and become a fan (Facebook) of The Hazean on both popular social networking sites.

If it is just more solid reading material that you crave, check out The Hazean’s Google Reader Shared Items page.

Thank you for reading the latest post from The Hazean. Please visit our website for more great fantasy content!

Daily Haze: Weekly Facebook Update

Still hovering just south of the 100th fan on The Hazean’s Facebook page, which is a little disconcerting because we have been there for the last several weeks! Do none of you use Facebook anymore? Has it already jumped the shark?

Nah, I doubt it. Just a lull I suppose.

But our Twitter following is making serious gains on the Facebook fan page, nearing 100 followers over there as well. So the question becomes: Which social networking site will net The Hazean’s its—respectively—100th fan?!?

Looking forward to finding out. Meanwhile, here is what is going on at The Hazean’s Facebook page this week: Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis nets his first game-winning shot as a pro, Alien Loves Predator comics, LeBron James making stuff look easy, Vinny’s Old School Song of the Day series and Kobe and Ron Artest getting a little too close for comfort.

Here are today’s great reads:

• Making a strong case for Peyton Manning as the best quarterback the NFL has ever seen. [The EndZoneView]
• Open competition my butt: From the sound of things leaking out of Cleveland, the starting quarterback job is Brady Quinn’s, period. [Shutdown Corner]

If you are a Tweeter, follow The Hazean on Twitter. If it is a good chuckle you desire, check out The Hazean’s Facebook page. Remember to follow (Twitter) and become a fan (Facebook) of The Hazean on both popular social networking sites.

If it is just more solid reading material that you crave, check out The Hazean’s Google Reader Shared Items page.

Thank you for reading the latest post from The Hazean. Please visit our website for more great fantasy content!

Daily Haze: Fantasy Football Forums

Yesterday, we introduced someone else’s new toy with the release of Fantasy Football Chatter. Today, we introduce our own new, shiny toy: The Hazean’s fantasy football forums.

That’s right, we are jumping into the deep end with a few forums we can call our own. You can get advice for all of your fantasy teams, injury updates, news, gossip and much, much more by participating in our community.

These will especially come in handy during the fantasy football season when you are juggling start/sit decisions and trade offers for all of your leagues.

Check ‘em out and sign up for an account. It never is too soon to start preparing for fantasy football 2009.

Here are today’s great reads:

• If Darrius Heyward-Bey wanted to shrug off all the critics labeling him the next bust, he started off on the wrong foot at Raiders camp. [ProFootballTalk]
• The 2009 NFL Draft class is deep with talented individuals, but who among these players will stand out as the next crop of fantasy studs? [No Offseason]
• Neither Seattle running back is going to blow fantasy owners away, but Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett have some value for the right price. [Pancake Blocks]

If you are a Tweeter, follow The Hazean on Twitter. If it is a good chuckle you desire, check out The Hazean’s Facebook page. Remember to follow (Twitter) and become a fan (Facebook) of The Hazean on both popular social networking sites.

If it is just more solid reading material that you crave, check out The Hazean’s Google Reader Shared Items page.

Daily Haze: Fantasy Football Chatter Goes Live

Like fantasy football? Like to chat about it? Well have I got the perfect new website for you!

No, this is not an infomercial. But if you are familiar with the Fantasy Football Calculator — a great site in its own right—then certainly you will appreciate the newest invention from the same creators: Fantasy Football Chatter.

It’s a message board. It’s a haven for fantasy football information. It’s the spot for breaking fantasy football news. Check it out today!

Here are today’s great reads:

• The 36 best fantasy football prospects in terms of a three-round mock draft heading into the 2009 fantasy football season. [The EndZoneView]
• Four fantasy players on the verge of a comeback season. If Joseph Addai is going to end up on this list, however, he will have to keep Donald Brown off the field for significant amounts of time. [Bruno Boys]

If you are a Tweeter, follow The Hazean on Twitter. If it is a good chuckle you desire, check out The Hazean’s Facebook page. Remember to follow (Twitter) and become a fan (Facebook) of The Hazean on both popular social networking sites.

If it is just more solid reading material that you crave, check out The Hazean’s Google Reader Shared Items page.

Daily Haze: TGIF

Another week in the books and thankfully another Friday to celebrate it.

Got any big plans this weekend? After walking a 5K and taking a tour of Cleveland last Saturday — complete with a trip to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — the wife and I are going to stay in and do some chores this weekend. Should be pleasant.

Hopefully we all can avoid the Brett Favre will he or won’t he chatter this weekend. Otherwise, it might not be as enjoyable.

Have a good one, see y’all on Monday.

Here are today’s great reads:

• Thomas Jones has been rumored out the door in New York, but the Jets may already have found his Marion Barber-esque replacement. [Fantasy Football Fools]
• Circumstances certainly have changed for both DeSean Jackson and Eddie Royal this offseason, so a sophomore slump is not out of the question for either player. [The EndZoneView]
• Feeling the pressure of losing playing time to Chris Johnson, LenDale White is doing his best “The Biggest Loser” impression this offseason. [ProFootballTalk]
• Are the wide receivers in the NFL starting to lose a little bit of their value? Maybe they should stop running their mouths so much. [Shutdown Corner]

If you are a Tweeter, follow The Hazean on Twitter. If it is a good chuckle you desire, check out The Hazean’s Facebook page. Remember to follow (Twitter) and become a fan (Facebook) of The Hazean on both popular social networking sites.

If it is just more solid reading material that you crave, check out The Hazean’s Google Reader Shared Items page.

Daily Haze: Facebook update

Still inching closer to the 100 fan mark over at The Hazean’s Facebook page. Help us get there!

Lots of funny stuff to read and/or watch right now on the Facebook fan page: Alien v. Predator comics (hilarious), Drew Carey and a Pittsburgh gynecologist, messing with Sasquatch, Family Guy and Kobe Bryant as a dirty player. Check it out and make your voice heard—and don’t forget to become a fan.

Meanwhile, The Hazean’s Twitter is slowly gaining ground on the Facebook page. 86 followers as of last night and the requests keep on coming. Get your in today to keep up with everything we have going on around here!

Here are today’s great reads:

• Taking a gander at the market value of the 2009 rookie class from a redraft perspective. [FF Toolbox]
• Cleveland is still trying to deal Braylon Edwards and the suitor-of-the-week could be the New York Jets. [NFL GridIron Gab]
• The three best reasons Minnesota should try to acquire Brett Favre: Sage Rosenfels, Tarvaris Jackson and John David Booty. [The Big Lead]
• A few NFL offseason transactions that may be flying below the radars of the collective fantasy football mass. [Bruno Boys]
• Ranking each team’s haul from the 2009 NFL Draft. When you move up to draft a punter, New Orleans, you can expect to be ranked pretty low. [Fantasy Football Oasis]

If you are a Tweeter, follow The Hazean on Twitter. If it is a good chuckle you desire, check out The Hazean’s Facebook page. Remember to follow (Twitter) and become a fan (Facebook) of The Hazean on both popular social networking sites.

If it is just more solid reading material that you crave, check out The Hazean’s Google Reader Shared Items page.

Daily Haze: Sigh…Brett Favre

This has now officially become a deja vu offseason.

A day after texting Trent Dilfer an emphatic “NO” regarding his chances of playing this week, ESPN reported that Favre will indeed meet with Vikings’ coach Brad Childress later this week. Why not?

I mean, seriously. The same exact thing went down last offseason, just with a few different players (although the Vikings may have been the team Favre really wanted to quarterback last season). I am going to take the same stand—I want to see Favre in uniform again this year.

I know the drama and gossip and rumors get old. So maybe, just maybe, Favre will make his decision relatively soon rather than draw it out. Sign a contract this week and get ready to tear it up with Adrian Peterson. Then I do not have to make a million-and-a-half posts about where Brett Favre might wind up.

Here are today’s great reads:

• It is kind of hard to believe that Larry Fitzgerald is only 25 years old and at the top of his game — and the top of dynasty league rankings. [FF Toolbox]
• If you listen to all the chatter coming out of Jets’ camp these days, it appears that Mark Sanchez will be a starter from day one. [ProFootballTalk]
• Pierre Thomas should be the Saints’ go-to guy at the goal line this year, but can he hold off the two rookie bowling bowls the Saints just added to the roster? [Pancake Blocks]

If you are a Tweeter, follow The Hazean on Twitter. If it is a good chuckle you desire, check out The Hazean’s Facebook page. Remember to follow (Twitter) and become a fan (Facebook) of The Hazean on both popular social networking sites.

If it is just more solid reading material that you crave, check out The Hazean’s Google Reader Shared Items page.

Daily Haze: Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Celebrating in style tonight? Last year, the wife and I waited for about two hours to eat at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. Not this year.

Thawed some chicken last night to make enchiladas, got a bucket of margaritas in the freezer and plenty of chips and salsa to go around. No more standing around waiting to kick start the party, we brought it home this year.

Have a safe one, enjoy today’s stories and be careful getting home tonight.

Here are today’s great reads:

• If you have not seen it yet, there is some pretty terrifying video from the accident at the Cowboys’ practice facility. [The Big Lead]
• More upgrades to one of the best fantasy football tools owners can utilize this time of year. [Fantasy Football Calculator]
• Brett Favre told Trent Dilfer via text message that he is not coming back to football. That is his story this week and he’s sticking to it! [ProFootballTalk]
• DeAngelo Williams is going to be one of the more difficult running backs to rank this season. [Pancake Blocks]
• Despite picking up Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden in the NFL Draft, the Giants may still be courting Braylon Edwards. [ProFootballTalk]

If you are a Tweeter, follow The Hazean on Twitter. If it is a good chuckle you desire, check out The Hazean’s Facebook page. Remember to follow (Twitter) and become a fan (Facebook) of The Hazean on both popular social networking sites.

If it is just more solid reading material that you crave, check out The Hazean’s Google Reader Shared Items page.

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