In an interview with Cleveland’s
The Plain Dealer, Browns GM Phil Savage finally admitted his likely intentions in dealing with the Derek Anderson situation this offseason. Those intentions are giving Anderson the highest tender available which is scheduled for $2.562 million for one season. Compensation for the Browns if another team signs the restricted free agent would be both first and third round draft picks.
“I think we’d be most comfortable with that 1-and-3 scenario rather than doing
something less than that,” Savage said. “Then you have to have a suitor. You’ve
got to have somebody out there that’s wanting not only to give up picks but to
pay a lot of money. And sometimes that can be a double-dip.”
This is a season in which the Browns have gone from having arguably the worst quarterback situations to suddenly one of the league’s best in terms of depth.
One could very well argue that letting Anderson walk for the draft picks (provided someone signs him) would be ideal for Browns GM Phil Savage. Remember the team doesn’t have a first round pick in the next draft and those extra picks would surely be used help upgrade a defense in desperate need for help in several areas. Also, if the Browns choose to let Anderson walk without matching the offer sheet it surely must indicate that the team feels that Derek is either an overacheiver in a contract year or that Brady Quinn can do the job just as well if not better in the near future.
Here we go…
Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson. Who ya got?
Read the complete post at http://kidcleveland.blogspot.com/2007/11/browns-likely-to-give-anderson-highest.html