D.A. signs

Tweet

Here's the AP report:

-----

Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson wasn't a free agent for long.

Anderson has agreed to a multiyear contract to stay with the Browns, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been completed.

General manager Phil Savage believed if Anderson had gotten an offer from another team, the Browns probably wouldn't have been able to keep him.

The team had been negotiating a three-year, $20 million deal for Anderson.

The 24-year-old signed with Cleveland just hours after he became a restricted free agent.

-----

I guess the grass wasn't greener after all. Or more likely Anderson couldn't find a suitor willing to give him Romo money. I don't blame Anderson and his agent for testing the market; his value will likely never be higher. Now the Browns are bringing the entire offense back, and diving into the free agency/trade market to improve the defense (There are reports the Browns have traded this year's second round pick for Green Bay DT Corey Williams...The Pack had franchised Williams, who had seven sacks last year. The Browns would sign him long term along with giving up the pick. If this goes through the Browns will have no draft picks until the 3rd round.)

As for getting D.A. back, I'm not sure yet how I feel about this move. Savage played this quite well--The Browns didn't give Anderson the moon to come back, and the man did win 10 games last year. However, as has been thoroughly documented this off-season, Anderson slipped during the second half of the year, and played his worst game of the campaign in a must-win situation against the Bengals.

That being said, Anderson is not a "known known" quite yet. He's young and may still have some untapped upside. The dumbest argument I've heard against him is that his play was the direct product of quality skill players and a solid offensive line. I call bullshit--The quarterback is the most important position on the field. It certainly helped Anderson to have a good supporting cast, but he was part of the offense's resurgence as much as anyone surrounding him. Put Frye or Couch in the same situation and I'd bet green money you don't get the same results.I think it's a good idea to give Anderson the keys to this offense for at least one more year rather than "starting over" with Quinn in 2008. The Browns goal next season should be not just going to the playoffs, but going deep. I just wonder what Quinn's thinking right now. Will he be satisfied with sitting on the bench for another season? I do not want the Browns to trade him, and if you've listened to Savage during this process that does not seem like the plan. We shall see.