Written by Dave Kolonich

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Before this “quickly escalates” into another round of Brady Quinn criticism, let me offer a few quick thoughts regarding the top news of the day.

Browns Sign Delhomme

People Who Need People…

Don’t read too much into yesterday’s signing.  Pure and simple, this was a case of a veteran quarterback who wasn’t going to find many starting jobs around the league meeting a team that features virtually no depth at the position.  Under no circumstances should this move be viewed as something pre-meditated, as it’s clear that Delhomme and the Browns found each other at a most vulnerable spot.

Could this be the football equivalent to a shotgun wedding?

Speaking of shotguns, we could do a lot worse than Delhomme.  Perhaps for once,  the events leading up to the move favored the Browns.  After all, it’s realistic to think that perhaps Delhomme could need the Browns more than we need him.  But, again – that could just be wishful thinking.  After all, were any of you comfortable with Seneca Wallace and Brady Quinn entering the season as the top options?

As for what Delhomme brings to the table…

Legitimacy, Albeit in an Unsavory Form

Obviously, if your mystery card read “Jake Delhomme”, you would be offered the following clues to help you guess:

1. He went to a Super Bowl…quite a few years ago.

2. He completely self-destructed in the 2008 playoffs.

3. He continued this self-destruction throughout the 2009 season.

4. He’s fully recovered from his Tommy John surgery of a few years ago.

5. He has a bad haircut.

6. Nonetheless, he is easily the Browns’ most experienced QB in nearly two decades.

And while Delhomme’s meltdown of the past year and a half is freshest in all of our memories, there is something to be said about a veteran QB getting a change of scenery, especially one like Delhomme who has run the same offense with virtually the same teammates for over seven seasons.  After a while, a player needs a change.  The tenuous nature of the NFL usually dictates that players never last 2-3 seasons with the same team, much less close to a decade.

Don’t you just have a feeling that Delhomme is going to relish a new challenge?  In a new city, with a new coach and fanbase?

And in doing so, the Browns will have gained an instant, credible and experienced leader among the offense.  When is the last time we could truly say that about a QB in this city?

Which brings me to this…

A Player Scorned…

It’s not so much that Delhomme was blindsided by the Panthers’ lack of loyalty regarding his release.  It was evident that Delhomme’s recent performance and huge contract were not going to be honored in Carolina, who is among the league’s teams cautiously approaching the pending labor impasse.  To take it a step further, it appeared that Carolina handled Delhomme’s release in a forthright manner.  Having said all that, it’s hard to imagine that revenge would be a motivator for Delhomme in Cleveland.

However, Delhomme’s fiesty spirit lends itself to some fairly grounded speculation regarding the type of player he can be in Cleveland – meaning that there is no doubt he will be highly motivated to succeed and prove that his final moments in Carolina were not just that.

What Now?

While Delhomme offers some relief in terms of his experience and credibility, and compared to the alternative we would have faced heading into 2010, there are still some vital questions left to be answered.

1. Is the QB we’re getting emotionally and mentally over his recent struggles – the kind that could have otherwise napalmed a player’s career?

2. Delhomme’s experience is a major selling point, but heading into Cleveland he will have to learn a brand new offense.  After running the same offense for seven years, will he able to adapt to what will be some serious change?

3. Were Delhomme’s struggles the result of a mental breakdown, or is he physically beginning to decline?

4. If Delhomme was pressing to make plays the past couple years because of Carolina’s limited offensive talent, how will the situation improve for him in Cleveland?  Was that a loaded question?

5. What now becomes of Seneca Wallace?  Does this move firmly signal that Wallace is merely a safety-net backup?

6. Does this signing alter the Browns’ draft plans in any manner?

7. Can we finally stop talking about Brady Quinn now?

8-10. No?  Well, for old times sake, Brady Quinn, Brady Quinn, Brady Quinn.