Frye-by episode is knee-jerk

If knee-jerking were an Olympic event, Browns management just might compete for the gold.

Forty-eight hours after Cleveland was humiliated by the Steelers, general manager Phil Savage traded quarterback Charlie Frye (winner of the team’s six-week competition to find a starter) to the Seahawks for a sixth-round draft pick.

The Savage gang could give Wal-Mart a lesson or two in markdowns. Frye, from the University of Akron, was drafted in 2005 with a third-round pick.

Flushing a quarterback after a bad performance — where have Browns fans seen that before?

Days were numbered
after draft day

Turning Frye into a Seahawk is the best thing for all concerned, especially Frye. With rookie Brady Quinn charting plays on the sideline, Frye’s days as Browns starter were limited.

In fact, the countdown began April 28, the day Savage traded with Dallas for the 22nd overall selection in the NFL Draft, using the pick on Quinn.

Savage looked like a bargain master on that day.

Tuesday’s reaction to Sunday’s colossally inept performance by the team speaks volumes about the Browns.

Someone should have to answer as to how Frye could “win” the starting quarterback derby then be sent packing after the latest in a string of bad performances.

Frye produced a 6-15 record. He saved his worst performance for last, getting sacked five times by the Steelers in about 24 minutes of play.

In announcing the trade, that Derek Anderson is the new starting quarterback, that Quinn is the new backup and that Ken Dorsey has been resigned to be a quarterback mentor, Savage backpedaled like Deion Sanders in his prime avoiding a hit.

Quarterback derby may
have been misjudged

Savage said quarterback was an “open competition” that is ongoing based on performance. Nothing wrong with that ... except someone obviously misjudged the starting quarterback derby.

How could anyone believe that the slow-footed Frye was the solution to the Steelers’ blitz schemes?

Anderson showed the presence of mind to move and buy time, something Frye will need to develop if he hopes to remain in the league past a fourth season.

Savage treated the re-signing of Dorsey as being as important as Indiana Jones finding the Ark of the Lost Covenant. There’s a reason why no other team had signed the former 49ers starter.)

Savage announced that Quinn (whose lengthy preseason holdout kept him competing to start) is now the backup.

“I think the trade, ultimately, is good for everybody involved because it gives us some clarity at the position,” Savage said.

As much as Browns fans want a winner to rally around, they should hope and pray that top management remembers what happened to the last quarterback the Browns drafted in the first round.

Example with Couch after
Browns suffered big loss

When the Browns returned to the NFL in 1999 as an expansion team, coach Chris Palmer named rookie Tim Couch as his starter after a season-opening 43-0 loss to the Steelers at Browns Stadium.

The pounding Couch then took playing behind a horrible line (sound familiar?) shortened his career.

Quinn’s debut as starter is coming soon. Whether that is a good idea is debatable. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger certainly blossomed after he started 13 games in his rookie season after Tommy Maddox was injured.

On the other hand, Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer wasn’t hurt by sitting out his entire rookie season.

Following the Sept. 23 trip to Oakland, the Browns will be home to the Ravens then travel to New England. Common sense says Quinn’s first start should come after Oct. 7.

Browns fans should hope and pray that when that this crucial decision is made, team leadership has stopped its waffling act.

XTom Williams is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write to him at williams@vindy.com.