Still no end to Browns QB derby

Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson will see ‘significant’ playing time on Saturday against the Titans.

BEREA (AP) — Brady Quinn has a new home in the Browns’ renovated locker room — behind a pillar in the far back corner.

It’s in contrast to his role with the team, where he’s front and center with Derek Anderson in Cleveland’s quarterback race.

The saga will continue Saturday night in the Browns’ third preseason game against Tennessee, when both Quinn and Anderson could play into the second half. Which player starts, however, will have little bearing on the ultimate winner of the competition.

“I wouldn’t read anything into that at all,” coach Eric Mangini said Thursday. “Somebody has to [start], but the goal is to get a balance. That hasn’t changed.”

Quinn and Anderson equally shared all the practice snaps throughout training camp. Quinn started and played well in the preseason opener against Green Bay, while Anderson’s moment came last week against Detroit, when he led the offense to its first touchdown in seven games.

If the rotation continues, Quinn would be in line to start against the Titans. Mangini plans to sit down with both quarterbacks today to inform them who will start. Both are expected to see significant time with the starters.

“When you’re unsure if you’re starting or not, you have to prepare as the starter,” Quinn said Thursday. “If you’re the No. 2, that’s still the same way you prepare. If the No. 1 guy goes down, the No. 2 guy has to be ready to go. Otherwise, he’s doing his team an incredible injustice.”

Quinn replaced Anderson as the starter halfway through last season, but his year ended after just three starts because of a fractured finger. Quinn is in line to receive hefty bonuses should he win the starting job.

“Obviously there’s a financial side to everything we do with this job,” Quinn said. “But it’s not something you think about. We’re compensated well. We’re just trying to play the game.”

A day after the New York Jets, Mangini’s old team, named rookie Mark Sanchez as the starting quarterback, the Browns’ quarterback competition shows no sign of ending.

Mangini has never indicated when he plans to announce his starter for the Sept. 13 season opener against Minnesota, and this week he didn’t dismiss the idea that the decision might not come until the day before kickoff. Despite the uncertainty, Mangini has been impressed with how Anderson and Quinn have handled the scrutiny.

“It’s a credit to both of them,” Mangini said. “Both have been competitive, both have worked hard at the things we’ve asked them to do. They’ve both been good teammates in the process, and I respect that. It’s not always easy to be fiercely competitive and fiercely loyal to the team.”