Mike’s Browns debut in GB

By STEVE DOERSCHUK

CANTON REPOSITORY

GREEN BAY, WIS.

It’s Eric Mangini’s team “still” but the Cleveland Browns are Mike Holmgren’s show now.

Think of it as Mangini as the lead actor and Holmgren as the executive producer. It will be Holmgren who decides whether this movie is good stuff, whether Mangini should be back for the sequels.

It was Holmgren’s new general manager, Tom Heckert, who rounded up the new faces who will show themselves in tonight’s preseason opener at Holmgren’s old stomping grounds, Green Bay.

As one might expect from a man who has worked closely with Joe Montana, Steve Young and Brett Favre — and who himself was a quarterback at USC — Holmgren was hands-on in overhauling the position.

Holmgren bet $7 million that Jake Delhomme can climb out of his 2009 nightmare in Charlotte and give Cleveland’s offense a rudder.

‘I was convinced last year was an aberration for Jake,’ Holmgren said as camp got rolling. ‘I’m rolling the dice a little bit, I suppose. The leadership is there. If he can perform like he’s performed in practice ... we’ll be real solid at the position.’

The game at Green Bay will provide a first real glimpse of how much Delhomme and other key new players can help Mangini build on last year’s 4-0 finish.

A look at key Browns who will play at Lambeau Field but weren’t on the team in 2009:

Quarterback

2009 starters: Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson

Tonight’s starter: Jake Delhomme

Better or worse: Delhomme will bring slight improvement at minimum and brings hope for a quantum leap.

Tight end

2009 starters: Robert Royal and Steve Heiden

Tonight’s starter: Ben Watson

Better or worse: Watson has managed to rack up just 2,102 career receiving yards, a disappointment for a player drafted in Round 1 by New England in 2004. But then, Heiden managed 1,689 yards in a career that began in 1999, and Royal was awful as a receiver last year. In terms of receiving, there seems to be a big edge to Watson and his promising sidekick, Evan Moore.

Inside linebacker

2009 starters: D’Qwell Jackson and Eric Barton

One of tonight’s starters: Chris Gocong

Better or worse: Both Jackson and Barton participated in just one Browns victory. Gocong started 11 games for the Eagles. All of the linebackers who helped the Browns to a 4-0 finish are still on the team, as are Barton and the injured Jackson. Gocong, an intriguing inside blitz option, makes the group stronger.

Outside linebacker

2009 starter: Kamerion Wimbley

Tonight’s starter: Scott Fujita

Better or worse: Fujita started for the Saints Super Bowl team last year, but you wonder. If Wimbley had been with the Saints and Fujita with the Browns, would their teams’ seasons have been any different? Wimbley is more talented. Fujita is more the classic leader.

Cornerback

2009 top three: Eric Wright, Brandon McDonald and Mike Adams

Tonight’s top three: Wright, rookie Round 1 pick Joe Haden and Sheldon Brown

Better or worse: Haden is full of confidence, maybe too full, and might get burned early by his wrong guesses by quarterbacks as good as Aaron Rodgers. His talent and his right guesses figure to get QBs’ attention as he grows. Brown had started 95 of the Eagles’ last 96 games. Anything less than dramatic improvement at the position would disappoint.

Free safety

2009 starter: Brodney Pool and Mike Adams

Tonight’s starter: Rookie Round 2 pick T.J. Ward

Better or worse: Pool was a competent pro when healthy. It remains to be seen whether Ward’s rookie mistakes will be costly, but he looms as the biggest-hitting safety of the expansion era.