Got to be excited about the latest news from Berea this week. Tuesday morning, the Cleveland Browns announced the signing of quarterback Jeff Garcia. Garcia was let go by the San Francisco 49ers because they were not able to pay his $9.9 million salary and stay within the NFL's salary cap.
The Browns, on the other hand, were not able to stay within the salary cap and continue to pay Tim Couch his contracted $7.6 million.
I say the Browns win.
For the first time in several quarterback cycles, they will field an experienced, proven field general. Garcia became the 49ers starter in 1999. Since then, he went to the Pro Bowl three times, set a franchise record for passing yardage in a season, was named the NFL's Most Improved Player, was the first SF QB to complete 300 or more passes three straight seasons, and joined the likes of Joe Montana and Steve Young as the only 49ers to pass for 3000 yards in three straight season. They made the playoffs two times.
Also in 1999 the Browns took Couch with their first draft pick, number one overall that draft, since the recreation of the franchise. Since then the team has struggled to try to find a way to get around his limitations.
He and the team dealt with injuries, inconsistency and ineffectiveness and struggled to 5-11 last season.
Garcia was described in an Associated Press story as a "mobile, steady and tough-nosed competitor."
There's nothing on the Browns' website about how the signing of Garcia might affect Kelly Holcomb's job. Holcomb was backup to Couch in 2002, got the starting nod at the open of last season, and then was replaced by Couch late in the year after he was injured and had turned out not to be so good, afterall.
Couch could be traded or released to free agency. Dallas and San Diego are said to be interested in him. He turned up his nose at a contract proposal from Cleveland that would have cut his salary by about $11 million over two years.
Garcia doesn't come without some baggage. He missed three starts last season and played with injuries and his stats went down some. On Monday next week, he is to appear on court in San Jose, California on a drunk driving charge. He was arrested in January and blew .237. That's almost three times the legal limit.
So he will have to learn to behave here in the Buckeye State.
It could signal an end to the seasons of fresh, young, eager quarterbacks who need to "learn" how to play in the NFL, while we watch, wait, and suffer disappointment game after game, hoping that the QB, be it Tim Couch, Kelly Holcomb, Bernie Kosar, etc., will finally develop some consistent effectiveness.
We Browns fans deserve a quarterback who will give the team a fighting chance week after week.
Thanks go to Browns president Carmen Policy and Head Coach Butch Davis.
Policy said that Garcia will get $10 million the first two years of his contract and there is an option for two more years.
Spring is a week away and we're already looking forward to fall.