DaytonDailyNews.com

BEREA — Perhaps sensing a need to put Brady Quinn in his place, Browns General Manager Phil Savage said this Thursday: "Last I checked, and I haven't been in a math class in a long time, three plus 19 equals 22."

It was a reference to Joe Thomas' draft position (No. 3 overall) as opposed to Quinn's (No. 22), as if to remind Quinn that even though he thinks he should have been drafted in the top five, he wasn't. And he won't be paid like it.

Just a little tweak at the former Notre Dame quarterback, whose contract holdout reached seven days, 11 if you count rookie orientation.

It's becoming a big distraction. Players and head coach Romeo Crennel are peppered daily with Quinn questions. "The longer he's out, the tougher it becomes (for him to catch up)," Crennel said. "He's missed all the fundamental work."

"He's putting himself behind the eight ball," second-year receiver Travis Wilson said.

Savage said the two sides are in the same neighborhood on contract figures, "but not on the same street." Agent Tom Condon could not be reached for comment.

Dragging their feet?

Savage made a point of saying the Browns are not the ones holding up the Quinn process. "Our first proposal was given to Brady's representatives on May 23," he said, "so it's not as if we've been sitting here for two months doing nothing. We'll talk all day. We'll talk all night. We'll hammer this thing out. But you have to have two sides that are willing to engage."

Catch of the day

Wilson, competing with Tim Carter for the No. 3 receiver spot, hauled in a deep, but underthrown Charlie Frye pass down the sideline, warding off a defender with one hand and making the catch with the other.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2408 or smcclelland@DaytonDailyNews.com.