DaytonDailyNews.com

Cleveland Browns starting quarterback Derek Anderson, 24, went for the gold when the free-agent period opened, and who can blame him? Well, I guess he did it twice.

First, as any good poker player would, the "Cleveland Kid" bluffed the Browns, saying he was going to test the free-agent market.

Second, just after midnight, Friday, Feb. 29, he became a restricted free agent for a few hours, then signed a three-year, $24 million contract with Cleveland that included $13 million in guarantees.

Not bad for a guy hardly known this time last year. Of course, his signing seems to create somewhat of a dilemma for the Browns.

They spent a first-round draft pick on former Notre Dame star Brady Quinn, figuring he would be the QB of the near future. Who expected Anderson, an afterthought, to go 10-5 and throw 29 touchdowns last year after not starting the season opener?

The Browns don't really have a problem here. Mostly by accident, they have come out big winners. The front office thought Charlie Frye, a mobile but weak-armed passer from the University of Akron, was the team's best QB. That meant Anderson learned as an apprentice in '06. That's nearly always better than throwing a rookie into the fire.

Quinn is scheduled to spend his second season on the bench, which means he should learn even more — that's the old-school way — and both will have been properly prepared whenever called upon, which is rare these days.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2160 or gsimms@DaytonDailyNews.com.