follow me on twitter

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Browns' Wallace Plan? Expect to see an expanded role for Seneca

As 2010 NFL training camps open this week, a big question that remains unanswered is how will the Cleveland Browns handle their quarterback situation.  Right now it appears that former Carolina Panther Jake Delhomme is entrenched as the starter (as evidenced by the 7 million dollar contract Cleveland signed him to during the offseason) with Seneca Wallace and rookie Colt McCoy nos. 2 and 3 on the depth chart, respectively.  But could there be a possibitly that Wallace is more than just a backup to Delhomme?  There has already been talk about using Wallace in the Browns' new wildcat formation, dubbed the 'cyclone' because that was the nickname of Wallace's alma mater, Iowa State.  The Browns have not openly stated how often they will use the cyclone, but one would have to assume they would at least consider it an option should the offense stall on consecutive drives.  The athleticism and accuracy of Wallace, who in five years as a backup at Seattle threw for a near 60% completion rate, also suggest that he could on occasion spell Delhomme for a series or two. Cleveland has not hinted at a quarterback platoon, although coach Eric Mangini has said he likes what both (Wallace and Delhomme) bring to the positiom, but such a move would almost be unprecedented.  There are concerns about Wallace's size(at 5-11 and 205, he's considered small for the position) but he is not really that much smaller than Drew Brees (6-0, 209).  There are several advantages to having a quarterback platoon: a)it keeps the defense guessing as to who they will have to face, b) it allows the starter two consecutive series to rest and compose himself, and c)it allows the offense to play at two different speeds.  The biggest question mark that a quarterback platoon would bring is the possible disruption of offensive chemistry, although I believe that at times the term chemistry is more a myth created by the media to scare the weak minded, sort of like a jedi-mind trick.  And while for the time being this is Eric Mangini's team to coach, we have already seen the influence team president Mike Holmgren has had on the offense, first with the drafting of Colt McCoy, and then with him bringing in his former offensive coordinator in Seattle, Gil Haskell, to serve as an advisor to Browns' OC Brian Daboll.  Holmgren hand picked Wallace to be the backup in Seattle, and now he has brought him to Cleveland to help infuse some life into an offense that was ranked almost dead last in the NFL in 2009.

No comments:

Post a Comment