Frye confident he'll start for Browns
Tue, May 22, 2007
By Associated Press
BEREA, Ohio -- As far as Charlie Frye is concerned, he's the Cleveland Browns' No. 1 quarterback.
Brady Quinn, grab a seat.
Frye began battling Quinn, Derek Anderson and Ken Dorsey for the starting job Tuesday as the Browns kicked off three weeks of organized-team-activity practices, the first full-team workouts in preparation for the 2007 season.
Frye spent an extra 40 minutes after practice working with the other QBs, then walked off the field and stated without hesitation that he expects to be under center when the Browns open on Sept. 9 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
''I really can't predict the future, but I'm preparing like I'm the starter,'' Frye said. ''I never knew I lost it.''
On draft day last month, Frye was inside Browns' headquarters when the club selected offensive tackle Joe Thomas with the No. 3 overall pick and later moved back into the first round to select Quinn, the Notre Dame quarterback who was expected to go high but tumbled to No. 22.
Frye said Quinn's selection didn't surprise him. He had anticipated the Browns bringing in another quarterback to compete with him, and now that Quinn is a Brown, Frye plans to do everything he can to help.
''I remember just a couple of years ago I was a rookie and I knew how hard it was trying to get ready and play, just putting yourself in position to play,'' said Frye, entering his third season. ''He's my teammate and we are going to work together and just take it from there.''
Frye and Quinn both showed they need a lot of work during the practice, which was open to the media for the first time because of access policies put in place by the NFL this season.
Running a new offense installed by first-year coordinator Rob Chudzinski, Frye tried to force a pass to wide receiver Joe Jurevicius into triple coverage and got picked off by Devon Holly. Later, Frye was intercepted by Justin Hamilton.
Quinn also looked shaky as he was picked off by fellow rookie Eric Wright, who made a diving interception. Two plays later, Quinn made a weak throw toward the sideline and was intercepted by linebacker Matt Stewart.
''As usual, the first day was not very pretty,'' said Browns coach Romeo Crennel, who called the practice ''ragged.''
Frye said he's confident he'll get a fair shake from Crennel, and that all four QBs are starting at the same level.
''I don't think he (Crennel) hands jobs to anybody,'' Frye said. ''He's a very fair coach. The best player will play.''
Frye expects that to be him. He has immersed himself in Chudzinski's playbook, and he's confident the experiences of the past two seasons will make him a better player this season.
''I know what I have to do,'' he said. ''I'm going to go out and get it done and hopefully have a lot of success this year. When I visualize this year, I don't see myself having a so-so year. This is year three for me, the bar has been raised.''
Frye said that after the Browns picked Quinn, Chudzinski told him to view it as a positive.
''Chud said it might be the best thing that happened to me just because the competition is going to push me,'' Frye said. ''Obviously you want to push yourself because you want to win. But I think the competition will bring out the best in both me and Brady.''
Notes: WR Braylon Edwards called the Browns on Tuesday morning to inform them that he wasn't going to make the first practice. Edwards' absence was notable because of his pledge to be a better teammate after being a major distraction last season. Crennel said he wasn't upset with Edwards, who promised to arrive Wednesday. ... LT Kevin Shaffer insisted he never demanded to be traded after the Browns picked Thomas. ... TE Kellen Winslow declined to be interviewed. He's not expected to practice until July after undergoing offseason microfracture knee surgery.