Two former Cleveland first-round picks — quarterback Brady Quinn and linebacker Kamerion Wimbley -– were traded to the AFC West on Sunday. Quinn went to Denver and Wimbley went to Oakland.



I enlisted Scouts Inc’s Matt Williamson help to break down the additions.



Williamson on Quinn to Denver: I like it. Denver didn’t really give up much. I haven’t had many good things to say about Quinn’s professional career. But he has a pedigree and he has some ability. Getting out of Cleveland will help him. Maybe Josh McDaniels can make something of him. At the very least, I think he will be a solid No. 2 quarterback and there’s nothing wrong with that. He has a familiarity in McDaniels’ system and that should make it easier for Quinn. But he has to get better. He hasn’t shown he can throw the deep ball and he has been flat-out inaccurate a lot of the time. So, he has work to do. I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes as good as Kyle Orton, but I’d be shocked if he ever became a Pro Bowl quarterback, or even a top-15 quarterback.



Williamson on Wimbley to Oakland: Oakland runs a 4-3 and he’s a pure 3-4 linebacker. He is a one-trick pony because he is an edge pass rusher. I think Oakland could use him at defensive end in passing downs. But I don’t want to see him out there on first down. He is not good in coverage or against the run. He is a pass rusher. If Oakland puts him and Trevor Scott at ends and moves Richard Seymour to tackle on passing downs, it would have some pretty good players out there. But Wimbley is not an every-down guy. I think Oakland might have been better off keeping that third-round pick and try to get a young, impact player.

When he talked to owner Al Davis on the phone on Sunday after becoming an Oakland Raider, Kamerion Wimbley felt the passion in the team’s owner’s voice.

Wimbley

“He really wants to turn it around and he is definitely interested in getting wins,” Wimbley said in a phone interview Monday. “I look forward to trying to help.”



Wimbley was acquired from Cleveland for the second of Oakland’s two third-round picks on Sunday. Wimbley was Cleveland’s first-round pick in 2006. He had 11 sacks as a rookie, but he has just 15.5 sacks since then.



He played linebacker in Cleveland’s 3-4 scheme. He said the early talk is that he will play linebacker in Oakland’s 4-3 defense. Wimbley played in a 4-3 scheme at Florida State.



“I’m familiar and comfortable with both schemes,” Wimbley said. “Playing in the 4-3 will be fine.”



Wimbley said he is excited to reunite with Oakland linebacker coach Mike Haluchak, who used to coach linebackers in Cleveland. Wimbley believes that will help ease his transition to Oakland.



“I was surprised by the trade,” Wimbley said. “But it’s a great, new opportunity.”

I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that Detroit is serious about upgrading its defensive line.



So far this offseason, the Lions have acquired defensive tackle Corey Williams from Cleveland and signed free-agent end Kyle Vanden Bosch from Tennessee. They might be in position to draft Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh next month, and now there are multiple reports they will host New Orleans defensive tackle/end Anthony Hargrove beginning Monday night.



Hargrove is a restricted free agent, meaning the Saints would have the right to match any offer Detroit might make. If they pass, the Lions would send the Saints a third-round pick in next month’s draft.



Hargrove is an active pass-rusher who has evolved from a college linebacker to a “three-technique” defensive tackle since entering the NFL. NFC North readers no doubt got to know him during the Super Bowl, when I just so happened to write this post on his fight against substance abuse.



The visit is scheduled to conclude Tuesday. We’ll keep you updated.



One other Lions-related housekeeping note: Their trade to acquire Atlanta cornerback Chris Houston is now complete, but the terms are a bit different than originally reported. The Lions sent their sixth-round pick this season and a conditional seventh-round pick in 2011 in exchange for Houston, who is expected to start this season.

The Raiders made an interesting move Sunday by trading for Cleveland outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley.

Wimbley

Oakland sent a third-round pick for Wimbley — the third-round pick it acquired in the Derrick Burgess trade lest year with New England. Oakland will keep its own pick in the third round.



That’s why I don’t think this was a bad move for a player who has not lived up to his rookie success. Wimbley, the No. 13 overall pick in 2006, had 11 sacks as a rookie. He has had 15.5 sacks since.



He is not a bad player, but he may not be an ascending player, either. Wimbley has to show he can still improve. He will have to transition from the 3-4 that Cleveland ran to the 4-3 in Oakland. He is supposed to play outside linebacker, but he could also possibly play defensive end.



Oakland has some decent, young pass rushers. If Wimbley can regain his pass-rushing groove this will be a decent trade.



On the flip side, this draft is considered to be very deep. So, there will be good players available in the third round. Oakland may have been served well to take four players in the top 100 picks instead of a player who was given up on by Cleveland.



The Raiders gave up their 2011 first-round pick to New England for Richard Seymour last September. It needs to get more young talent. Trading top picks is not the way to get younger.

The Cleveland Browns traded quarterback Brady Quinn to the Denver Broncos Sunday. In return the Browns received fullback Peyton Hillis, a sixth-round pick in 2010 and a conditional pick in 2011.



Here are some initial thoughts on the trade from Cleveland’s perspective:

• For starters, this was a move Cleveland was destined to make. Something was up the second president Mike Holmgren refused to give Quinn his personal endorsement. Holmgren will be the first to say he knows quarterbacks, and after watching all of Quinn’s film last season, Holmgren didn’t believe Quinn was the answer for the style of offense the Browns plan to run.
• For Quinn, this is a great opportunity to start over. The Columbus, Ohio, native dreamed of playing for his childhood team, but Quinn’s experience didn’t turn out as planned. A contract dispute as a rookie in 2007 caused Quinn to miss a portion of training camp. That year Derek Anderson lit it up and kept Quinn on the bench for a majority of two seasons. When Quinn finally got the chance to play this year, he struggled and was benched early. A fresh start will be good for Quinn.
• Here is an interesting question: Does the tandem of Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace provide a better chance of success than Anderson and Quinn? Yes, Anderson and Quinn (for the most part) flamed out in Cleveland. But I don’t have a ton of confidence that Delhomme and Wallace won’t suffer the same fate. If Delhomme has something left in the tank for the next year or two, that would be ideal for Cleveland. But last season was arguably the worst of his career. Sometimes a system can help the quarterback, and perhaps that’s what Holmgren and his staff are counting on.
• Finally, ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reported Cleveland traded linebacker Kamerion Wimbley to the Oakland Raiders for a third-round pick. The Browns now have 13 picks in April’s NFL draft. That offers tremendous flexibility to infuse youth on their team or trade up to grab the best possible players. I’m interested to see the route Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert decide to take, because Cleveland will be major power players next month.

My reaction to the Denver Broncos’ decision to trade for Brady Quinn?



Why not?

Quinn

Orton

It’s worth taking a chance on this former No. 1 pick. Denver did not give up much for Quinn, swapping backup running back Peyton Hillis, a sixth-round pick in 2011 and a conditional 2012 pick for Quinn.



That’s not a whole lot for a former first-round pick who is just 25 years old. Quinn may be heading toward bust status, but he has not been officially written off as a wasted prospect.



Denver coach Josh McDaniels has a great reputation for working with quarterbacks. Quinn fits McDaniels’ system. McDaniels made Matt Cassel a strong player in New England in 2008 and Kyle Orton performed well much of last season under McDaniels.



Maybe McDaniels can help Quinn reach his potential. Quinn will likely be very comfortable with McDaniels coaching him. Quinn played for Charlie Weis at Notre Dame. McDaniels is a Weis protégée.



Denver considered making a run at Quinn last year. The price tag would have been much higher. Denver got Quinn at a bargain basement price Sunday because Cleveland washed its hands of him. Quinn was 2-7 as Cleveland’s starter last year. He was mistake prone.



It does say something that new Cleveland head honcho Mike Holmgren had no interest in keeping Quinn. Holmgren knows his way around a quarterback room.



Still, McDaniels sees something in Quinn and he didn’t overspend to get him. It is worth it. If Quinn is the same bumbling player in practice in Denver as he was in games in Cleveland, it will go down as a low-cost mistake.



Orton will likely go into the 2010 season as the starter, but Quinn will be given the chance to compete with him and make his case to be the long-term quarterback. At the very least, Quinn appears to be an upgrade at backup quarterback over Chris Simms, who was atrocious last year when he had to play for an injured Orton.



Orton will surely feel more heat from Quinn this summer than he did from Simms last year. Denver brought in Quinn to see if he can become a solid starter at some point. Orton has to know it. Simms was never a threat.



It will be interesting to see if Orton shows up for Denver’s offseason conditioning program that starts Monday. Orton is a restricted free agent (he was given the first-round tender) and most restricted free agents aren’t expected to report to the offseason programs because they won’t sign their tenders until the summer. Perhaps Orton will feel the need to show up.



Or perhaps he will stay away as a form of protest.



I don’t expect Quinn to be ready to beat out Orton right away. It may take McDaniels some time to help Quinn erase his past on-field demons. But if Quinn has a good training camp and a better preseason than Orton, Denver might want to give him a chance to become the long-term answer at quarterback.



Quinn’s arrival in Denver may mean the Broncos won’t draft a quarterback early and go with a trio of Orton, Quinn and 2009 sixth-round pick Tom Brandstater in 2010.



In short, this move gives Denver options and it gives it a chance to resurrect the career of a player who was considered a top-flight prospect just three years ago.



At the price, it was a worthy trade.

The Broncos announced they traded for Cleveland quarterback Brady Quinn.



Way to spice up a Sunday, Denver.



We’ll have more thoughts on this soon. Here is the team’s statement:

The Denver Broncos have agreed to trade fullback Peyton Hillis, a 2011 6th-round draft selection and a conditional 2012 draft selection to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for quarterback Brady Quinn, pending physicals.

The new regime of the Cleveland Browns never appeared sold on Brady Quinn. So it was no surprise Saturday when the team made its most dramatic move to date to reshape its quarterback position.



ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Browns signed veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme to a two-year contract, likely signaling the end of the Quinn era in Cleveland.



Delhomme comes to the Browns with a lot of starting experience. Barring any dramatic or unforeseen moves in free agency or the draft, pencil in Delhomme as Cleveland’s 2010 starting quarterback.



Browns president Mike Holmgren said he does not believe in quarterback competitions. So there will not be one between Delhomme and Quinn. In the meantime, Holmgren will continue to shop Quinn to see what value he can get for the former first-round pick.



If nothing materializes, Quinn will be Delhomme’s backup along with Seneca Wallace. But the safe money right now is that Quinn will not wear orange and brown next season. Quinn already has his house for sale, and it’s best that both parties move on at this point.



Quinn was hailed as a Columbus, Ohio product who could finally bring the Browns back to prominence. Instead, he spent most of two seasons backing up former Pro Bowler Derek Anderson and was benched in 2009 after a disappointing start.



There should be some level of interest in Quinn, who has a limited amount of starts and was never surrounded with quality players in Cleveland. We listed five possible suitors earlier this week on the AFC North blog.



But despite all the excitement that came with Quinn coming to Cleveland three years ago, everything likely came to a close Saturday with Cleveland signing a 35-year-old quarterback.

Jake Delhomme won’t be coming to the New Orleans Saints as a backup quarterback.



He reportedly has agreed to a contract with Cleveland, where he could have a shot at the starting job. The Saints were planning on Delhomme visiting this weekend, but all they could offer him was a backup role behind Drew Brees.



Although Delhomme began his career with the Saints and is a Louisiana native, the chance to compete for a starting job with the Browns apparently outweighed the chance to come back home. Delhomme had been the starter in Carolina since 2003, but was released recently after a disastrous 2009 season.



Carolina plans to go with Matt Moore as the starter. But, ironically, Delhomme signing with Cleveland could give them another option. Numerous reports have said the Browns are shopping quarterback Brady Quinn for a potential trade and Carolina might have some interest.

NFL teams hardly make a move without tapping into some sort of connection.



The Seahawks’ agreement with Patriots castoff Chris Baker fits the profile. Baker, 30, and Seahawks offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates were together with the Jets in 2005. Baker averaged a career-high 14.9 yards per catch that season. He caught 14 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns with New England last season. The Patriots terminated his contract.



The Seahawks also showed interest in former Patriots tight end Ben Watson, but he signed with Cleveland instead. This deal with Baker made Seattle the latest NFC West team to seek depth at tight end. The Rams brought back Daniel Fells. The Cardinals brought back Anthony Becht and Stephen Spach. The 49ers visited with Becht.

Scouts Inc. on Baker: Baker is a short, thickly built tight end who isn’t a powerful blocker at the point of attack, but has enough athleticism to be an effective target in the passing game. He has good foot agility, quickness and balance to be an effective short and intermediate route-runner. He has improved as a route-runner by using his body to get separation. He has good, reliable hands to extend and make receptions away from his body. Baker doesn’t have great burst or speed to stretch deep seams and he can be a liability as a run-blocker at the point of attack or anchoring versus bull rushers off the edge. He has developed into a solid football player, but is somewhat one-dimensional because he is primarily used as a receiving tight end and wall-off type blocker.

It’s possible the Seahawks disagree with that assessment. If not, the team is getting another receiving tight end to go with John Carlson. John Owens, Cameron Morrah and Jason Pociask are also on the roster at tight end for Seattle.