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NFL Notebook: Browns peg Frye as starter in opener
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The suspense is over. Charlie Frye will start at quarterback for Cleveland's season opener Sunday against the Steelers.
Frye, who started 13 games last year, battled in training camp to keep his job after coach Romeo Crennel turned the starting position into an open competition. After offseason workouts and minicamps, Frye entered training camp slightly behind Derek Anderson.
But Frye outperformed Anderson during preseason games.
Coach Romeo Crennel said yesterday the position will be evaluated on a weekly basis.
"It doesn't do me any good to say a guy's the starter for the whole year," he said. "Every position, I've told them, is not set in stone. Roles change."
He also wouldn't say if Frye's backup was rookie Brady Quinn, a first-round draft pick, or Anderson.
Quinn, selected 22nd overall in the draft out of Notre Dame, missed 11 days of training camp in a holdout, but led four touchdown drives in three preseason games, mostly against backups.
Broncos
Nobody's more excited about Denver's signing of free-agent sacks specialist Simeon Rice than safety John Lynch. The two won a Super Bowl together in Tampa Bay in 2002, and both believe this reunion in Denver could lead to a second ring.
"He's a teammate who I loved playing with and one of the great pass-rushers of all time," Lynch said.
Rice, whose 121 career sacks rank second to Michael Strahan among active players, was released by Tampa Bay this summer after the Buccaneers signed first-round draft pick Gaines Adams.
Dolphins
Former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter says his surgically repaired right knee feels better every day, and he's expected to play in the season opener Sunday at Washington. Porter had arthroscopic surgery Aug. 7 and missed much of training camp. He returned to practice on a limited basis last week and has gradually increased his workload.
Jaguars
Veteran cornerback Aaron Glenn signed with Jacksonville, two days after being cut by Dallas. Glenn gives the Jaguars a fifth cornerback, playing behind starters Rashean Mathis and Brian Williams and possibly competing with Terry Cousin for the nickel role.
Lions
Kevin Jones will start the season on Detroit's active roster, but doesn't know when he'll play. The team took the third-year running back off the physically unable to perform list and kept him on the roster. Jones said yesterday at his first practice of the season that he hopes to be back in time for the sixth game Oct. 21 against Tampa Bay. Jones is recovering from a broken bone in his left foot late last season.
Patriots
New England released Reche Caldwell, its leading receiver from last season. Caldwell, 28, had 61 receptions for 760 yards and four touchdowns last season, but also had two key drops in the AFC championship game loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Giants
Seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Strahan, 35, reported to the team, six days before the season opener. Ending a five-week holdout that may cost him more than $500,000 in fines, Strahan arrived unobserved at Giants Stadium around 4 p.m., handled some paperwork and met with general manager Jerry Reese and coach Tom Coughlin. He is scheduled to practice today.
First Published September 4, 2007 12:00 am
