Wednesday Aug. 19: QB battle could last a while

Coach Eric Mangini feels no urgency to choose his starting quarterback, even though the Aug. 29 preseason game against Tennessee generally serves as the dress rehearsal for the season.

"In terms of timetable, to me it's about going through and making the right decision, not the quick decision," Mangini said. "You want to be sure that you've done the work to make sure that decision is correct."

Asked if he would like to have settled on Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn for that third preseason game, Mangini said, "Not necessarily, no. If it works out that way, then I'm OK with that. I think it would be another good opportunity to see where we're at."

Mangini will not announce his choice of starting quarterback for Saturday's home preseason game against the Detroit Lions.

"We'll talk about that at the end of week," he said. "I'd like go through whole week and see what happens."

Mangini doesn't seem to care if the decision goes right up to the Sept. 13 opener at home against the Minnesota Vikings.

"The preparation doesn't stop and the other thing that happens is, and I've been a part of this, you get somebody injured and the best plan in the world goes out the window," Mangini said. "The second guy has to play and he has to play effectively. The volume of reps both are getting, they're both getting prepared to play with all the different situations. Whichever way it goes, I'm comfortable with the way I've worked them and worked the team."

Who's not practicing: Ryan Tucker, Shaun Rogers, Paul Hubbard, David Bowens, Jerome Harrison, David Patten, Robert Royal.

Where's Tuck?: Tucker was not on the field with the injured players riding the exercise bikes, making some wonder if he was again contemplating retirement. A Browns spokesman said that was not the case.

No Steeler gear here: Joshua Cribbs spotted Seth Cooper, a 17-year-old from Sandusky, sitting in the bleachers wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers No. 56 jersey and approached him. "Who's his dad?" Cribbs asked. "I can't believe you all let him sit there like that." Later in the session, Cribbs gave Cooper at Browns T-shirt to wear. "Coach said you can't do that," Cribbs told him. "Put this on over it." Cooper later complied.

QB update: Much of the practice was spent in Lions preparation. But Mangini ended with a situational drill — 1:30 remaining, down 16-10 with no timeouts and starting at the Browns' 24.

Quinn went four and out, but two passes (on second and 6 and fourth and 6) were dropped by tight end Steve Heiden over the middle. Heiden is being eased back into practice after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery on Dec. 18.

Anderson led the team to a touchdown, hitting rookie Mohamed Massaquoi for a 20-yard score on third and 10 with 18 seconds left. During the drive, Anderson also found Brian Robiskie for gains of 16 and 24 yards, hit Martin Rucker for 10 yards and running back Noah Herron for 4 yards.