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Browns need to pass on Matt Flynn

Now that the Green Bay Packers have decided not to franchise quarterback Matt Flynn, the speculation will heat up as to the destination of the one-game wonder, with Cleveland being a landing spot in too many people’s minds.

So here’s the only primer that Browns fans will need as far as Flynn is concerned:

• He has started two NFL games in his four-year NFL career.
• His most recent start, and the one that generated all the buzz, was in Week 17 against Detroit. Flynn passed for 480 yards and six touchdowns against the Lions.
• Detroit was the 22nd-ranked pass defense in the NFL this season.
• The Lions secondary sucked, with former Browns cornerback Eric Wright giving up 79 receptions for 879 yards and five touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus.
• Detroit’s secondary fell apart late in the season, thanks to injuries to starter Chris Houston, nickel back Aaron Berry and free safety Louis Delmas.
• In addition to Flynn’s game, the Lions gave up 307 yards passing to Aaron Rodgers in Week 12, 338 yards to Drew Brees in Week 13, 345 yards to Carson Palmer in Week 15 and 466 yards to Brees in the playoffs.
• At LSU, he couldn’t beat out JaMarcus Russell, who turned into one of the biggest NFL busts of all time.

Basically, Flynn is Kelly Holcomb, who Browns fans all remember for passing for 429 yards and three touchdowns in a playoff loss against Pittsburgh in January of 2003.

Imagine how much money Holcomb would have made on the free agent market after that game. Now imagine if the Browns had given him a big-money contract and turned him into the starting quarterback?

Do we really want the team to make that same mistake with Flynn?

(Photo by The Associated Press)