Cleveland, Ohio — Jake Delhomme made a little more than $7 million last year to throw for less than 900 yards. Good work if you can get it, we suppose.

But where he truly was invaluable was as a mentor to young quarterback Colt McCoy, who was pressed into service after injuries to Delhomme and the projected backup, Seneca Wallace. That led to the discovery that hey, this third-round pick really can play … and took the clipboard right out of McCoy’s hand. He’s now the anointed starter.

Wallace, who was with Browns President Mike Holmgren in Seattle, has been signed to back him up. But he’s not been seen — or so it’s said — at any of the “Camp Colt” players-only practices during the lockout.

Delhomme, as James Walker of ESPN.com and many others have pointed out, is scheduled to make $5.4 million this year, the last of his two-year deal with the Browns. That’s just flat not going to happen. Nobody is going to pay a third-stringer that much money. If he re-signs with the Browns, it will be with a new deal, for significantly less cash.

Thus, the option is that he can go elsewhere. Someone might believe the 36-year-old still has some gas in the tank. Shoot, Holmgren and his general manager, Tom Heckert, did a couple of years ago.

Or he could take the pay cut and stay here. But will it be as a third stringer … or will Holmgren and Heckert, along with new coach Pat Shurmur, shift Delhomme into the No. 2 role and perhaps trade Wallace to fill one of the team’s many needs. Like, oh, say a wideout who can A) get open and B) catch the ball?

That’s one of the problems with the lockout: too much time on our hands to ponder possibilities. Still, we wonder …

How will the Browns handle the Jake Delhomme quandary?survey software

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Jake Delhomme didn’t become a starting NFL quarterback until he was 28, but has still managed to put together an admirable career — highlighted by his steering of the 2003 Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl.

Delhomme was nearly a champion, completing 16 of 33 passes for 323 yards and three touchdowns (two in the fourth quarter) and no interceptions in Carolina’s 32-29 loss to the New England Patriots on Adam Vinatieri’s next-to-last-play-of-the-game field goal.

Now, though, Delhomme projects as the Cleveland Browns’ third-string quarterback in 2011. Colt McCoy, about to begin his season season, is the likely starter, and veteran Seneca Wallace recently signed a three-year contract extension. He figures to back up McCoy.

Delhomme is scheduled to make $5.4 million in the second and last year of his contract with the Browns. If he stays behind McCoy and Wallace on the depth chart, Delhomme might have to accept a pay cut to remain in Cleveland.

James Walker writes about Delhomme and the Browns for ESPN.com:

The Browns like Delhomme’s veteran presence and leadership. But the past two years — including the 2010 season in Cleveland — proved Delhomme, 36, is no longer a starting NFL quarterback. The Browns paid Delhomme $7 million last season to throw for 872 yards, two touchdowns and seven interceptions in five games. Comparing dollars and production, it was one of the worst investments last year in free agency.

After signing a two-year deal last offseason, Delhomme is now one of the AFC North’s prime candidates to be released whenever a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. Delhomme said immediately after the season that he wasn’t sure he will be back, and Cleveland’s front office has been elusive on the topic.

The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com continue Browns coverage. A feature on cleveland.com is the Browns history database, which includes the game stories of every regular season and playoff game in Browns history.

Browns banter

Browns left offensive tackle Joe Thomas ranks 43rd on the NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2011 list, writes Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com.

Thomas, though, would rank even better than No. 43, but he lets his play do most of his talking. By Vic Carucci for NFL.com.

The NFL Network thus far has announced numbers 41 through 100 on its top 100 list. 

Pat Shurmur is the Browns’ new head coach. Dave Kolonich, for Scout.com’s Orange and Brown Report, looks at how some NFL head coaches did in their rookie seasons.

Former Steelers and Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress, just released from prison, shouldn’t draw a lot of interest as a free agent. By Len Pasquarelli for the Sports Xchange on Scout.com’s Orange and Brown Report.

Published: Thursday, March 03, 2011, 10:52 PM     Updated: Thursday, March 03, 2011, 11:03 PM

BEREA, Ohio — On the eve of a possible lockout, the Browns finished some important business by signing quarterback Seneca Wallace to a three-year deal worth $9 million plus incentives, and linebacker D’Qwell Jackson to a one-year deal worth a little more than $4.5 million including incentives, league sources said.

They also extended cornerback Eric Wright a second-round tender offer, making him a restricted free agent under terms of the current collective-bargaining agreement.

Jackson’s contract is incentive-laden and will reward him for staying healthy and producing. He missed 10 games in 2009 with a torn left pectoral tendon and all of 2010 with the same injury on the right side, both of which required surgery.

“I’m extremely grateful to the Browns for bringing me back,” Jackson said in a phone interview. “They didn’t owe me anything after these injuries, so I have to make sure I step up to the plate and pay them back.”

Wallace’s signing means he will most likely come in as the backup to Colt McCoy, whom the Browns have said is their starter heading into training camp. They said they’d also like to have Jake Delhomme back, but he’s due to make $5.4 million in the second and final year of his deal and would most likely have to take a pay cut.

Wallace, acquired in a trade with the Seahawks last off-season for a sixth-round pick, will be back playing the West Coast offense, which he ran for six seasons under Mike Holmgren in Seattle and one after Holmgren left.

New Browns coach Pat Shurmur runs the same scheme.

“I’m a Seneca fan,” Shurmur said at the NFL Scouting Combine last week. “He’s a West Coast quarterback. I’m not thinking about the wildcat. He can line up under center. He’s done it for a lot of years in this system.”

In addition to running it himself, he can help teach the scheme to McCoy, who ran some of it at Texas. The Browns also like Delhomme as a tutor to McCoy if they can afford him.

“I think that’s an important piece to have an experienced quarterback in a mentoring role. I saw it in St. Louis. A.J. Feely was outstanding for Sam Bradford. When I had the chance to meet Jake, I sensed that. What I know about Jake, he’s an outstanding person.”

Heckert said “it’s not that super far out” to have both Wallace and Delhomme back.

“If not, you have to find another one,” he said. “I don’t think I can answer [if Delhomme will accept a paycut] right now. I think Jake really likes Cleveland.”

Wallace went 1-3 in his four starts before suffering a high ankle sprain against Atlanta on Oct. 10.

Despite running an offense that was foreign to him and that he didn’t like, Wallace started coming around his last couple of starts. Against the Falcons, he completed 11-of-15 attempts for 139 yards and a TD for a 124.0 rating. After recovering from the sprain, Wallace played sparingly in the wildcat.

Wallace was vocal last season and this off-season about wanting to start, but the Browns have made it clear they want to get behind one guy — and that guy is McCoy.

Jackson, who led the league with 188 tackles in 2008, is better suited to the Browns’ new 4-3 scheme, GM Tom Heckert said last week. He said Jackson can either play on the weak side or inside in the new defense. “He’s just better suited, body-type,” Heckert said.

“I had a chance to speak with the defensive staff and they assured me they think I can be productive,” Jackson said. “Ever since I’ve been in the league, guys have been telling me, I’m more suited for a 4-3. That was also an enticing thing about staying with the Browns. It’s similar to Philadelphia’s attack-mode defense.”

Jackson, a sixth-year pro, said he’s almost 100 percent recovered from pectoral surgery and should be cleared for football action next month. He said he has no theories about why both of his pectoral tendons tore.

“My goal is to play all 16 games and get back to that 2008 level,” he said.

On Wright, Heckert said he couldn’t explain his down year in 2011, “but I think Eric’s a good football player. I really do.”

To Reach This Plain Dealer Reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670