[Karros270]

The quarterback carousel continues. Where will it stop? No one knows. With so many good quarterbacks out there at relatively cheap prices how many more QB's will be changing teams by the start of next season?


From ESPN.com:

Tim Couch balked at the Cleveland Browns' proposal to cut his contract by more than half last week. In an apparent response, the Browns have now offered a larger deal to jettisoned 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia.


The Browns have reportedly offered Garcia a two-year deal worth about $8 million, ESPN's Chris Mortensen has confirmed.


The deal, which includes a signing bonus in the range of $4 million to $5 million plus team incentives, is worth more than what Cleveland offered Couch, signaling the team's readiness to cut ties with the quarterback, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.


The team's original offer would have cut Couch's salary from $7.6 million to $3 million in 2004 and from $8 million to $3.5 million in 2005. The package also reportedly included $3 million in bonuses and incentives tied to the team's record.


The Browns were expected to extend a second proposal to Couch after he ignored the first, but the Plain Dealer reports that Cleveland coach Butch Davis has decided against sending another offer, a decision made after meeting with Garcia.


Garcia met with the team last week, and was impressive in interviews but did not perform on the field, according to the paper. The Browns also brought Drew Henson in for a tryout last week.


San Francisco released Garcia last Tuesday after he refused a $4 million reduction in his 2004 salary.


Garcia, who has also received interest from the Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys, had not accepted the Browns' offer as of Sunday night, the paper reported.


The 34-year-old quarterback was reportedly in Tampa, Fla., where he was considering his options with those other teams. In Atlanta, Garcia would serve purely as a backup to Michael Vick, while in Tampa Bay, Garcia could compete with Brad Johnson for the starting job.


A source told the paper that the Browns were hopeful Garcia would return to Cleveland on Monday to accept the offer, and that the dealings would be resolved in one way or another before Wednesday.


Garcia had been the 49ers' starter since 1999 when Steve Young retired. In 2000, he set a team single-season passing record with 4,278 yards and threw 31 touchdown passes.


He passed for 2,456 yards and 16 TDs despite missing four games with injuries last season. Garcia had a quarterback rating of 113.0 in December, throwing for 10 touchdowns and running for four.