Brady Quinn seems to win Browns’ starting job

Derek Anderson stood in the middle of the media huddle in Cleveland’s locker room and then stepped aside for Brady Quinn. Perhaps for good.

The mystery surrounding Browns Coach Eric Mangini’s choice as his starting quarterback became somewhat clearer Wednesday when Quinn and Anderson were forced to answer questions about their recently completed competition -- a battle that carried through training camp and the exhibition season.

Anderson was asked if it would be difficult to keep the starting QB a secret until Sunday’s kickoff of the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

“No,” Anderson said, “because after this next two minutes are over I’m not going to be talking to you guys. It’s pretty easy. Obviously, the rest of us have to go about our regular preparations and continue to do what we always do and just not talk to our families.”

By “the rest of us” Anderson seemed to mean the Browns backups, a group it looks as if he belongs to once again.

Mangini met with his quarterbacks on Tuesday night, told them who would start and explained the reasons for his decision. He said both handled the situation with class.

Favre has ‘no idea’

Remember Brett Favre’s first answer to Vikings Coach Brad Childress? My body isn’t up for this, he said. Six weeks later, Minnesota’s new quarterback wants to remind the football world just how old he is.

“I may not finish the year. If you would have asked me my first year if I would finish I’d have said, ‘I may not,’ ” Favre said. “No one thought I’d play 18 straight years without missing a game, me included. I have no idea what’s going to happen. None.”

After his initial rejection on July 28, Favre accepted the coach’s offer to join the Vikings on Aug. 18 for the opportunity to play for a title-contending team.

Lewis to start

Michael Lewis will start at strong safety in the San Francisco 49ers’ season opener Sunday at Arizona after sustaining two concussions in the exhibition season.

Lewis’ first concussion occurred Aug. 18 during a joint practice with Oakland at the Raiders’ wine country training site in Napa when he got hit by a fullback. He suffered another in an exhibition game at Dallas on Aug. 29, when he fell and took a knee to the helmet.

Jones-Drew back

Running back Maurice Jones-Drew returned to practice, a welcome sight for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jones-Drew missed practice Monday because of a bruised right leg. He got hurt in the final exhibition game last week when Washington cornerback Fred Smoot tackled him low from behind, a hit Jones-Drew is still upset about.

He worked in full pads Wednesday, showing no problems running, cutting and catching passes.

Cassel up in the air

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel’s status for Sunday’s game at Baltimore is still up in the air.

Cassel was in full pads for the second time this week Wednesday, though he didn’t participate in all the drills because of an injured left knee.

Cassel was injured in Kansas City’s second exhibition game Aug. 29, when he was pulled down from behind by Seattle’s Brandon Mebane.

Orton optimistic

Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton remains optimistic he can play at Cincinnati in the season opener despite a dislocated right index finger.

Orton is wearing a glove on his throwing hand at practice this week but he’d rather do without it on game day. He said he has never worn a glove, even in the winter while he was playing for the Chicago Bears.

Lions want cash

The Detroit Lions have gone to federal court to recover $6.1 million from former receiver Charles Rogers, whose NFL career was sidelined by substance abuse problems.

Rogers was suspended for substance abuse in 2005 and released by the Lions the next year. The team says he must repay two-thirds of a $9.1 million bonus. An NFL arbitrator agreed last year, but Rogers apparently has not paid.