Quarterback controversies emerge within almost every organization that doesn’t possess a clear-cut starter. That’s no surprise. But the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins signed some undrafted free agents today that will create a little more controversy than what is just on the depth chart.

For instance, the Browns signed former Texas Tech standout Graham Harrell — no big deal, right? Harrell was a baller in Mike Leach’s system, put up huge numbers, but no one thought he would end up being an NFL starter (although I fail to see why the Panthers didn’t at least grab him late in the draft).

But here’s the tricky part to this signing: on Saturday night, Leach flew off the handle in a rant pointedly directed at Browns head coach Eric Mangini, because Leach believed that the ManGenius purposely sabotaged TT alum Michael Crabtree’s draft stock. Two days later, Mangini is inking Leach’s boy Harrell to a deal, despite the fact that he already has Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn on his roster.

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It’s amazing to me that certain teams wait until today — the official end of the NFL regular season — to start firing coaches. What good reason was there to let Romeo Crennel hang around in Cleveland? Or Rod Marinelli in Detroit? Sure, Mike Singletary — after leading the 49ers to respectability only a few short weeks after dropping his drawers in front of the team — proves the exception to the rule, but for the most part it seems odd to let coaches hang around.

Of course, all of that is for naught now that Marinelli, Crennel and Eric Mangini of the Jets have been canned. Briefly, why:

• Marinelli — The Lions went 0-16, which is, um, not “good.” He might not have completely deserved to get fired (the totality of blame lies on Matt Millen) but a full house cleaning is what’s best for a franchise in this kind of despair. See: Dolphins, Miami or Falcons, Atlanta.
• Crennel — The Browns became the Seattle Mariners of the NFL, falling back to Urf in the most speedy of fashions. Crennel stuck with Derek Anderson too long, Braylon Edwards can’t catch the ball, but mostly, he’s a very, very bad game manager. That’s not a trait you want in your head coach.
• Mangini — An inexplicable love for Brett Favre by Woody Johnson. Sure, he’s a grizzled, Wrangler-ensconced gunslinger. We get that.  And sure, Mangini spent the last month coaching with two hands around his neck, but it’s just ridiculous to fire him while taking Favre’s side.

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