INDIANAPOLIS — New Browns president Mike Holmgren has a big question to answer: Will Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn be the team’s starting QB?

Holmgren said Friday that he needs to decide before Anderson’s $2 million roster bonus is due, reportedly on March 19.

“That’s a deadline, and that’s one of the things that’s negotiated into contract — roster bonuses and things like that — to help the club make those decisions in a timely manner,” Holmgren said during his NFL Scouting Combine media session. “In our case, because of the competition and how important it is, I wish it wasn’t there. But it’s there, so we’ll have to make a decision sometime before.”

Anderson made the Pro Bowl in the 2007 season, when he started 15 games, but his performance has slid since then. Holmgren said he hasn’t met with Anderson, but he has talked with Quinn, a former first-round draft pick who began the 2009 season as the starter.

Holmgren covered other Browns topics during his media session. He termed contract talks with KR/WR Josh Cribbs as “moving” and said the team had talked about the possibility of adding DE Julius Peppers, who will become an unrestricted free agent March 5 because the Panthers have decided not to use the franchise tag on him.

Holmgren also was complimentary of coach Eric Mangini, whom he decided to keep when he took the job this offseason.

– Justin Hathaway

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