Browns bring back Ratliff after injuries to Delhomme, Wallace

The Cleveland Browns have a second quarterback with two healthy legs.

Desperate for help because of ankle injuries to Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace, the Browns confirmed Tuesday that they have re-signed Brett Ratliff as the probable backup to rookie Colt McCoy, who likely will make his first NFL start Sunday in Pittsburgh.

NFL Network analyst Charles Davis says that while Eric Mangini and his staff have the Browns on the right track, QB Seneca Wallace gives the team the best chance to win. More ...

Ratliff's agent said Monday that his client was on his way back to Cleveland.

Ratliff, 25, had been on the New England Patriots' practice squad, but the Browns know him well. He spent all of last season with Cleveland, and he was with the team throughout training camp before he was waived Sept. 4. Ratliff knows the Browns' offensive system, bringing some comfort to coach Eric Mangini as the team prepares to face the blitz-happy Steelers coming off a bye last week.

Mangini hasn't announced McCoy as his starter, and the coach might not tip his hand until just before kickoff to keep the Steelers guessing.

On Monday, Mangini said he believes McCoy, the former University of Texas star who slipped to the third round in April's draft, is prepared for his professional debut.

"Sometimes the opportunity knocks, and if you get that opportunity, you got to be ready to seize it," Mangini said. "He's played a lot of games, not at this level, but a lot of games in college at a very high level, and he's been in this system now for quite some time."

Delhomme, who missed the Browns' previous three games with a high ankle sprain, appeared to re-injure his ankle during Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. He was pressed into action after Wallace, making his fourth consecutive start, injured his ankle during the first half when he was sacked by Falcons end John Abraham.

Mangini refused to give specifics on the injuries to his veteran quarterbacks -- the team hasn't provided any updates on their status or test results -- but The Cleveland Plain Dealer cited league sources in reporting that Delhomme suffered a high and a low ankle sprain and Wallace had a high ankle sprain.

The Browns' decision to sign Ratliff seems to indicate that both Delhomme and Wallace will be out for an extended period. League rules guarantee Ratliff will be on Cleveland's roster for at least three weeks.

The Browns also terminated the contract of wide receiver Sam Aiken, who had one reception for 7 yards in three games last season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Browns will see how Delhomme responds after testing ankle

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme is testing his right ankle again in practice and will start Sunday against Atlanta if it responds favorably to the extra workload.

Cleveland coach Eric Mangini said Wednesday that Delhomme and backup Seneca Wallace, who has started the past three Browns games, would split reps in practice in preparation for the game against the Falcons and that Delhomme situation was work, wait and see.

"I would say that's the approach that we are going with," Mangini said. "However, we have to go through today with more reps. It will be more reps today than it was last week. So, then, how he wakes up tomorrow and what that looks like will give us a better idea if he is ready to go or if we are just a step closer."

Delhomme, signed by the Browns to a two-year contract in March, has been inactive in Cleveland's last three games after badly spraining his right ankle in the season-opening loss Sept. 12 at Tampa Bay. He returned to practice last Thursday on a limited basis, but his injury didn't improve enough for him to play in last week's win against Cincinnati.

Delhomme seemed more mobile during the 30 minutes of practice open to reporters Wednesday.

"His ability to function is at his normal level -- his ability to move, to go through all the normal mechanics of playing QB ...," Mangini said. "You are really just looking at his normal operation at this point to what it was and what things bother him, what things don't bother him, and get a gauge as the week goes on. If (he can't), you play Seneca."

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Delhomme's familiarity with the Falcons -- he played them twice a year during most of his seven-year tenure with the Carolina Panthers, who released him in March -- would be helpful this week, Mangini acknowledged.

"There are some positives there, but things have changed, too," Mangini said. "Over any year to year you get some changes, but it definitely helps to have familiarity with the personnel. He starts at maybe a higher point (than) maybe a lot of us who haven't seen them twice a year."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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