PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : Giants Name Brown No. 1 Quarterback

Dave Brown has won the battle to become the New York Giants’ No. 1 quarterback. Now he faces perhaps an even bigger challenge.

“Battling the ghost of Phil Simms,” Brown said. “It’s always going to be there, whether I like it or not.”

Coach Dan Reeves announced that Brown had won the regular-season starting job over fellow third-year player Kent Graham. Brown will replace Simms, the 1986 Super Bowl MVP who spent 14 years with the team before his surprise release in June.

*

The New England Patriots added depth to their injury-depleted backfield Wednesday by obtaining Leroy Thompson, who had more than 1,000 total yards last season, from the Steelers. The Patriots obtained Thompson, 26, for an undisclosed draft pick. To free up money under the NFL’s new salary cap, the Patriots relinquished their rights to unsigned running back Leonard Russell, a 1,000-yard rusher last season.

The Cleveland Browns, facing the loss of injured guard Mike Schad for eight weeks or more, signed former Houston Oiler guard Doug Dawson. Schad will undergo surgery Friday to repair a left biceps tendon, ruptured during a practice session against the Chicago Bears two weeks ago. . . . Second-year guard David Ware returned to the New York Jets after leaving camp on Monday.