HEADLINES

Jimmy Haslam

AFC Links: Texans, Jaguars, Dolphins, Browns

March 23rd, 2015 at 9:16pm CST by Ben Levine

The Texans current batch of quarterbacks would never be confused with Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. Ryan Mallett, Brian Hoyer and Tom Savage don’t evoke fear, but that doesn’t mean their team can’t be successful. Owner Bob McNair is a supporter of that sentiment, as he told Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com that he believes his team could contend for a Super Bowl:

“Teams have done that. Look at Baltimore back in 2000. They had an outstanding defense. They could run the ball and they had a quarterback that didn’t turn it over that much. I think that is a plan that can bring you great success. Look what we did last year playing four quarterbacks. We didn’t have that consistent play at quarterback and yet look how close we came. We’ve improved our defense this year.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…

  • Jaguars general manager David Caldwell told Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union that his team has interest in free agent wideout Greg Jennings, but he warns that they haven’t scheduled a visit (Twitter link).
  • While appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum said his team also hasn’t scheduled a visit with Jennings (via Alex Marvez of Fox Sports on Twitter). However, Tannenbaum noted that Miami could pursue the veteran wideout later in free agency.
  • Following news earlier today that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam could be a candidate to purchase the Titans, a Browns spokesman told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that the Tennessee native is devoted to Cleveland. “It’s 100% false,” the spokesman said. “There is no truth to the careless speculation from the reporter.”
  • Browns general manager Ray Farmer said the organization would continue to monitor potential quarterback additions, tweets Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com.
  • Farmer would not reveal whether the Browns offered a first-round pick to the Rams for Sam Bradford, but he did comment that the current Eagles signal-caller likely isn’t available (via Ulrich on Twitter).

La Canfora’s Latest: Wilson, Peterson, Titans

March 23rd, 2015 at 4:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com has been busy today at the NFL’s March meetings in Arizona, publishing three pieces — one on Russell Wilson‘s contract, one on the Titans‘ ownership situation, and one that addresses a few other items of note from around the league. Here are a few highlights from all three of La Canfora’s Monday articles:

  • La Canfora continues to hear that no new deal is imminent for Wilson and the Seahawks, and while both sides would like to get something done, there’s no sense that real progress has been made. The two sides figure to keep negotiating throughout the spring and the summer, but Wilson is prepared to play the 2015 season without an extension in place if need be, knowing that even without a new contract, he’d likely be in line for $20MM+ if Seattle franchises him next winter.
  • Adrian Peterson doesn’t want to play for the Vikings, but there may not be much trade interest in him at his current salary, and Minnesota doesn’t appear willing to cut him either. That may end up essentially creating a game of chicken between the star running back and the team — the Vikes could probably find a trade partner if Peterson were open to significantly reworking his deal, but it’s not clear how much he’d be willing to sacrifice to get out of Minnesota. La Canfora believes the Cowboys, Cardinals, and Washington would have interest at the right price, but that price likely isn’t $45MM over three years.
  • Some team executives around the NFL are growing frustrated with the league for dragging out investigations into the Patriots (Deflategate), Browns (Textgate), and Falcons (Noisegate), questioning why there’s still no resolution on any of those issues.
  • “Lot of people like [Marcus] Mariota a lot more than what you are seeing in the media,” said a high-ranking official for one NFL team. La Canfora believes Mariota will be the second overall pick, or at least a top-five selection.
  • Currently, veteran free agents signed after June 1 don’t factor into the following year’s compensatory picks. According to La Canfora, the league may change that date to May 1 to help benefit players (who could find a home a few weeks earlier) and teams (who could get those players to their facilities sooner).
  • Rumblings about a potential Titans sale have only increased since Tommy Smith left the franchise. La Canfora writes that billionaire Dave Tepper, who currently owns 5% of the Steelers, is considered by some league insiders as the favorite to land the Titans. However, the CBSSports.com scribe warns not to count out current Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who is a Tennessee native and would love to own the Titans. While a “swap” of franchises between owners is unlikely, it’s worth keeping an eye on Haslam just in case, says La Canfora.

Browns Notes: Manziel, Hoyer, Gordon

February 11th, 2015 at 6:11pm CST by Zachary Links

In a chat with reporters earlier today, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam confirmed that GM Ray Farmer sent text messages to other members of the organization during games this past season, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal writes. Still, Haslam remains in Farmer’s corner.

“I think Ray Farmer knows and has [privately] said that he made a mistake in sending those texts,” Haslam said. “Ray feels terrible about it. Ray’s a guy — I’ve known a lot of people — I think he has utmost integrity. And I think it’s important for you all to know that Ray has the organization’s and my full support, and despite the fact that he made a mistake here, it does not affect his standing with the Browns. He is totally focused on doing whatever we’re going to do in free agency and more importantly getting our organization ready for the draft.”

More highlights from Haslam’s chat..

  • Haslam is glad to see Johnny Manziel entering rehab. “I applaud him for raising his hand and saying I need help,” the owner said. He added that it’s way too early to give up on the polarizing quarterback and the organization “absolutely” believes that he can be a starter in the NFL.
  • The owner said that he didn’t mandate Manziel going to rehab and has no expectations for when he might rejoin the team.
  • Some are wondering why the Browns went ahead with drafting Manziel in the face of red flags, but Haslam inferred that the team might not have known everything about his history. “I don’t know how much of Johnny’s personal life was known by everybody then,” Haslam said.
  • Back in May, former Browns quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains said a text he received from Manziel on the first night of the 2014 draft helped get the ball rolling towards picking him. However, Haslam said that story isn’t accurate and reiterated that Manziel was their top QB on the board.
  • The Browns are “going to explore every option” when it comes to re-signing quarterback Brian Hoyer, Haslam said.
  • Haslam wouldn’t rule out possibly trading up to draft a quarterback in the first round. “We’ve said we would do what’s necessary to solve the quarterback situation,” explained the owner.
  • Haslam expressed disappointment in wide receiver Josh Gordon, saying that he has failed to accept responsibility for his actions. For at least the next year, he says, the franchise has moved on from Gordon.
  • The Browns will be less involved in free agency than they were last year, according to the owner.
  • The Browns love restricted free agent free safety Tashaun Gipson, Haslam said. The team is working to keep him.
  • Despite rumors of heavy fighting within the organization, Haslam says things are going well in Cleveland. He added that it’s a misconception that coaches and executives want out of Cleveland and that the key people like working for the Browns.

North Notes: Ravens, Farmer, Suh

February 5th, 2015 at 2:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Haloti Ngata‘s future is the most pressing question facing the Ravens this offseason, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Ngata, 31, is set to count $16MM against Baltimore’s cap in 2015. While he did rate as the ninth-best 3-4 defensive end among 47 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Ngata was suspended for four games after violating the league’s PED policy. Hensley also expects the Ravens to target players who get cut in free agency. He lists some names to watch, including Bucs receiver Vincent Jackson, 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, and Jets running back Chris Johnson. Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC North..

  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the latest on the TextGate controversy, reporting that Browns GM Ray Farmer actually sent messages to a non-coaching employee on the sidelines who then relayed those messages to the coaching staff. Florio also surmises that Farmer could be something of a “fall guy” for the scandal, adding that owner Jimmy Haslam could have been the one directing Farmer.
  • The Lions are expressing confidence that they’ll retain Ndamukong Suh, but that doesn’t mean much to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com since they’ve been saying the same thing for a year now. Until something is signed or announced, Rothstein cautions fans not to fully believe that Suh will be back. In theory, the Lions could also use the franchise tag to keep Suh, but that would cost them upwards of $26MM.
  • More from Rothstein, who looked at impending Lions free agent Dan Orlovsky. The 10-year veteran was signed to back up starter Matthew Stafford and, fortunately for Detroit, Stafford did not miss a snap all year. Rothstein says it wouldn’t be surprising to see Orlovsky back with Detroit when considering his experience and low cost.
  • Packers linebacker Sam Barrington broke a bit of news on Twitter today when he congratulated Ron Zook on becoming the team’s new special teams coordinator. Zook, of course, previously served as head coach at the University of Florida and the University of Illinois.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Browns May Lose Draft Pick For ‘Textgate’

February 4th, 2015 at 11:46am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL is expected to conclude its investigation into a sideline text-messaging incident involving the Browns either this week or early next week, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, who reports that the team are facing potential sanctions for the rule violation. Per Cabot, Browns GM Ray Farmer may be suspended, and the team could also be fined and even lose a 2015 draft pick for its actions.

Nearly a month ago, it was reported that a high-ranking official for the Browns texted the sidelines from the press box about playcalls during a game. Multiple sources have since told Cabot that it was Farmer who violated the NFL’s electronic use policy by texting the sideline, where his messages were apparently relayed to coaches. Per Cabot, the league is expected to announce sanctions for the Browns as soon as this week, and no later than three weeks or so from now — Farmer is facing a suspension of three or four games if it’s confirmed he violated the policy, and Cleveland may also be penalized a draft pick, though it’s not clear how high a pick it would be.

As we wait to see how the league rules on the situation, here are a few more Browns-related notes:

  • In a piece examining the situation in Cleveland, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes that the culture in the Browns building is “toxic.” Many of those who can leave – like former OC Kyle Shanahan – are eager to do so as soon as possible, according to La Canfora, who reports that, at season’s end, Shanahan presented head coach Mike Pettine with a 32-point breakdown explaining why he wanted out of his contract, which prompted the two sides to draw up an agreement to allow him to walk away.
  • Multiple team sources tell La Canfora that Farmer is “a path of least resistance” for owner Jimmy Haslam on personnel decisions. La Canfora also hears that it wasn’t unusual for Farmer to text and/or call ex-QBs coach Dowell Loggains during game days. There has been growing friction between Farmer and Pettine as well, writes the CBSSports.com scribe.
  • One team source, to La Canfora, on Haslam: “Jimmy is way too hands on. He’s like Jerry Jones, only without the football knowledge. There’s tension between [team president] Alec [Scheiner] and Pettine. Everybody sees that. Alec is involved in everything; it’s too much for him. There are no divisions. The guys on the business side want to run football operations. The GM wants to coach the team and have input on play calling. Jimmy calls the shots, and everyone is afraid of him with that quick trigger finger. If you stand up to Jimmy, he’s done with you. Jimmy’s own worst enemy is Jimmy.”
  • Tight end Jordan Cameron isn’t interested in re-signing with the Browns, sources tell La Canfora, who adds that the club isn’t interested in bringing in Mark Sanchez as a veteran QB option.
  • Calling the Browns a “raging dumpster fire,” Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com writes that Farmer must face the music and answer several questions about his decisions and his actions.

AFC Notes: Hoyer, Oher, Broncos

November 16th, 2014 at 11:04am CST by Rory Parks

Much has been made of Brian Hoyer‘s future as the impending free agent continues to inch the Browns closer to an improbable playoff berth, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes that, if Hoyer does leave Cleveland after 2014–which would “shock” at least one prominent talking head–the Texans would be a likely destination. As Schefter writes, “Hoyer trusts [Texans head coach Bill] O’Brien as much as any coach in the league from their time together in New England, per sources, and would welcome a reunion.” Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was the Cardinals‘ head coach during Hoyer’s one season in Arizona, would also have interest in bringing Hoyer to Tennessee. Schefter writes that a long-term deal between Hoyer and Cleveland will “get done only as soon as the Browns truly are ready to make Hoyer, not Johnny Manziel, their long-term quarterback.”

Now for some more links from the AFC (an NFC Notes post from this busy Sunday can be found here):

Jimmy Haslam’s Company Avoids Criminal Charges

July 14th, 2014 at 8:54pm CST by Rory Parks

Pilot Flying J, the Knoxville-based chain of truck stops chaired by Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, reached a deal with federal prosecutors to avoid criminal charges against the company, writes Josh Flory of KnoxNews.com. In exchange, Pilot must pay a $92MM penalty over the course of the next two years and must also cooperate with the ongoing criminal investigation into diesel fuel rebate fraud.

However, while the company itself might have avoided criminal sanctions, Haslam and other company employees might not be out of the woods just yet. As Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal points out, the deal does not exempt any individual from prosecution. Indeed, after the government’s investigation of Pilot’s alleged diesel rebate fraud became public last year, 10 former company employees pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the investigation (Pilot also reached civil settlements totaling $85MM with trucking customers who claimed to have been victimized by the company’s fraudulent activities). As far as Haslam and his associates are concerned, Ridenour writes, “There is still time for the government to find proof that Haslam had knowledge of the fraud. There is still time for the 10 former Pilot employees who have pleaded guilty to turn against him. There is still time for more people to be charged.”

On the other hand, as Flory observes, former assistant United States Attorney Tom Withers has stated that he would be surprised if the company would have resolved the charges against it without some indication from the government that Haslam himself would not be criminally charged. So, despite the government’s assertion that the agreement “demonstrate[s] quite clearly that no corporation, no matter how big, influential, or wealthy, is above the law,” there might have been another, unpublicized portion of the deal that made it more palatable for Haslam.

How does all of this affect the Browns? It probably won’t. Ridenour writes that Pilot has opened several locations recently and business is apparently doing quite well. And, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets, the NFL has stated that “there are no allegations that apply to [the league’s] personal conduct policy.” Therefore, the Browns might yet achieve some front office stability, something they hoped they were getting from Haslam all along.

Browns Notes: Manziel, Gilbert, Bortles

June 27th, 2014 at 5:35pm CST by Ben Levine

As PFR’s Matt Feminis briefly touched on earlier today, Johnny Manziel remains defiant amid all of the negative press regarding his off-the-field behavior. Manziel, who was attending the NFL Rookie Symposium’s Play 60 youth clinic in Cleveland, said he was planning on maturing instead of completely changing his character. Via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer…

“I’m not going to change who I am for anybody. I’m growing up and continuing to learn from my mistakes and trying not to make the same ones over and over again, but am I going to live in a shell or am I just going to hide from everybody and not do anything? I don’t think that’s the way I should live my life and I’m not going to do it.

“I’m here, I’m very committed to football. I’m committed to my job, but on the weekends, I’m going to enjoy my time off. We deserve it. We work hard here.

“I am going to enjoy my time off. I’m very about football and very about my job, which doesn’t get reported or won’t get reported, but I am going to enjoy my time off. That’s I think what everybody else does and that’s what I should do.”

Meanwhile, teammate Terrance West didn’t necessarily express frustration towards Manziel. However, was the rookie running back annoyed about the continuing questions about the quarterback’s antics? Mary Kay Cabot has the answer:

“Yes, because it’s a distraction,” West said. “We’re here to play football and it’s all about all of his off-the-field stuff, so it’s a distraction.

“He’s enjoying life. He’s not doing anything negative. He’s not getting arrested or getting DUIs or anything like that. I don’t think it’s a big deal. Everyone’s supposed to enjoy life and have fun.”

Additionally, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that team owner Jimmy Haslam was turned off by a particular Manziel video and asked the quarterback to “tone it down” (Cabot has the story on Cleveland.com).

Let’s see what else is going within the organization…

  • The Browns other first-round pick, cornerback Justin Gilbert, didn’t sound optimistic when asked if he’d sign his contract prior to training camp. “I don’t know,” Gilbert said (via Fox Sport Ohio’s Fred Greetham). “They’re still working on it.”
  • Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, who was also in Cleveland for the youth clinic, wasn’t expecting to be drafted third overall. In fact, he originally thought there was a better chance of being picked by the Browns. “I had no idea. I was as surprised as anybody else when they called me,” Bortles said (via the Morning-Journal’s Jeff Schudel). “I definitely thought there was more of a possibility I’d be here (Cleveland) than Jacksonville, but that’s not the way it turned out and I couldn’t be happier to be where I am.”
  • When it comes to “diamonds in the rough” among the wide receiver depth, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com points to undrafted rookie Chandler Jones (via Twitter). The former San Jose State Spartan finished 2013 with 79 catches for 1,356 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was signed by the Browns in the middle of May.