Extra points: Will Browns go forward with Gilbert, Gordon and Manziel?
Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine was asked what the status going into the offseason is with wide receiver Josh Gordon, quarterback Johnny Manziel and cornerback Justin Gilbert.
Each of them were involved in either being fined, suspended or deactivated over the weekend for violating team rules.
Pettine was asked if the Browns would consider releasing one or all of them.
"We're going to take our time here and step away from the emotion of it all, take time off, we'll have all of the players written up and evaluated and in a much less emotional environment evaluate the roster," he said. "Talk about each position and what changes need to be made. That is something that will be discussed on whether players currently on our roster should they be here or not be here."
On Manziel, Pettine said.
"I've had great talks with him," Pettine said. "But he realizes this, that at some point, talk is cheap. To me the actions are much more important than what he says."
Pettine was asked specifically about Gordon.
"Clearly a disappointing way for him to end the year," he said. "At the same time, Josh is a Cleveland Brown and we want to take care of our own, but at the same time we want to hold our guys accountable. I think everybody recognizes the talent that is there, but this isn't an individual sport and you have to be accountable to your coaching staff and your teammates, more importantly. That's the thing we have to get right with Josh. It's not the ability but at some point, you get tired of using the word potential."
Pettine said the Browns are at a crossroads with Gordon.
"This offseason for him, puts him clearly in the crossroads with us," Pettine said. "It's a better question for him, whether he wants to be here with us. We want him here but we want him here with him being accountable with him being able to function with this team as a member in good standing."
Pettine compared the evaluation process as a weight scale.
"It's like a scale and at some point, it tips," Pettine said.
Pettine said he's optimistic Gilbert will be much better in 2015.
"I'm hopeful after a full offseason of working with him."
Pettine said players that don't buy into the program will not be with the team next year.
"Variety of ways - tough love being one of them...staff can only go so far," Pettine said. "The guys that do it the right way, we're thankful for. The guys that aren't, if they want to take it as a warning, were going to encourage them to do it the right way.
"If we exhaust all opportunities and options and can't they won't be here."
Pettine was asked if those players were out of warnings.
"I wouldn't say out of warnings," he said. "I wouldn't say that."
Coordinators to return: Pettine was asked if he expected to make any changes to his coaching staff. It sounds as though he intends to retain offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil.
"At this point, I anticipate the vast majority of the staff back," he said. "There might be a change or two, but I'm going to get away and talk to the coordinators as they do an evaluation of their own and compare notes and see if we need to make any changes."
