Cleveland Browns

Farmer says Browns won't change approach despite his suspension

Published Jul. 31, 2015 3:24 p.m. ET

foxsports

BEREA, Ohio (AP) -- Even though he has been suspended for the first four weeks of the NFL's regular season, Browns general manager Ray Farmer said Friday his approach to building the roster during training camp and the regular season will not change.

"We will prepare the same way and keep the best 53 players," Farmer said after the second practice of training camp. "We will go through and figure out who is available. No decision is made in a vacuum. Coaches and scouts have a say and we talk about what is best for the Browns. It is not just me sitting in a room."

The league announced in March that Farmer would be suspended four games for texting during games, which violates NFL rules on electronic devices.

Farmer's cooperation with the NFL was raised earlier this week when NFL Commissioner Roger upheld a four-game suspension for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Goodell said Brady's decision to destroy a cellphone factored into his decision to keep the star's punishment in place for his role in using underinflated footballs in a playoff game last season.

Farmer said he turned over his cellphone to the league and that sending the texts was his own mistake.

"There was no ill-gotten intentions or to gain a competitive advantage," Farmer said. "Those are the rules and because of that I will pay my penalty."

The league said Farmer's punishment would have been more severe had he not cooperated.

Farmer and head coach Mike Pettine said there have been preliminary discussions about who will make personnel decisions during Farmer's absence, but Farmer was not ready to divulge those details.

"I'm very confident given the time of year - you are coming off a lot of the decisions already being made. Whether it is (executive chief of staff) Bill Kuharich, (vice president of player personnel) Morocco Brown or whatever we decide to do, I have full confidence in that group," Pettine said.