INDIANAPOLIS - The Cleveland Browns have moved past January sideshows created by Kyle Shanahan's permanent exit and Josh Gordon's latest mandatory vacation. General Manager Ray Farmer has taken responsibility for the text-messaging sideshow that's still awaiting possible NFL punishment.
Both Farmer and coach Mike Pettine have spoken with Johnny Manziel and commended the young quarterback for his decision to seek professional help for substance issues. Both Farmer and Pettine have said they support young cornerback Justin Gilbert for an issue they'll talk about but not in specifics.
The NFL Scouting Combine is supposed to mark the peak of the NFL's feelgood season. Everybody's undefeated. Everybody's optimistic. Everybody is two-plus weeks from missing on a free-agent target and more than two months from whiffing on a draft pick. Ignoring this subzero weather in Indianapolis this week, it's supposed to be all sunshine and butterflies with the real work still ahead.
Is it, though, for the Browns?
"I would describe our organization as a healthy one," Farmer said Thursday.
He was then asked to explain why he thinks that.
"I would describe it as healthy because we do have platforms where you can discuss things openly and honestly," Farmer said. "You can have direct conversations. And in large part those conversations are met with candor. Guys are able to speak their minds.
"Granted, I'm the general manager. But I'm an open book. I tell people the truth of how I feel and kind of where I am, and I think we get that expressed readily throughout the organization from coaches through scouts, etc. I think our organization is really good in that manner."
The challenge remains achieving a healthy record. Stopping the revolving door at the organization's highest levels and the leaky foundation would be good, too.
Farmer and Pettine know the task ahead.
First, they must find a quarterback. Brian Hoyer is headed for free agency. Manziel is tending to non-football matters.
Thursday, Farmer said there's "a plan in place." That came a day after Pettine admitted he'd "be scared if they had a game this weekend" and said the door isn't closed on anything at the game's most important position.
Farmer wouldn't talk specifics or specific players -- even Hoyer -- and said "our conversations are always moving until you (decide) the direction you're going to go."
The pool of available quarterbacks seems thin, but Farmer said "there's always a pool of players out there. Just because one guy didn't have success in one place doesn't mean he won't have success in another. It's about finding the guy with the resolute skill set that matches who you want to be offensively, finding that guy and bringing him to Cleveland."
Sound easy?
Sound healthy?
Pettine on Wednesday said the Browns are "close" to where they need to be defensively and have "many more unanswered questions" on the offensive side. That seems like a fair assessment, and that's where Farmer's goal "to drive competition" comes in as the Browns season.
The Browns need more good players on both sides. They need impact players.
Observers will believe the organization is healthy when the wins come. Internal dialogue is healthy. Competition for jobs and playing time is healthy.
The Browns have been in the news a bunch since the season ended. They've lost a player in Gordon but haven't lost a game.
The real work and real tests are ahead. Farmer has a chance to prove himself correct.
