National Football League

Hoyer extension talk probably just talk

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:07 p.m. ET

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A report Monday said the Cleveland Browns would like to sign quarterback Brian Hoyer to a contract extension.

It's not a bad idea by the Browns; Hoyer is entering training camp as the team's starter, performed well before getting injured last season and has just one year left on his current contract before he'll be eligible for unrestricted free agency.

It's hard to believe, though, that the two sides would get anything done in the way of a contract anytime soon. Hoyer's agent , Joe Linta, said as much in an e-mail to the Akron Beacon Journal when he wrote that "it would be very difficult to move forward until we see how the season plays out."

There's too much uncertainty on both sides. The Browns just drafted Johnny Manziel in the first round, and history shows the hot rookie almost always wins out, at least eventually.

If Hoyer thinks he's going to win out at least in this season's quarterback battle -- and it's certainly possible -- he'd be silly not to bet on himself. Signing now would almost certainly mean signing a deal that's done with financial caution the team's part and a bunch of outs.

There are a couple things that both sides certainly know. First, winning and deserving quarterbacks in today's NFL get paid. Like, really paid. There are still a bunch of teams with uncertain quarterback situations and almost certainly will be more as the season goes along. One of those teams is the Houston Texans, whose new head coach used to be Hoyer's position coach. Linta and Hoyer could prefer to negotiate with more leverage than they have now, with Hoyer working for a new coaching staff in a new offense having to prove to everyone -- himself included -- he can get healthy and stay healthy and be the guy Browns fans have been waiting for since Hoyer was in middle school going to Browns games with his father.

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