As usual a pretty level headed story from Terry Pluto...
http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2015/08/cleveland_browns_have_terry_ta_13.html#incart_river
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's easy to forget that Mike Pettine and Ray Farmer were thrown together to run the Browns.
Pettine wasn't hired by Farmer to coach. Nor was he even interviewed by Farmer, who was an assistant general manager. Farmer was at the Senior Bowl and other places scouting when the Browns were searching for a coach.
It was CEO Joe Banner, with the approval of owner Jimmy Haslam, who hired Pettine to replace Rob Chudzinski on Jan. 23, 2014. Three weeks later -- Feb. 11 -- Haslam fired Banner and General Manager Mike Lombardi, promoting Farmer to GM.
On that date, the Farmer/Pettine relationship began as a football version of a marriage of convenience. The two men really didn't know each other, and had never worked together before. They were new in their jobs. Farmer had never been a general manager, Pettine never an NFL head coach.
Most fans know what happened after that. The team started 7-4 before finishing with five losses. There were issues with Johnny Manziel, Justin Gilbert, etc.
Farmer was suspended for the first four games of 2015 because he was sending illegal text messages during games. That created strain because the coaching staff believed Farmer was second-guessing them.
Just more "Browns Dysfunction," right? But is that really the case?
Well, it doesn't have to be that way.
THE REST OF THE STORY
Start with this basic fact: It's in the self-interest of Farmer and Pettine to make their relationship work. If things collapse here, what are the odds of Farmer landing somewhere else as a GM? Who would hire Pettine as their coach?
Since the Browns returned in 1999, no GM fired by the Browns has held the same job for another team. The only head coach fired by the Browns to find the same role again is Romeo Crennel, who took over as Kansas City's "interim" coach in 2011 for the final three games. He was hired as head coach in 2012, and the Chiefs were 2-14.
You can be reasonably sure that Farmer and Pettine know what has happened to their predecessors. It's very good motivation to work through problems and build a strong business relationship. Farmer and Pettine come across as old-line football guys from the defensive side of the ball who believe that if the team wins, everything else will work out.
You can never be sure, but there doesn't seem to be a battle of egos here.
IT'S BETTER NOW
In the off-season, Pettine invited Farmer to his summer home.
Monday, Pettine characterized their relationship as
"singing from the same hymnal virtually on every decision. ... To say we agree on everything would not be accurate. But to say there's a rift or a power struggle or a tug of war, that would be completely inaccurate."
"Great," was how Farmer described his relationship with Pettine when speaking to the media on Friday.
"The guy doesn't invite you to his summer home if he is mad at you or there is a problem," said Farmer. "Mike said it best when he said we were both singing from the same hymnal. The reality is (we) don't have any issues... Do we agree on every player? No. Can we sit down and have a conversation? Yes."
The latest debate about tension between Farmer and Pettine came from a
Tony Grossi story on ESPN-Cleveland. Jamil Northcutt was the team's Director of Player Engagement. He was hired by Farmer. I hear Grossi was correct about there being a problem between Northcutt and some of the coaches. Supposedly, Northcutt was one of those who received at least some of Farmer's texts while Northcutt was on the sidelines.
I really don't know the whole deal on Northcutt being fired on July 18. I sense it was fallout from the texting problems. As Farmer said: "That was a mistake on my part. End of the day, I made the mistake."
The NFL also praised Farmer for turning over his cellphone and cooperating with the investigation. Farmer's decision not to offer excuses has been a major factor in repairing his relationship with the coaches.
I doubt Pettine and Farmer are going to let the situation with Northcutt lead to a major break in their relationship. Neither can afford to do so.
THE TURNING POINT
The big change for the two men came after the season with the departure of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, followed by the 2015 draft.
The 2014 draft was strange ... the first round (Johnny Manziel and Justin Gilbert) became a disaster. The rest of that draft looked a lot more like 2015, with the players who would appeal to Pettine/Farmer. There was no Manziel sizzle.
Instead, the Browns kept adding linemen, defensive players ... the "Play like a Brown" types who fit what they have been preaching. We will see if they drafted the right guys. But the first round featured Danny Shelton (defensive lineman) and Cameron Erving (offensive lineman). In the next two rounds were Nate Orchard (linebacker), Duke Johnson (running back) and Xavier Cooper (defensive lineman).
The two men are solidly behind Josh McCown as the starting quarterback and taking things very slow with Manziel. Another key to their relationship was how strongly Pettine supported Farmer when Shanahan left. The former Browns offensive coordinator was clearly upset with the front office.
It was during the stories about Shanahan's departure that the Farmer text issue emerged. Shanahan was positioning himself for what he considered a better job as Atlanta's offensive coordinator.
Farmer and Pettine were both tired of Shanahan's complaining. Pettine clearly is more comfortable with new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. Farmer supported his coach.
A lot of things can go wrong, but so far -- Pettine and Farmer are spending 2015 building their relationship the right way.
ABOUT THE BROWNS
1. I'm not going to gush about Josh McCown as
Dwayne Bowe did, saying the veteran could be "a top five quarterback" in the NFL. I'll simply say he looks good. He's poised. At 6-foot-4, he has a starter's size, arm strength and can hold up in the pocket. If you go to training camp, just check it out for yourself.
2. The same with Terrelle Pryor. Watch the former quarterback run routes, catch passes and play the game. Farmer mentioned how most quarterbacks "have good hands" because they "play catch all the time." They also have to catch snaps from centers, as so many plays are now run out of the shotgun formation.
3. I also like how Farmer hinted that Pryor could play some tight end, adding "tight end is semantics." What matters is where players line up on the field as they prepare to go out for passes. Some tight ends rarely block, they are just very big receivers.
4. In some media circles, much is being made of Farmer's vague, circular answer about Manziel's future. How can anyone really know if Manziel has the combination of physical ability plus self-discipline needed to be a starter? It's too early to know and his rocky rookie year offered little reason for faith. The current approach of quietly allowing him to practice makes sense. Why put any expectations on him?
5. I'm looking forward to seeing some real football, especially in the preseason games. The Browns have three intriguing backs -- Terrance West, Duke Johnson and Isaiah Crowell. They have had Glenn Winston around for nearly a year, and they do like him. If the Browns can run the ball effectively, a lot of things will fall into place for this team.