Notes from Browns GM Ray Farmer at NFL Owners Meeting

The yearly gathering of NFL brass kicked off Monday morning, bringing all 32 owners and other team representatives to Arizona.

In between meetings, Browns general manager Ray Farmer spoke with reporters, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com and Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Here is a summary of Farmer's statements, based on tweets from Cabot and Ulrich:

• Johnny Manziel will play in 2015. Farmer stated that he wants Johnny to "focus on competing for the starting job and being healthy." Farmer would like to see Manziel stay on the right track throughout the entire season, as would most Browns fans.
• The Browns are still searching for the franchise quarterback. Farmer and the Browns are still looking into finding another quarterback, including through the draft. The Browns' GM declined to answer whether or not the club offered a first round pick for Sam Bradford. Farmer stated point-blank: "We currently don't have the guy."
• The Browns have confidence in Josh McCown. Farmer believes that the veteran signalcaller can win because "he's never been given the chance to be the guy full-time," especially in regards to the play action and the running game.
• Don't count out Connor Shaw. According to Cabot, Farmer said that "everyone erroneously discounts" Shaw. In Farmer's mind, Shaw or another quarterback on the roster could eventually develop into the team's long-term quarterback.
• QB Marcus Mariota will have a private workout with the Browns. The Oregon product will "have his moment to work with our guys," Farmer told Cabot.
• The Browns have looked into trading up or down in the draft. According to Farmer, the team has already started to talk to other teams about the possibility of switching spots in the draft.
• A wide receiver could be in the works. The Browns won't discount taking a wideout in the first round, despite the fact that the team signed veteran receivers Brian Hartline and Dwayne Bowe.
• No "Hard Knocks" decision yet. Representatives of the popular HBO series have met with the Browns for the second straight year, but no decision has been made as of Monday. Farmer said that Manziel's rehab situation "should be taken into consideration'' to the decision.
• Farmer still waiting for "Text-gate" punishment. The Browns' GM doesn't know what the ramifications of "Text-gate" will be, but stated again that "it's not something I'm proud of," and he learned something from it.

The owners meeting will continue through Wednesday. Check back for more Browns news as the conference progresses.