Browns owner Jimmy Haslam says Hall of Famer Jim Brown will have formal role with team

Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown will have a formal role with the Browns again, owner Jimmy Haslam said today at the annual NFL meeting in Phoenix.

Haslam wouldn’t specify his vision for Brown. He said an announcement will be made in the next few weeks.

“Jim Brown and I spent about an hour together last night, and I think we’ve established a really good relationship,” Haslam said. “I think sometime over the next two or three weeks, we’ll formalize that relationship and Jim will play the appropriate role with the Cleveland Browns. I think he feels good about. We feel good about it, and I think rightly so. I’ve really enjoyed getting the opportunity to meet and know him, not just as the former football great player but as a man.”

Haslam addressed several other topics. Here are some quick highlights:

• The Browns have the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft, and Haslam said he thinks it's doubtful they would trade up.
• Haslam said the competition for incumbent starting quarterback Brandon Weeden could be internal or external.
• The Browns might participate in a TV show again, like Travel Channel’s NFL Road Tested, but Haslam said they won’t sign up for HBO’s Hard Knocks. “I don't see us doing Hard Knocks,” he said. “I think it interferes with your basic football operations.”
• Haslam praised new assistant General Manager Ray Farmer. “I’ll be surprised if Ray’s not a GM in the next few years, which will be good and bad news for us” Haslam said. “I think he’s a great talent. He’s already making a difference.”
• Haslam said he hopes to make enhancements to FirstEnergy Stadium by 2014, but nothing major will be done before then.
• Haslam explained why the team didn’t re-sign Josh Cribbs. “We're building,” Haslam said. “I think you've got to look at where people are in their career.”
• Haslam said General Manager Mike Lombardi isn't doing interviews because he has hands full right now and is driving player personnel, which is the most important facet of the organization.
• Haslam said he believes new defensive end Desmond Bryant will be a good player on and off the field despite his arrest last month and the lawsuit he’s facing now.