Since the FBI and Internal Revenue Service raided the headquarters of Pilot Flying J April 15 in Knoxville, Tenn., Haslam has issued several apologies and denied his knowledge of an alleged fraud scheme the FBI says cheated trucking-company customers out of millions of dollars of rebates they were contractually promised for buying certain amounts of diesel fuel.

Haslam, the CEO of Pilot Flying J, continued to maintain his innocence while explaining his side of the story to his NFL brethren Tuesday during the league meetings in Boston, according to the report. He addressed the other owners for about five minutes before a lunch break. It wasn’t on the agenda, but Haslam asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell if he could speak to the group.

“I thought it was important,” Haslam told USA Today. “We’re partners in the NFL. I wanted to address them face-to-face.”

Haslam became a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008 before striking a deal this past summer to buy the Browns from Randy Lerner for about $1 billion. Steelers President Art Rooney II told USA Today he “was shocked” when he first heard about the accusations against Pilot Flying J, which is owned by Haslam and his family.

“I felt like it’s nothing Jimmy would become involved in,” Rooney said. “I feel like I know Jimmy. … He’s not someone who’d be breaking the law.”

Haslam and Goodell met last month about the investigation, and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league has no plans to ask Haslam to surrender operational control of the Browns during the probe. No charges have been filed in the case.

So at this point, the league is sticking by Haslam. And he assured his peers he wouldn’t let them down.

“I know he feels a sense of embarrassment,” New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft told USA Today. “He said they’re going to do everything they can to get it under control and put it behind them, and that he felt bad for the attention that it brought to the Cleveland franchise and the NFL, and he was going to make it right.

“He handled himself in a very professional way and spoke about what the NFL and the Cleveland market means to him, how important it is that he make both parties proud,” Kraft said. “They have a huge company. Maybe they didn’t have all the controls that they wanted. He was very impressive in explaining that. I thought it was classy.”

Haslam seemingly earned points among the owners for his most recent speech. He also offered to meet in private with any of them who want further explanation, according to the report.

“Personally, hearing Mr. Haslam explain his full situation, I was very touched by it,” New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch told USA Today. “The complexity of the situation, I don’t fully understand. But he was open. I admire him for taking a very proactive position.

“He is the new kid in town in terms of NFL ownership. And to sort of deal with an issue like this in the first quarter is impressive.”

Last week during a seminar in Indianapolis, Haslam told trucking industry leaders he had no knowledge of the alleged rebate fraud. He also told reporters he doesn’t believe the investigation will affect his ownership of the Browns.

Trimming roster

The Browns have waived fourth-string quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, a league source confirmed for the Beacon Journal, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team has yet to announce the move.

Lewis’ departure was foreshadowed by the Browns signing quarterback Brian Hoyer on Friday and inserting him into the third slot on their depth chart behind incumbent starter Brandon Weeden and Jason Campbell.

Lewis, 25, made his NFL debut and lone start Dec. 30 in the Browns’ season-ending, 24-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lewis completed 22-of-32 passes (68.8 percent) for 204 yards and a touchdown with an interception for a passer rating of 83.3.

Deal never sealed

Former Boise State linebacker Tommy Smith has not signed with the Browns despite KLASS Sports, the agency that represents Smith, making an announcement to the contrary Tuesday.

KLASS conceded Wednesday that its announcement was premature. Although the Browns flew Smith to Cleveland, they never finalized a contract with him.

Smith left town Wednesday, though he still might eventually join the team depending on the makeup of its roster as the offseason unfolds. The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Smith, an inside linebacker, participated in the Browns’ rookie minicamp May 10-12 on a tryout basis.

Scheduling update

The Browns will wrap up their second block of organized team activities (OTAs) Thursday, the only day this week the media is invited. They also practiced Tuesday and Wednesday, though both sessions were closed.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at http://www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ. and on Facebook www.facebook.com/browns.abj.

The Browns have waived fourth-string quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, a league source confirmed for the Beacon Journal.

Pro Football Talk first reported the move tonight.

Lewis’ departure was foreshadowed by the Browns signing quarterback Brian Hoyer on Friday and inserting him into the third slot of their depth chart behind incumbent starter Brandon Weeden and Jason Campbell.

Lewis made his NFL debut and lone start Dec. 30 in the Browns’ season-ending, 24-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lewis completed 22-of-32 passes (68.8 percent) for 204 yards and one touchdown with an interception for a passer rating of 83.3.

Lewis, 25, spent the majority of the past two seasons with the Browns, bouncing back and forth from their practice squad and active roster. But Lewis, a product of Duke University, is considered a better fit for the West Coast offense employed by ex-Browns coach Pat Shurmur than the system of current Browns coach Rob Chudzinski because he doesn’t possess the caliber of arm strength required for a vertical, downfield passing game.

Former Boise State linebacker Tommy Smith has not signed with the Browns after all, but a deal could still be reached in the future, his agents said.

KLASS Sports, the agency that represents Smith, said Tuesday that its client traveled to Cleveland Monday night and signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent the following day. However, KLASS conceded this afternoon that its announcement was premature.

Although the Browns flew Smith to Cleveland, they never finalized a contract with him. Smith left town today, though he still might eventually join the team depending on the makeup of its roster as the offseason unfolds.

The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Smith, an inside linebacker, participated in the Browns’ rookie minicamp May 10-12 on a tryout basis. As a senior last season, Smith started all 13 games for Boise State. He finished third on the team with 61 tackles, including four for loss and a sack.

Jimmy Haslam, whose purchase of the Browns was unanimously approved in October, apologized to fellow NFL owners for the negative attention an ongoing federal investigation targeting his family business, Pilot Flying J, has brought upon the league, USA Today’s Jarrett Bell reported.

Since the FBI and Internal Revenue Service raided the headquarters of Pilot Flying J April 15 in Knoxville, Tenn., Haslam has issued several apologies and denied his knowledge of an alleged fraud scheme the FBI says cheated trucking-company customers out of millions of dollars of rebates they were promised for buying certain amounts of diesel fuel.

Haslam, the CEO of Pilot Flying J, continued to maintain his innocence while explaining his side of the story to his NFL brethren Tuesday during the league meetings in Boston, according to the report. He addressed the other owners for about five minutes before a lunch break. It wasn’t on the agenda, but Haslam asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell if he could speak to the group.

“I thought it was important,” Haslam told USA Today. “We're partners in the NFL. I wanted to address them face-to-face.”

Haslam became a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008 before striking a deal this past summer to buy the Browns from Randy Lerner for about $1 billion. Steelers President Art Rooney II told USA Today he “was shocked” when he first heard about the accusations against Pilot Flying J, which is owned by Haslam and his family.

“I felt like it's nothing Jimmy would become involved in,” Rooney said. “I feel like I know Jimmy. … He’s not someone who'd be breaking the law.”

Haslam and Goodell met last month about the investigation, and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league has no plans to ask Haslam to surrender operational control of the Browns during the probe. No charges have been filed in the case.

So at this point, the league is sticking by Haslam. And he assured his peers he wouldn’t let them down.

“I know he feels a sense of embarrassment,” New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft told USA Today. “He said they're going to do everything they can to get it under control and put it behind them, and that he felt bad for the attention that it brought to the Cleveland franchise and the NFL, and he was going to make it right.

“He handled himself in a very professional way and spoke about what the NFL and the Cleveland market means to him, how important it is that he make both parties proud," Kraft said. "They have a huge company. Maybe they didn't have all the controls that they wanted. He was very impressive in explaining that. I thought it was classy.”

Haslam seemingly earned points among the owners for his most recent speech. He also offered to meet in private with any of them who want further explanation, according to the report.

“Personally, hearing Mr. Haslam explain his full situation, I was very touched by it,” New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch told USA Today. “The complexity of the situation, I don't fully understand. But he was open. I admire him for taking a very proactive position.

“He is the new kid in town in terms of NFL ownership. And to sort of deal with an issue like this in the first quarter is impressive.”

The Browns also signed two undrafted free agents, former University of Texas-El Paso wide receiver Michael Edwards and former Missouri safety Kenronte Walker, and claimed undrafted rookie running back Miguel Maysonet, a former Stony Brook standout, off waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles, who cut him Monday.

The Browns formally announced they re-signed running back Brandon Jackson to a one-year contract. Jackson’s deal was first reported last week.

To make room on their 90-man roster, the Browns waived Hagg, linebacker Ryan Rau and undrafted rookie running backs Robbie Rouse and Jamaine Cook, a product of Midpark High School and Youngstown State University.

Hagg started the first two games at free safety this past season before being demoted. He also started the final two games after T.J. Ward, Tashaun Gipson and Usama Young suffered injuries.

The Browns have inserted Gipson into the top slot on their depth chart at free safety, giving him the reps with the first-team defense during organized team activities, which resumed Tuesday and run through Thursday, the only day this week reporters are invited. Ward, meanwhile, is locked in as the starting strong safety.

The release of Hagg indicates that the Browns believe their expectations for Slaughter to be healthy by training camp are on target. Slaughter, who played for Notre Dame, suffered a ruptured left Achilles’ tendon Sept. 15 against Michigan State, had surgery and sat out the rest of last season. Slaughter and Johnson Bademosi, who’s switching from cornerback to free safety in his second NFL season, are expected to compete with Gipson, the front-runner to secure the starting free safety job.

Slaughter is the first of the Browns’ five 2013 draft picks to finalize his rookie contract. Outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo (first round), cornerback Leon McFadden (third round), defensive end Armonty Bryant (seventh round) and offensive lineman Garrett Gilkey (seventh round) have yet to sign.

Hagg started four of the 12 games in which he appeared last season and tallied 22 tackles and a pass defensed. As a rookie in 2011, he played 10 games and compiled 10 tackles, a pass defensed and a fumble recovery.

Former Boise State inside linebacker Tommy Smith signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent, KLASS Sports, the agency that represents Smith, told the Beacon Journal. The Browns, though, have yet to make the move official.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at http://www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/browns.abj.

The Browns announced they have claimed undrafted rookie running back Miguel Maysonet off waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles and waived undrafted rookie running back Jamaine Cook, a product of Midpark High School and Youngstown State University.

The Eagles signed Maysonet, a former Stony Brook University standout, after last month’s draft and then cut him Monday.

As a senior last season, the 5-foot-9, 209-pound Maysonet rushed for 1,964 yards and 21 touchdowns. As a junior, he ran for 1,633 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Maysonet would join a crowded stable of running backs in Cleveland. The Browns have Trent Richardson, Montario Hardesty, Chris Ogbonnaya, Brandon Jackson and Dion Lewis on their roster.

The Browns announced they signed rookie free safety Jamoris Slaughter, a sixth-round draft pick from Notre Dame, to a four-year contract in addition to signing two undrafted free agents, wide receiver Michael Edwards and safety Kenronte Walker.

The Browns waived free safety Eric Hagg, linebacker Ryan Rau and undrafted rookie running back Robbie Rouse. They also re-signed running back Brandon Jackson to a one-year contract, a previously reported move.

Hagg, a seventh-round draft pick in 2011, started the first two games of the 2012 season before he was demoted. He later started the final two games of the season after T.J. Ward, Tashaun Gipson and Usama Young suffered injuries.

This offseason, the Browns have inserted Gipson into the top slot on their depth chart at free safety. Ward is locked in as the starting strong safety.

The release of Hagg indicates the Browns believe Slaughter will be ready for training camp after suffering a ruptured left Achilles’ tendon Sept. 15 against Michigan State, undergoing surgery and sitting out the rest of the season. Slaughter and Johnson Bademosi, who’s switching from cornerback to free safety in his second NFL season, are expected to compete with Gipson.

Hagg started four of the 12 games in which he appeared last season and tallied 22 tackles and a pass defensed. As a rookie in 2011, he played 10 games and compiled 10 tackles, a pass defensed and a fumble recovery.

The Browns claimed Rau of waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles last month. They brought Rouse to rookie minicamp on a tryout basis and then signed him May 11.

Below is information the Browns provided in a news release about Slaughter, the two undrafted rookies they signed – Edwards and Walker – and Jackson.

• Selected in the sixth round (175th overall), Slaughter appeared in 39 games with 19 starts at the University of Notre Dame (2009-12). He totaled 98 career tackles, two interceptions, seven passes defensed, two sacks and one fumble recovery. Slaughter started the first three games as a senior before an Achilles injury ended his season. He saw action in all 13 games with 10 starts at safety as a junior and totaled 45 tackles, one interception, two passes defensed, two sacks and a forced fumble. Born December 22, 1989, the 6-0, 190-pound Slaughter is a native of Stone Mountain, Georgia and attended Tucker High School.
• Edwards was initially signed by the Browns on April 30, 2013, and was waived on May 13 after participating in the team’s rookie minicamp. He was a two-year starter at the University of Texas-El Paso (2011-12) after transferring from Mt. San Antonio College (2010) in Walnut, California. He recorded 101 career receptions for 1,477 yards and 11 touchdowns in two seasons at UTEP. Born December 14, 1989, the 5-11, 200-pound Edwards is a native of Glendora, California, where he attended Glendora High School.
• A two-year letterman at safety at the University of Missouri (2011-12), Walker appeared in 25 games, recording 115 tackles, one sack, one interception, one forced fumble, one pass defensed and three defensive fumble recoveries. Walker redshirted the 2010 season after transferring from City College of San Francisco, where he notched 36 tackles, five pass breakups, two sacks and one interception in two seasons (2008-09). Born July 28, 1990, the 6-0, 210-pound Walker is a native of Fayetteville, N.C., where he attended Westover High School.
• Originally drafted by Green Bay in the second round (63rd overall) of the 2007 NFL draft, Jackson has seen action in 54 games with 16 starts, and has rushed for 1,383 yards on 355 carries with seven touchdowns. He has also caught 112 passes for 864 yards and two touchdowns. In 2010, Jackson opened 13 contests and set career highs in nearly every category, including rushing attempts (190), rushing yards (703), rushing touchdowns (3), receptions (43) and receiving yards (844) as the Packers captured Super Bowl XLI. He was also one of the best running backs in pass protection that season as his combined number of sacks and quarterback hits allowed was one out of 100 snaps in which he was pass blocking. That figure tied for fifth among all running backs with at least 75 pass blocking snaps. Jackson signed with the Browns as an unrestricted free agent from Green Bay in 2011, but missed the entire 2011 campaign with a toe injury. During the 2012 season, Jackson appeared in two games and rushed for 54 yards on eight carries and caught two passes for 20 yards. A native of Detroit, Michigan, the 5-10, 216-pound Jackson attended Horn Lake (Miss.) High School and was a three-year letterman at the University of Nebraska (2004-06).

The Browns will waive free safety Eric Hagg today, a league source confirmed for the Beacon Journal.

Adam Caplan of TheSidelineView.com first reported the news.

Hagg, a seventh-round draft pick in 2011, started the first two games of the 2012 season before he was demoted. He later started the final two games of the season after T.J. Ward, Tashaun Gipson and Usama Young suffered injuries.

This offseason, the Browns have inserted Gipson into the top slot on their depth chart at free safety. T.J. Ward is locked in as the starting strong safety.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Hagg started four of the 12 games in which he appeared last season and tallied 22 tackles and a pass defensed. As a rookie in 2011, he played 10 games and compiled 10 tackles, a pass defensed and a fumble recovery.

Former Boise State linebacker Tommy Smith signed with the Browns today after participating in rookie minicamp earlier this month on a tryout basis, KLASS Sports, the agency that represents Smith, told the Beacon Journal in an email.

The Browns have yet to announce the move.

The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Smith, an inside linebacker, arrived in Cleveland on Monday night and signed his contract today before practicing with the Browns as they resumed organized team activities (OTAs), according to KLASS Sports.

This week’s block of OTAs runs today through Thursday. Only Thursday’s practice is open to the media.

As a senior last season, Smith started all 13 games for Boise State. He finished third on the team with 61 tackles, including four for loss and a sack.

Former Browns wide receiver and three-time Pro Bowl kick returner Josh Cribbs recently signed with the Oakland Raiders, and he discussed his departure from Cleveland during an interview Monday with NFL Network’s NFL Total Access.

Here are some highlights from the conversation:

On his thoughts regarding his eight years in Cleveland:“I have to top that … here in Oakland. I feel like I had a great, successful run in Cleveland. I have a fresh start now, so I’m anxious to get at it, anxious to get back out there on the football field.” 

On if he is mad that he wasn’t able to finish his career in Cleveland: “I had some great times in Cleveland – it [was] just a lot of turnover among the organization. I had four or five head coaches, four or five GMs, five different offensive playbooks, two different owners. I’m looking for some stability. I am upset I wasn’t able to finish my career in Cleveland; love the fan base, but at the same time this is an opportunity right now for a fresh start. Change can sometimes be a good thing and I think it will be.”

On if he is healthy: “I’m healthy. I have a world to go before the season starts. First thing’s first is getting back out there, getting acclimated to football. I had an offseason scope; nothing too big on that end. I’m anxious to get back out there on the football field, meet my new teammates and just get started.”

On why he chose to sign with the Oakland Raiders: “Oakland seems like a good fit for me; same type of blue-collar town that Cleveland had. The fan base, it rivals Cleveland; Cleveland has a great fan base and so does Raider Nation. I’m proud to be welcomed in like the fans have. Great coaching staff, very personable guys out here. They really want to win; I could see that on my visit. This is just like Cleveland as far as a tradition of winning and that’s what they have here in Oakland, and I’m anxious to help them get back onboard with that.”

On if he can compare the Dawg Pound in Cleveland with the Black Hole in Oakland:  “I don’t really want to compare them; you’ll get in trouble with that. But at the same time I wanted to talk about the tradition of winning and both teams have a good tradition of winning; probably more Hall of Famers here [in Oakland]. My job and my goal is to get that back here in Oakland, to get this team right and to help them do that.”

Appearing at the 34th annual Akron Browns Backers banquet Monday at Tangier restaurant, Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner gave the strongest endorsement of Weeden by anyone in the organization since owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner took control of the team last year.

“Brandon is a one-year player in the NFL who did a lot more good things [last season] than people give him credit for,” Turner said in an interview with reporters before addressing a crowd of more than 300 people. “I like his composure, the way he competes. He’s worked awfully hard. He’s got to be one of the hardest-working guys on our team. So you look and say, ‘Hey, you hope there’s a big upside.’ ”

When ex-President Mike Holmgren and former General Manager Tom Heckert were still in charge of the Browns last year, they drafted Weeden 22nd overall. He posted a passer rating of 72.6 as a rookie, finishing with 14 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions.

Since the front office and coaching staff were overhauled, new coach Rob Chudzinski, Banner and General Manager Mike Lombardi haven’t expressed much faith in Weeden. The overall message has been along these lines: Weeden will receive every chance to succeed, but he must prove he wants to retain his starting job by displaying exceptional work ethic, dedication and, ultimately, improvement.

Turner, though, thinks Weeden has carried himself like a starter this offseason.

“He’s responded to everything we’ve asked him to do,” Turner said. “He likes football an awful lot. He’s a very competitive guy, and he’s made it clear he wants to be the guy. And now you go out and do it.”

In March, the Browns signed nine-year veteran Jason Campbell to push Weeden, giving him a two-year, $3.75 million contract with $500,000 of it guaranteed. Then last week, the Browns added career backup Brian Hoyer to the mix, signing him to a two-year, $1.965 million deal that includes $250,000 guaranteed this year, Joel Corry of National Football Post reported.

Hoyer will be inserted into the third slot on the depth chart and get a chance to ascend it, meaning fourth-string quarterback Thaddeus Lewis probably won’t make the team. Turner made it clear he believes having three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster is vital, so Campbell, 31, and Hoyer, 27, could remain with Weeden, 29, after cuts are made before the regular season.

“I think that you need to go with three quarterbacks,” Turner said. “I think if you don’t, you’re playing with fire. I think if you look at the teams over the last two or three years that have had quarterbacks and they had a good backup plan — Houston two years ago made the playoffs with a rookie at quarterback. Indianapolis, when [Peyton] Manning got hurt, didn’t have an answer. I think it’s too valuable a position, and you need quarterbacks.

“Jason’s played nine years in the league. He’s proven he can win in the league. He’s proven he can play. When he’s been with good teams, he’s played better than when he’s been with bad teams, which is what I’d say with a lot of guys. And then with Brian, you’ve got a guy that’s been a backup in some good situations. He really hasn’t played enough to know where he’s at, and we like the way he throws the ball. We like a lot of things about him.”

Turner conceded it will be difficult to give all the quarterbacks an adequate amount of reps during offseason practices. He said Weeden needs as many reps as possible because he has only one season under his belt.

For Weeden to make a significant leap in progression, he needs to be consistent, understand the new offense and play within himself, Turner said. This offseason, Weeden has been focusing on dropping back faster, so he can avoid pressure and get rid of the ball on time.

“He’s got a big arm,” Turner said. “He’s very intelligent. He makes good decisions. He throws the ball up the field the way we would like to, but he’s very accurate underneath. He’s like all our guys. He’s learning a new system. We have a lot of work to do, all of us, coaches, players, quarterbacks, but I think we’ve made progress over the last seven weeks [since the offseason conditioning program started].”

“Brandon was in here [last season] with a very young group of guys. So when you have a lot of young guys and they’re trying to feel their way together, I think it’s hard. I think all those guys having a year together, including Brandon, having a year playing, will help him a great deal.”

Turner said he expects some other key, second-year players — running back Trent Richardson and wide receiver Josh Gordon — to blossom as well.

“[Richardson] had to fight through the ups and downs of being a rookie, the injuries, those things,” Turner said. “Hopefully we don’t have to deal with that, and he can make that big step from year one to year two. And if you have a guy like Trent that you can build things around, you take a lot of pressure off your offensive line. You take a lot of pressure of your quarterback.

“[Gordon is] an impressive guy. He’s young. He has a lot of work to do, but he has a lot of ability. You put those two things together and just grind as a player and as a coach, I think he can really be a fine player.”

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at http://www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/browns.abj.

David McMillan, a fifth-round draft pick of the Browns in 2005, was shot and killed this past weekend in Georgia. The DeKalb County medical examiner confirmed the news for NFL.com after Fox Sports Ohio reported McMillan, 31, was fatally shot in an apparent robbery attempt.

McMillan, a former defensive end at the University of Kansas, spent three seasons with the Browns, serving as a backup outside linebacker and special teamer. Jackson, a 2006 second-round selection, plans to attend McMillan’s funeral in Atlanta.

“He was a good teammate,” Jackson said Monday during the 34th annual Akron Browns Backers banquet at Tangier restaurant. “He wouldn’t harm a fly. Outspoken guy. When he was here with the Browns, he developed relationships with big Ted Washington and Willie McGinest. It was a blast. It was fun being in that locker room with Dave.

“He was a good guy. We hadn’t been in touch every day, but we kept in touch enough to where I knew some friends of his who kind of updated me on how he was doing and whatnot. It’s just unfortunate. It’s sad news. He was too young and too good of a guy.”

Jackson attended the banquet to receive the Dino Lucarelli Good Guy Award. The local chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America voted Jackson as the winner of the award, which is given annually to a player for his cooperation with the media and for the way he carries himself in the community and with his teammates.

Jackson never hesitates to make poignant comments whether they’re about the memory of a friend, like McMillan, or a cause in which he believes.

For example, Jackson recently became an ambassador for Athlete Ally, an organization dedicated to ending homophobia in sports.

“I have friends that are gay and lesbian, and I just thought it was right just to bring some awareness to the locker room,” Jackson said. “Being a leader, if I think this is the right thing to do, maybe it can open some eyes of guys that are homophobic.

“At some point, there’s going to be a gay NFL player that comes out either this year, the next year or the year after, and you have to be ready to embrace it. And me being a leader in the Cleveland Browns locker room, it’s important that we welcome everyone.”

Jackson, of course, also discussed football. He’s impressed with outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo, the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft, and he’s thrilled to play for new defensive coordinator Ray Horton.

“Everyone on that defensive side of the ball is going to be that much better because of Ray,” Jackson said. “He’s so smart, and he thinks outside of the box.”

Sad to leave

Former Browns wide receiver and three-time Pro Bowl kick returner Josh Cribbs discussed his recent signing with the Oakland Raiders on NFL Network’s NFL Total Access.

“I had some great times in Cleveland — it [was] just a lot of turnover among the organization,” Cribbs said. “I had four or five head coaches, four or five GMs, five different offensive playbooks, two different owners. I’m looking for some stability. I am upset I wasn’t able to finish my career in Cleveland. [I] love the fan base, but at the same time, this is an opportunity right now for a fresh start. Change can sometimes be a good thing, and I think it will be.”

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.

The DeKalb County medical examiner told NFL.com McMillan was fatally shot. Fox Sports Ohio reported McMillan, 31, was killed in an apparent robbery attempt.

The Browns drafted McMillan, a former defensive end at the University of Kansas, in the fifth round in 2005. He spent three seasons with the Browns, serving as a backup outside linebacker and special teamer.

The Beacon Journal has left messages with the DeKalb County Police Department and the DeKalb County medical examiner's office, but they were not immediately returned.

But Weeden is maintaining a bring-it-on attitude as the new regime continues to add competition for him.

“Why not? I realize I didn’t play as well as I could’ve last year, and I know the work I’ve put in personally,” Weeden said Friday during the 14th annual Cleveland Browns Foundation Golf Tournament at Westwood Country Club. “I know how hard I’ve worked to become a better player off the field and training and whatever may be. I’m not worried about the other stuff. I’m confident in my abilities, and I have a lot of confidence in the guys around me.”

The Browns struck a deal Thursday with Hoyer, a North Olmsted native and St. Ignatius High School graduate, and signed him to a two-year deal Friday. They waived undrafted rookie tight end Garrett Hoskins to make room on their 90-man roster.

“Thanks for all the support,” Hoyer, 27, wrote on Twitter. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to come home and play for the Browns. It really is a dream come true!”

Weeden, meanwhile, was caught off guard.

“I was surprised, but that’s the nature of the beast,” said Weeden, the 22nd overall pick in last year’s draft who threw 14 touchdowns, 17 interceptions and posted a passer rating of 72.6 as a rookie. “It’s part of this business, and if you start worrying about it, that’s too much to worry about. That’s my mentality going forward.”

The Browns will insert Hoyer into the third slot on their depth chart and give him a chance to ascend the ranks. They have Weeden, 29, penciled in as their starter, and Jason Campbell, 31, will continue to push him while taking reps with the second-team offense.

“Nothing is given to you,” Campbell said. “You always have to go out and earn everything that you get. … There are no promises made in this business. There are no guarantees.”

Hoyer’s arrival likely foreshadows the departure of fourth-stringer Thaddeus Lewis, 25.

“Brian brings experience and a solid reputation to our squad,” Browns coach Rob Chudzinski said in a news release. “We are looking forward to getting him out on the field.”

The Arizona Cardinals cut Hoyer on Monday. He signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent from Michigan State University in 2009 and spent three seasons as Tom Brady’s backup. Last season, he landed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cardinals after being cut. He made his lone NFL start this past season, completing 19-of-34 passes (55.9 percent) for 225 yards and one touchdown with an interception in the Cardinals’ 27-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17.

“He’s got a wealth of knowledge being around great coaches and great players,” Weeden said. “It’ll be great for our quarterback room and for the rest of the guys.”

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam vowed to create competition for Weeden during the week leading up to the Super Bowl. The organization signed Campbell in March and then added Hoyer.

“I have no idea [what signing Hoyer means],” Weeden said. “I’m worried about me.”

During an appearance in February at the Cleveland Auto Show, Weeden said, “I completely expect to be the starter.” Weeden believes his confidence has only grown stronger since then, despite Campbell and Hoyer joining the Browns.

“I’d say so,” Weeden said. “You can’t play this position timid or unconfident. You’ve got to be confident all the time. Once I got my head in this playbook and realized how good this system is and how good it fits the guys we have in place, it kind of made me excited and lit a fire under everybody to really want to take that next step, including myself. This system fits me well, and hopefully we’re able to mesh and do some good things offensively.”

Extra points

Browns special-teams ace Johnson Bademosi said he has been practicing exclusively at free safety lately after spending most of his life playing cornerback. “I’ve heard the more you can do in this league, the longer you’ll play in this league,” he said. “Whether it’s long snapper, corner, safety, Wildcat quarterback, I’m willing to do it. I’m willing to learn.” … University of Florida director of on-campus recruiting Brendan Donovan will join the Browns’ scouting department, CoachingSearch.com reported.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at http://www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/browns.abj.

As the Browns transition from a 4-3 defense to new defensive coordinator Ray Horton’s 3-4, multi-front scheme, Craig Robertson is receiving the biggest break of his young NFL career.

The 6-foot-1, 229-pound Robertson, a second-year pro who went undrafted out of the University of North Texas, has been working at inside linebacker with the first-team defense this offseason.

Robertson discussed his opportunity and more with reporters during the 14th annual Cleveland Browns Foundation Golf Tournament today at Westwood Country Club in Rocky River. Below are some highlights from the interview.

What do you like about Horton’s defense?: “It lets you be a player. You’re not constricted to doing certain things. You just go make a play. Go find the football. Make the tackle. We’ll live for another play. Then we’ll make something happen on defense.”

What are some things you’ll get to do in this defense that you didn’t get to do last year?: “Probably play with more confidence. Now I have three or four times as much confidence as I had last year just from actually knowing the defense and trying to actually learn the ins and outs of the defense, not just knowing what I’m doing but knowing what everybody is doing.”

Is this the opportunity you’ve been working toward?: “Whether I’m No. 1 or No. 10, I would have the same attitude. Every year, it would be the same thing for me. I treat it like I’m not supposed to be here, so I always work hard regardless. It doesn’t matter where I’m at. I’m still going to be the same person.”

Now that you’ve been working with the first-team defense, are you determined to hang onto this opportunity and start?: “I’m just determined for one to start winning. That’s all I’m worrying about. I’m not worried about starting or [being] second or third. We haven’t even put on pads, let alone put in a game plan yet. So we’re still trying to learn the defense, and I’m just still trying to enjoy it and have fun with it.”

Are you surprised a big break in your career presented itself with a new regime coming in?: “I’m not surprised. God does everything for a reason. All you can do is have fun with it. You can’t really stress about it. You can’t [be] too high or be too low. Just stay even-keeled and have fun with it.”

What can you say about another young inside linebacker, James-Michael Johnson, and his ability to push you?: “It’s not just James-Michael Johnson. It’s L.J. [Fort]. It’s Tank [Carder]. It’s Adrian Moten. It’s every guy in that room. It’s not just one guy. So we’re all going to push each other, and we’ve been doing since day one.”

What do you think of rookie outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo, the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft?: “He’s made some plays. He’s quick. He has long arms. He’s able to drop back in coverage. People were kind of wanting to see that, and we saw it in the first couple of OTAs.”

Johnson Bademosi made his mark as a rookie this past season playing special teams for the Browns, and he also showed promise in limited action as a cornerback.

But Bademosi, who went undrafted out of Stanford University, is now undergoing a position change with a new coaching staff in place. After spending most of his life playing cornerback, Bademosi has been working exclusively at free safety as of late. Tashaun Gipson is atop the depth chart at free safety, though Bademosi is hoping to push him.

Bademosi discussed his new role and more with reporters during the 14th annual Cleveland Browns Foundation Golf Tournament today at Westwood Country Club in Rocky River. Below are some highlights from the interview.

What are your thoughts on moving from cornerback to free safety?: “It was an idea some of our coaches had. I’m kind of up for anything. Anyway I can help the team I’m willing to. I’ve heard the more you can do in this league, the longer you’ll play in this league. Whether it’s long snapper, corner, safety, Wildcat quarterback, I’m willing to do it. I’m willing to learn.”

You’re built like a safety -- 6-foot and 200 pounds: “People have said that. The way the league is now there are a variety of sizes at positions. You’ve got big corners and small corners, big safeties and small safeties. It just kind of depends on what you prefer.”

What experience do you have at safety?: “Not too much. I’ve been a corner for pretty much all my life, and I’ve done a good job at corner. So now it’s just a means of learning safety. It’s a new thought process, new checks, new responsibilities.”

How tough is that transition?: “It’s different. I’d say physically, it’s not as demanding as corner. But it’s demanding in a couple different ways as far pre-snap reads and responsibilities to make certain checks and calls. At your job, sometime they put you in a new position and you have to learn how to operate in that fashion, and that’s what I’m doing now.”

There are some opportunities for starting jobs at safety and corner. What gives you the best opportunity to get on the field?: “It’s hard for me to say. We’ve got a lot of great players on the team at both the corner and safety positions. There’s a lot of competition at both positions.”

Are you confident specials teams can continue to perform well without Josh Cribbs, who recently signed with the Oakland Raiders?: “Cribbs was a really productive player, and he was special. It shows in what he’s done in the past. But like any other year, no year is the same, and the team is different every year. We’re just going to progress and get better as a unit.”

Cribbs and free agent Ray Ventrone took pride in being leaders on special teams. Do you look to do that?: “Bubba (Ventrone) was a leader and Josh was a leader, and I learned a lot from those guys. I’m going to try to take what those guys taught me and hopefully teach that to others and just build on what I did this past season.”

“Brian brings experience and a solid reputation to our squad,” Browns coach Rob Chudzinski said in a statement. “We are looking forward to getting him out on the field.”

The Browns will insert Hoyer, a North Olmsted native and St. Ignatius High School graduate, into the third slot on their depth chart and give him a chance to ascend the ranks. Hoyer's arrival likely foreshadows the departure of fourth-string quarterback Thaddeus Lewis.

“Thanks for all the support,” Hoyer wrote today on Twitter. “I'm excited to have the opportunity to come home and play for the Browns. It really is a dream come true!”

The Browns have Brandon Weeden penciled in as their starting quarterback, and Jason Campbell will continue to push him while taking reps with the second-team offense. In the videos posted below, Weeden and Campbell reacted to the addition of Hoyer during the 14th annual Cleveland Browns Foundation Golf Tournament today at Westwood Country Club in Rocky River.

“No going out to eat,” Weeden said. “If we do, it’s Chipotle.”

And grabbing meals on the go isn’t the only way Weeden is saving more time for football.

“I haven’t played golf for so long,” he said.

Now Weeden, 29, is hoping the sacrifices pay off. As expected, he took the reps with the first-team offense this week during organized team activities.

But he isn’t taking anything for granted.

Not only did the Browns sign Jason Campbell, 31, in March to push Weeden, but they also added former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Brian Hoyer to the mix Thursday, agreeing to a two-year contract with the North Olmsted native and graduate of St. Ignatius High School, a league source confirmed for the Beacon Journal, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team has yet to announce the deal.

Hoyer, 27, is expected to compete for a backup role with his hometown team. His impending signing means third-string quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, 25, could be on his way out of Cleveland.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Hoyer has been in the NFL for four seasons but has just one career start on his resume. In his lone start, he completed 19-of-34 passes (55.9 percent) for 225 yards and one touchdown with an interception in the Cardinals’ 27-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17 last season.

In 2009, Hoyer signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted rookie from Michigan State and served as Tom Brady’s backup for three seasons. After the Patriots cut him last year, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was eventually released Dec. 8. The Cardinals claimed Hoyer off waivers and signed him to a second-round tender as a restricted free agent in March before releasing him this week.

Since the end of last season, there has been rampant speculation about the Browns’ quarterback situation. They didn’t draft anybody to bolster the position despite rumblings about West Virginia’s Geno Smith and other quarterbacks being potential targets. Hoyer and Patriots backup Ryan Mallett have been linked to the Browns for months partly because new General Manager Mike Lombardi praised them in his former role as an analyst for NFL Network. Lombardi is also still close with Patriots coach Bill Belichick from their days together in Cleveland and considers his opinion of players invaluable.

Weeden, though, insists he hasn’t let any of the noise distract him.

“I don’t listen to it,” Weeden said. “No one has come up to me and said anything. I don’t listen to it, and it’s not really my concern. I’m here now and my concern now is going and watching the film today and getting better. If I worried about all that other stuff there is no way I could function.”

So Weeden has continued to plug away, and he wants new coach Rob Chudzinski and his staff to notice the commitment he has made this offseason.

“I hope they see not only what I’m doing out here, but the way I’m handling myself and working and spending time studying and doing all of those things,” said Weeden, the 22nd overall pick in last year’s draft. “This means a lot to me. This is my job. I take it seriously. I want to be the guy. I want to build off of last year. I think we’re going to be a better football team in a lot of ways, and I want to be a part of it and prove to them that I am that guy to make this team better.”

Weeden knows nothing is guaranteed, though he’s carrying himself as if he’ll be the starter.

“I’m approaching it that way,” he said. “I’m approaching it that I’m going to take the next step and be that guy. And if I were to do it any other way, I would be doing a disservice to myself and also this team.”

The 6-3, 220-pound Weeden experienced some highs and lows Thursday during a two-hour practice in shorts, jerseys and helmets, and he conceded he performed better the previous two days. It was the third OTA session this week but the first one open to the media.

Weeden threw an intermediate pass that wide receiver Josh Gordon batted with one hand before safety Eric Hagg intercepted it, a deep ball intended for receiver Travis Benjamin that safety Tashaun Gipson intercepted and several others that cornerback Joe Haden broke up. On the other hand, Weeden threw a deep touchdown pass between the coverage of safety T.J. Ward and cornerback Chris Owens and hit new wide receiver Davone Bess in stride, and he fired a sharp pass into the hands of tight end Jordan Cameron, who cut away from the sideline to beat the coverage of Gipson.

Campbell made some nice plays, too, and he did not throw an interception. Working with the second-team offense, he connected with wide receiver Josh Cooper for a long touchdown behind blown coverage and hit tight end Brad Smelley for a long gain on a wheel route.

“I just come out and compete every day,” Campbell said. “Honestly, I really haven’t got caught up into that [competition] because I feel like we all are trying to reach a common goal. That’s to win. And if you get caught up in that, then you can’t go out and focus and get better. Ultimately I do want to help as well as compete and give my best. I’m still at a point in my career where I still have a lot of things in me. So we’ll just see how it goes.”

Weeden said Campbell, 6-5 and 230 pounds, is bringing out the best in him.

“Absolutely, yeah, because he’s playing well and he’s doing a lot of good things,” Weeden said. “He’s been in this offense, so he kind of knows a little bit of the ins and outs, so I can kind of ask him questions and we can help each other. But he’s throwing the ball good and he’s pushing me and that’s the way it should be.”

Weeden is convinced he can make significant progress from last season, when he threw 14 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions and posted a passer rating of 72.6 as a rookie. He believes improvement from wide receivers Gordon and Greg Little along with the addition of slot receiver Bess will help him.

Weeden also thinks the downfield, vertical passing game installed by Chudzinski and offensive coordinator Norv Turner fits him better than ex-Browns coach Pat Shurmur’s West Coast system. He said the new scheme reminds him of the one he thrived in at Oklahoma State because of its route combinations and frequent use of shotgun formations.

“As far as an offense, even though we’re in Day 3 now versus Day 3 last year, I’m way ahead of the curve — just because this offense kind of makes more sense to start with,” Weeden said. “There is a lot more up front as far as formations and stuff. But once you get it, you can hear a play and kind of piece it together by the verbiage.”

Now Weeden must do his part to capitalize, and he knows it. That’s why he’s cramming for the most important test of his career.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at http://www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ. and on Facebook www.facebook.com/browns.abj.

He was responding to a question submitted in advance, and it was the first time he took questions about a federal raid on his company’s Knoxville headquarters.

“I take responsibility for what happens at PFJ as the guy at the top of the shop, but I was absolutely not aware of any of this,” Haslam said. “As soon as we found out there was an issue, we immediately began taking an aggressive stance in finding out what happened, No. 1, and righting the ship, No. 2.”

A month ago, FBI and IRS agents executed search warrants to seize files and records from the country’s largest travel center operator.

After the sessions, he told WEWS that he’s in constant communication with the NFL regarding the FBI probe.

He also told WEWS that he doesn’t believe it will affect ownership of the Browns, which Haslam bought for slightly more than $1 billion last year.

Haslam returned to Berea after the conference to watch the Browns practice in the afternoon.

On April 18, federal authorities unsealed search warrants laying out accusations of a scheme to cheat small trucking companies by deliberately shorting customers on promised diesel discounts and rebates.

Secret recordings by anonymous informants portrayed sales executives laughing about “playing liar’s poker with funny money” and alleged Haslam knew about the fuel-rebate scheme.

Haslam has repeatedly denied wrongdoing but has been contacting clients about reimbursements.

“We’ve had to make adjustments regarding the accounts of 250 of our clients, to the detriment of Pilot Flying J and to the benefit of our clients,” Haslam said during his remarks. That’s about 5 percent of Pilot Flying J customers, he said.

He added he wasn’t saying anybody did anything wrong, just that the company has made these adjustments.

He also told attendees at the Scopelitis Transportation Seminar that business is down about 3 percent since the probe became public, but he’s seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

Federal prosecutors have filed no charges related to the probe so far and won’t say when — or if — any charges might be coming.

Pilot has placed some sales staffers on leave — the company won’t say which ones — as executives named in the search warrants have scrambled to hire lawyers.

More than a half-dozen civil lawsuits have been filed by trucking companies, which also have hired former FBI director Louis Freeh to investigate their claims. Pilot’s internal investigation headed by Reid Weingarten, a former top U.S. Department of Justice lawyer, is underway.

At least seven companies have filed lawsuits in the past month — one in Knox County Circuit Court, one in Circuit Court in Butler County, Ala., and five others in federal courts around the country — demanding their money back with interest and damages. Three other companies have signed onto the Knox County lawsuit originally filed by Atlantic Coast Carriers of Hazlehurst, Ga., which seeks class-action status. A judge has not ruled on that bid.

Haslam met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in April. The league has not announced any disciplinary actions.

In Indianapolis, Haslam made a plea to regain the trust of the transportation industry and his customers, and detailed a five-point plan to correct the situation.

Knoxville News Sentinel, Associated Press and sports writer Nate Ulrich contributed to this report.