Browns instructed by NFL not to meet with pla

this is really going to hurt teams with new coaches that can't meet or issue playbooks..Ala the vikes in our division

Browns instructed by NFL not to meet with players

NFL doesn't want teams talking to players Aaron Wilson


The Cleveland Browns were among multiple franchises warned not to have players meeting with the coaching staff or be issued playbooks, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The Browns were issued a reminder not to do after a report by the newspaper that quarterback Colt McCoy had been huddling with new coach Pat Shurmur.
The NFL is being extremely sensitive to the rules because of the pending lockout.
"It's an interesting time," team president Mike Holmgren said. "Organizations have to be very careful on how you do things. You can't do anything you haven't done in the past. The fact Pat Shurmur is new ... Colt and some players have come in. We can give him a playbook, have him study it, but you can't have meetings. You have all this stuff going on, so at the very least you've got to be able to give him [a playbook]."

Offseason conditioning programs are scheduled to begin in March 15. However, the NFL reminded teams that rules prevent coaches from meeting with paleyrs until that date.
"I'm not going to get into what we can and can't do," general manager Tom Heckert said. "There are rules on everything. We're just going about it as whatever they say, we are going to obey them."

Shurmur said he didn't meet with McCoy.

"There's a new head coach in the building and they're just curious about coming in and meeting him," Shurmur said. "I haven't told any of them to come in. I think it's just normal protocol. We're just getting to know one another."