Nate Burleson has been cut by the Cleveland Browns.

Burleson has been dealing with a lingering hamstring issue and played in just one preseason game.

Burleson had 461 yards and one touchdown last season for the Detroit Lions.

Josh Gordon has explored the possibility of playing in the Canadian Football League, but there are two roadblocks.

Montreal Alouettes GM Jim Popp has confirmed to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport that any suspended player under contract to an NFL team is ineligible to play in the Canadian Football League, saying "all leagues adhere to each other's contracts." Former Colts wide receiver LaVon Brazill is eligible because he's no longer under contract in Indianapolis.

Even if the CFL had an open-door policy, Gordon would need the Browns' permission to play north of the border.

A source familiar with the team's thinking tells Rapoport the Browns would not be inclined to grant that permission.

The Calgary Stampeders hold Gordon's CFL rights and are interested in acquiring him after his suspension.

The one-year suspension for Josh Gordon has been upheld.

Gordon had appealed the suspension in hopes of receiving a reduction.

Gordon will miss all of next year's training camp as well.

Gordon's suspension is a result of a positive marijuana test.

Bill Belichick is ranked as the best coach in the NFL, according to a poll of 30 league insiders.

Pete Carroll and Sean Payton are ranked second and third and are also in their first tier.

"The most important thing to me is the ability to control the offense, the defense and the special teams," a GM said in describing the ideal coach. "You can change and you can coach multiple things and you have the ability to teach almost every position group. Then you can lose any coach you want and replace from within because the head coach is the talent. Belichick is the ultimate model of that."

Belichick commmanded a 1 vote on 28 of 30 ballots.

In Tier 2 are Andy Reid at No. 4, Tom Coughlin at No. 5, Mike McCarthy and Mike Tomlin at No. 6, Jim Harbaugh at No. 8, John Harbaugh at No. 9, John Fox at No. 10 , Jeff Fisher at No. 11, Chip Kelly at No. 12, Bruce Arians at No. 13, Lovie Smith at No. 14 and Mavin Lewis at No. 15.

Tier 3 is led by Chuck Pagano At No. 16, followed by Rex Ryan (17), Mike Smith (18), Gus Bradley (19), Ken Whisenhunt (20), Mike McCoy (20), Marc Trestman (22) and Ron Rivera (23).

Tier 4 features Mike Zimmer (24), Jay Gruden (25), Bill O'Brien (26), Jim Caldwell (27), Doug Marrone (28), Joe Philbin (29), Jason Garrett (30), Mike Pettine (31) and Bruce Allen (32).

The Cleveland Browns aren't dismissing the possibility of using a two-quarterback system.

Brian Hoyer will begin the season as the Browns' starter with Johnny Manziel as the backup.

"And people have asked me about potentially a two-quarterback system and having a package for (Johnny Manziel). That is on the table," Pettine told The Opening Drive on SiriusXM NFL Radio with Bob Papa & Ross Tucker on Friday.

"I don't know if that's anything that we want to commit to just now, 'cause I think Brian, because of the competition, is a little behind, with the chemistry and continuity in working with that first group. I think that is something that we can potentially look at down the road."

Johnny Manziel played in a spread college offense with no playbook at Texas A&M and is still learning an NFL playbook with the Cleveland Browns.

"With Johnny Manziel, the people in the huddle are still helping him a little bit," Aditi Kinkhabwala said after speaking to Andrew Hawkins.

Manziel has struggled to even communicate the complicated verbiage of Kyle Shanahan's system.

The Cleveland Browns were disappointed in the effort from Josh Gordon in Monday's preseason loss.

"There were a couple plays where I think -- we just came out of the personnel meeting and talked about it -- that we would have definitely wanted better effort," Mike Pettine said.

Gordon is facing a potential one-year ban for a positive drug test that is currently in the appeal process.

"He needs the work learning a new system," Pettine said. "That's a room that you don't want to not play him, and then put the other players at risk by increasing their individual workloads."

Brian Hoyer will start for the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning the quarterback job over Johnny Manziel.

"He was the clear leader from the beginning," coach Mike Pettine said in a statement. "We've maintained all along that if it was close, I would prefer to go with the more experienced player. Brian has done a great job in the meeting rooms and with his teammates on the practice field and in the locker room."

Hoyer began camp as the leading candidate and Manziel would have had to win it from him.

"I think Brian's been very poised," Pettine said Wednesday. "I think he's handled the situation well. He's had a lot of things going on.

"I think it's especially good, as an offensive unit, to go out and play and gain cohesion and chemistry. That was one of the reasons I wanted to go ahead and make the decision before this third preseason game so that (Hoyer and the rest of the starting offense) could play as a unit for a good chunk of it."

Johnny Manziel was given a -4.2 grade by Pro Football Focus for his play in Monday's loss to the Washington Redskins.

Manziel completed just one pass over 10 yards in the air and went 2-for-7 on players in which he was pressured while also taking three sacks.

Johnny Manziel gave the Washington Redskins the middle finger after a third quarter incompletion during a 24-23 preseason loss by the Cleveland Browns.

Manziel flipped the bird toward the Redskins after the play that unfolded in front of Washington's bench.

Manziel said he had "words exchanged" with the Redskins and that he should have been smarter.

"I felt like I did a good job of holding my composure throughout the night, and you have a lapse of judgment and slip up," Manziel said.  

Asked in his postgame news conference if he thought it was wrong, Manziel smiled before laughing.

"I mean, I didn't think it was a positive," Manziel said.

The NFL no doubt will review the tape, and Manziel will be subject to an $11,025 fine.