Brian Hoyer's contract talks with the Browns have gone quiet since early summer, according to a source with knowledge of the situation, but perhaps that could change if Hoyer carries his solid play through October.

Hoyer, whose 97.6 passer rating is ninth among NFL quarterbacks with more than two starts, would apply heat on Browns management if Cleveland enters November at 5-3 or 6-2. It's possible that the Browns don't want to cut a deal with any players until after the season.

The source classified talks in June as not getting “past first base.” Pro Football Talk reported early Friday that Cleveland offered backup money and Hoyer’s agent, Joe Linta, countered with significantly more. That’s where things stalled, it appears. What makes a Hoyer deal difficult? Small sample size. Hoyer is preparing for his eighth career start with Cleveland. In his seven full games as the Browns’ quarterback, Hoyer is 139-of-228 passing (61.0 percent) for 1,622 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. Projected to a 16-game season, that equates to 318-of-521 for 3,707 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine touchdowns, a rating of 91.4. This season, he’s on pace for slightly more than 4,000 yards.

If Brian Hoyer continues to show he's a long-term solution at quarterback, it would create a big decision for the Browns down the line. Joe Sargent/Getty Images

That's pretty strong.

Hoyer's play has been encouraging, but he needs to show more.

“I think it’s a mystery to everybody because he hasn’t played a lot of games,” said Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan of Hoyer's upside. “He’s played four this year, and I think he’s gotten better in each game. I always say you get better or worse, and if he continues to play better each week, I think we’re going to have a pretty good quarterback when it’s all said and done.”

What also makes a Hoyer deal difficult? Drafting a quarterback in the first round five months ago. Not that Johnny Manziel has to play right away, especially if Hoyer continues to take ownership of the job, but the Browns must define plans for Manziel eventually: play him soon, play him in a year, two years, or heck, trade him to Dallas.

Manziel is the future on paper, but when the future actually begins is difficult to forecast. Much will hinge on how Hoyer responds to defenses that now have four full games of 2014 video on him. He’s not sneaking up on teams anymore.

Deepening the Manziel intrigue is the Browns taking a traditional approach to developing young quarterbacks on the practice field in an era when they are drafted to play early.

Three rookie quarterbacks -- Minnesota’s Teddy Bridgewater, Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles and Oakland’s Derek Carr -- have started a combined seven NFL games already.

“Through this time I’m not playing, I still need to try to continue to elevate my game,” Manziel said. “Whether it’s being able to come out on the field and be a lot more comfortable in everything we do as an offense, drops, still continuing to work on accuracy and arm strength and everything. ... In the time you are on the field, you need to make the most of the time.”

Hoyer’s strong start strengthens coach Mike Pettine’s case to name him the starter, but now is money time.

Even if Hoyer puts together an impressive full season, what kind of deal should the Browns do? A two-year bridge deal or a loftier package with more years? Or do the Browns let him walk, knowing Manziel will be considerably cheaper on a four-year, $8.25-million rookie deal?

Everything seems on the table, and October will provide some answers, though one answer is clear-cut: The Browns' quarterback situation is better than at least a handful of NFL teams' right now. The Bills, Jets, Texans, Bucs and Rams come to mind.

So where does the Browns' long-term quarterback outlook fall among the rest of the league? This is a difficult, highly subjective question, but there are four categories worth considering.

NO QUESTION BETTER THAN CLEVELAND (15): NE, BAL, PITT, INDY, DEN, SD, ATL, CAR, NO, SEA, DAL, NYG, GB, DET, CHI

PROBABLY BETTER RIGHT NOW, BUT WORTH DEBATE (3): CIN, KC, SF

TOUGH CALLS -- COULD GO EITHER WAY (7): WASH, MIA, ARIZ, PHIL, JAX, MIN, OAK

DEFINITELY WORSE (6): STL, TB, BUF, HOU, NYJ, TEN

Of course, teams with rookie starting quarterbacks are difficult to slot, but ...

I asked colleague Pat McManamon to weigh in:

Pat McManamon, NFL Nation Browns reporter: Judging where Brian Hoyer ranks might not be as difficult as it sounds. Heading into the season, his “small sample size” was oft-mentioned. But after the game against Pittsburgh, he’ll have eight starts for the Browns, which equates to one-half a regular season. To say he’s not in the top tier with the Tom Bradys and Andrew Lucks is fair; Hoyer does not have the track record. But to say he belongs in the bottom third also is unfair; Hoyer plays too smart and is too well-prepared for that. At the moment, he’s probably somewhere between 15th and 20th in the league -- though the words of Kyle Shanahan should be heeded: Folks really don’t know Hoyer’s full potential. He will reveal that over the course of the rest of the 2014 season.

I can see that -- not sure I'm ready to put him close to the top 15 yet, but another couple of good weeks could change that.