BEREA, Ohio – With Brian Hoyer potentially available on just a “limited basis” for voluntary minicamp, the Browns might acquire a veteran quarterback in the next few weeks.

Coach Mike Pettine said Hoyer remains ahead of schedule in recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but isn’t sure what restrictions will be placed on the quarterback come April 29 when the Browns begin a four-day camp. The only other signal caller on the roster is Alex Tanney, who’s never appeared in a regular season game.

In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Pettine addressed the issue of having another veteran in Berea by time the first camp opens.

“I don’t think we’re at the point yet where that decision has to be made,” he said. “I think it’ll be made sooner than later. I think it’ll be done around the time of the first camp. But from all reports, (Hoyer) is ahead of schedule. We feel good about where he is. But certainly when you look at where he is and Alex Tanney being the only other quarterback, that is a position, as I’ve said before, that we need to address.”

Hoyer, who underwent knee surgery in October, has been throwing to receivers during the first three days of the off-season conditioning program. Pettine said he's confident Hoyer will be ready before the season starts. But the club isn’t going to push the quarterback this early in his recovery stage.

“I do know that he will be available at least on a limited basis, but to the exact extent of what he can do drill work-wise and whether we can extrapolate that out and have him do some 11-on-11 stuff, that question hasn't been answered yet,” Pettine said.

The Browns will select a quarterback in the draft (May 6-8). In the meantime, there’s a decent chance another veteran joins the roster. Among the possibilities: Matt Flynn, Josh Freeman and Rex Grossman.

Tight lipped

Pettine offered no updates on other players coming off injuries such as Dion Lewis (broken leg), Quentin Groves (ankle), Travis Benjamin (knee) and Charles Johnson (knee) other than to say, “they're all on track to be back.”

Quotable

Pettine on addressing players for the first time Monday:

“It was really a special moment for me to stand in front of them and introduce myself and the staff and just address them for the first time. I didn’t want that meeting to be long. Everybody introduced themselves and then I just kind of went through a (speech). It was more the philosophy and background and how we’re going to do things.

"I gave them a little bit of a history lesson on the state of the franchise and where we are. We looked back briefly and then told them we need to take the rear view mirror and break it off. We’re facing forward and that’s the direction we’re headed.”