CLEVELAND - Brian Hoyers precarious grip on the Browns starting job — and rookie Johnny Manziels presence — makes it tough to negotiate a new contract for the quarterback. Stephen Johns Jersey . His agent thinks it will happen anyway. Hoyer, who is coming back after undergoing off-season right knee surgery, will enter training camp with the lead in his competition with Manziel. But until the Browns are convinced Hoyer is healthy, and providing he holds off Manziel, its difficult for the team to gauge his value. Agent Joe Linta said the sides have had some preliminary discussions, but it may be some time before they get serious about negotiations. "We just had a couple of friendly conversations," Linta said in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday. "They agreed that its very difficult to assess his worth presently. I think that this will all work itself quickly as the season moves forward." Hoyer went 3-0 as a starter last season before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament while sliding at the end of a scramble. He recovered more quickly than doctors expected and he moved well during practices in the teams mini-camp this spring. Hoyer was kept out of 11-on-11 drills to avoid contact, but hes expected to be fully cleared when training camp opens on July 26. First-year Browns coach Mike Pettine recently said Hoyer had the lead in the quarterback competition over Manziel, who was selected in the first round of Mays NFL draft. Manziel could one day supplant Hoyer as Clevelands starter, but thats not guaranteed, so its difficult for the team to decide whether they should pay Hoyer like a starter or a backup. After all, Hoyer had been a career backup before the Cleveland-area native signed a signed a two-year, $1,965,000 contract with the Browns in May 2013. He received a $250,000 roster bonus in March and is scheduled to make a base salary of $1 million next season. The deal can reach $1.15 million with incentives. The 28-year-old Hoyer has waited patiently for his chance to start. Hes paid his dues. He also has impressed the Browns with his determination to return to the field. Linta said Hoyer is committed to the Browns, and hes hoping they feel the same way about him. "Brian wants to be in Cleveland," Linta said. "He loves how the fans rallied around him and the team during his winning streak last year. Hell never forget that. With that in mind and if the Browns want him, we will work something out eventually. (General manager) Ray Farmer and (executive VP) Sashi Brown are good guys to deal with and they, like the fans, want to win regardless of who the QB is." Farmer did not reply to an email seeking comment. Ben Bishop Jersey . Chan captured two silver medals at last months Sochi Winter Games — mens singles and the inaugural team event. But he doesnt have the urge to resume training to defend his world title when the event is held in Saitama, Japan, later this month. Dallas Stars Jerseys . Langer appeared to be in trouble when his second shot on the par-5 18th ended up in the rough short of the green. He hit a brilliant pitch to 5 feet and made the putt after Slumans birdie attempt rolled just wide. http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/valeri-nichushkin-hockey-jersey/ . Thats 14 consecutive losses to the two-time defending champs, and most of them were over before they even began. Result notwithstanding, Sundays game had a very different feel to it.TORONTO - When DeMar DeRozan was asked if there was anything positive to take away from such an ugly win as the Toronto Raptors victory over injury-riddled Oklahoma City on Tuesday, he wiped a hand over his exasperated brow.A win. Thats about it. A win, DeRozan said.Kyle Lowry wasnt quite so generous.Naw, I dont think so, Lowry said.DeRozan scored 16 points, and Lou Williams had nine of his 12 points in the fourth quarter as the Raptors defeated the Thunder 100-88 on Tuesday.But it wasnt before allowing Oklahoma City to have its way for most of the first half, and shoot 76 per cent in the opening quarter, despite playing with just eight men — none of them named Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook.Some time this year, were going to find some defence, from somebody, somewhere, coach Dwane Casey said. I dont know when, but Im going to find it.Patrick Patterson had 14 points and eight rebounds, while Tyler Hansbrough had 12 points, and Greivis Vasquez finished with 10 for Toronto (3-1), which was missing Amir Johnson for the second straight game (sore ankle).Weve just got to learn from it, we cant keep digging ourselves a hole, and expect to fight back and have everything fall in our hands, DeRozan said. We cant give teams hope. If thats making sure we make a stop the first three or four plays, dont give them no confidence, weve got to do that.Serge Ibaka virtually carried Oklahoma City (1-4), playing a whopping 46 minutes, scoring 25 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Lance Thomas had 14 points, while Reggie Jackson finished with 13.Casey had predicted the game would be a nightmare against a team he called a wounded animal, especially considering the Raptors have yet to play with the defensive effort he wants.Casey clearly knew what he was talking about as the Thunder was in the game until the dying minutes. Ive said this for weeks, we have no right to walk in and look at anybody and think its going to be an easy game, Casey said prior to tipoff.The Raptors took a narrow 73-70 lead into the fourth quarter, and didnt go up by double digits until Williams three-pointer with 9:23 to go put them up 83-72.We have to get better, and we will. We know were not doing as good as we want to do, Vasquez said. Were pissed. At ourselves. Because we should do better. Well take care of that.Toronto finally was able to cobble together a 16-point lead midway through the fourth, and while the Thunder pulled to within seven with three minutes to play, thats as close as they would come.Sebastian Telfair was callled for a flagrant foul and ejected with just under two minutes to play, leaving the Thunder to finish the game with just six men. Dan Hamhuis Jersey. (A right knee contusion had already taken Perry Jones out of the game early in the second half).Im really encouraged by the guys, said Thunder coach Scott Brooks. Last resort, Ill suit up with our guys. I would love to play with our guys. I love how they compete and thats the type of group I want to be associated with.Id love to do it as long as its not shirts and skins and Im skins. You dont want to see my flabby body, he added. But I love the guys effort. Thats what the game is all about.Injury-bitten Oklahoma City is off to its worst start since going 1-15 in 2008-09. Durant — who sat courtside in a stylish blue suit and a protective walking boot — has a broken right foot, while Westbrook has a broken right hand. The Thunder was also without starting guard Andre Roberson, who sprained his foot a night earlier in the Thunders 116-85 loss to Brooklyn.Still, it was the Raptors who staggered out to the lacklustre start. They allowed Oklahoma City to hit eight of their first nine shots of the game to take a nine-point lead. The Thunder, which shot 12 for 17 in the frame, went into the second leading 30-23.Ive told them until my eyes turn red. Theyve had that speech a lot, Casey said, on the Thunders high shooting percentage. Until it sinks in, its going to be a roller-coaster.The Raptors second unit, which Casey singled out as the one big positive on the night, pulled Toronto to within two points midway through the second, and then on Torontos last possession of the quarter, with 29 seconds on the clock, Lowry fired a pass from halfcourt to a soaring Ross who finished the alley-oop, sending the Raptors into the break trailing 52-51.A layup by Lowry just under a minute into the second half gave Toronto a one-point lead — the Raptors first lead since the opening two minutes of the game. A bucket by Hansbrough gave the Raptors a seven-point advantage with 1:23 to play, but the scrappy Thunder battled back to cut Torontos lead to 73-70 with a quarter left to play.The Raptors werent immune to the injury bug Thursday, losing Jonas Valanciunas just before halftime when he collided with someone and suffered a facial contusion.The Raptors were coming off a 107-102 loss at Miami on Sunday.The Raptors are in Boston on Wednesday to play the Celtics then back home to host the Washington