Best skills of the 2015 NFL Draft: Defensive backs
April 15, 2015Carlos Carrasco to pitch for Indians on Monday
April 15, 2015While all eyes were on the Cleveland Browns new jersey unveiling Tuesday night, second-year quarterback Johnny Manziel decided to catch a Texas Rangers game in Arlington with his girlfriend, Colleen Crowley.
Just three days after his release from rehab, Manziel seems to be biding time before offseason workouts begin on April 20 in Berea. Following an almost 10-week stint wherein Manziel reportedly focused on becoming a better teammate and person, he is looking to improve both on and off the field for the Browns.
During the unveiling in downtown Cleveland, All-Pro tackle Joe Thomas said he is proud of Manziel for entering himself into rehab and believes that it is a step in the right direction.
“I think the only thing that was apparent was that there were other things in his life that were maybe getting in the way of committing himself the way an NFL quarterback needs to,” Thomas said. “Because it’s different than any other position. As a defensive back or an offensive lineman, you’re asked a lot. But as a quarterback it’s a different level completely. It takes guys three or four years just dedicating their life to understanding an NFL defense, understanding an offense.
“It takes a different level of commitment than any other position. It’s part of the journey but in the end it’s what you do during the season. I think he’s set himself up really nicely by the steps he’s taken already to prove that he can be the guy. Right now it’s kind of the start of the process. What you do on Sundays is what you’re judged by in this game.”
Safety Donte Whitner also spoke about Manziel Tuesday, agreeing with Thomas.
“To be so young and take that initiative and do what he did, it can only help him as a person, first and foremost, and then, as a football player. I believe that he’ll come in, he’ll earn our trust back. He’s that type of guy. He’ll have to compete for his job, but I believe he’ll be up for that challenge. We’ll welcome him back with open arms.”
With the starting quarterback position for the Browns still in question, Manziel will compete for the spot thanks to the signing of veteran Josh McCown and rumors swirling that the Browns could possibly trade up in the draft to take former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. While the team has put various quarterback gurus in place with the new offensive side of the coaching staff, Manziel will have to catch the eye of them all if he wants to be the Browns starting quarterback come fall.
Whether or not Manziel learned something from his long stint in rehab and has matured as a man both on and off the field remains to be seen. Thomas, for one, believes that the structure of the offseason program will be good for the high-profile kid from Texas A&M.
“Once you do get back in the building, around your teammates, around your friends, you’ve got that schedule and you’re showing up and working out and studying and practicing,” he said. “I think it’s something that’s easy to get back into because there is a comfort zone being with your friends and your teammates. It feels right again.”
36 Comments
Need to jettison the girl if she cannot handle no alcohol. She seems to be the party type based on pictures of them together and pictures of her while he was at rehab. If she has not adusted and has influence on his nightly activities, may be time to “see yaaaa”
I’ve been really positive about Manziel and this rehab stint. But then he shows up in public with a Tiger Woods hat. I’m done with him. (I have never been so embarrassed for a professional athlete as I was watching Tiger at the Masters on Sunday. Yuck.) The only thing worse would have been a huge beer in the photo, or him tipping back a flask.
In all seriousness, I’m anxious to see what this kid brings back to Berea. I continue to hope for the best.
Glad you skipped the critique/criticism of a kid going to a baseball game as a sign he’s not serious about football. Can’t imagine being a pro athlete under the 24/7 red hot gaze of social media.
Question – don’t current NFL rules prohibit coaches from contacting players during this part of the off-season? Or at least giving them playbooks or doing film sessions with them?
Yes, correct. They can talk, just not about football (!).
Joe Posnanski made a good comparison – Tiger Woods and Mike Tyson. People enjoyed watching them dominant so much that they still equate the old, broke athlete to the young studly phenom.
That’s what I thought. So with a completely new offense, it’s not like Manziel could even be studying that side of the game.
And why wasn’t he studying the new playbook? He isn’t taking this seriously! He better be studying during the game, baseball isn’t even that exciting. He hasn’t learned anything.
I kid.
I’m with you on this. Against my better judgement, the optimistic midget that lives in my heart holds out hope that he has some magic left that might grow into a franchise QB. Trying to be realistic, but I have that hope.
He deserves some time to be a dude going to a baseball game with his girlfriend. I was thinking it would be better if it happened in Cleveland, but after some thought, Texas is probably better – less pressure and more support. Also a smart move to do the same night the unis were announced. Glad to see he wasn’t having a beer. Better man than me – I can’t say no at a baseball game.
Bingo. But let’s not let facts get in the way of fan outrage…
I’d be surprised if a playbook didn’t magically find it’s way into his email, but maybe there are controls over this that I’m not aware of.
And Pett did visit him a few times in rehab, right? Was that during an open time in the offseason? COuld have passed along a playbook then.
I actually thought Tiger played pretty well (except for his tee shots). He looked more like that young phenom than we have seen in years. What was embarrassing, at least in my opinion, was his displays of super childish behavior and emotion, coupled with a very odd display of false manliness afterward. Dude is a huge . . . I’m going to be delicate here . . . baby. I guess he has always been, and maybe that’s why it’s so garish now that he’s old.
And I’m not one of those expecting him to memorize the playbook instead of sleeping. Just kind of hoping he’s had some exposure to it.
I’m guessing post-textgate that the Browns are the last team to be pushing the rules envelope at this point.
agree. But I would say this: if I’m Johnny I do NOT accept the free first row, behind-the-screen tickets. Not for my first public coming out of rehab appearance. I can’t articulate exactly why but I just don’t. (Something about starting to be careful to choose substance over public form).
Totally. By all reliable accounts, the single thing holding him back last year was his attitude, maturity, and preparation (I guess that’s 3 things) – all apparently stemming from his substance abuse issues(?). I never read or heard anyone with knowledge criticize his athletic ability. If all of that is true, and if he’s actually gotten the problem in hand, then I’m excited to see what he can actually do. If he fails, I want it to be because of his size, etc., and not because of something like this.
I’m pulling for him too. There have been a lot of media reports about the Browns moving on, being 90% done with him, etc. etc. and it just doesn’t make sense to me. I get how disappointing he was last year, but if you thought he had the physical/mental gifts to play quarterback in April 2014 then you should still want to support him a year later after he actually addressed his off-field issues. It’s selling low.
Like I say, can’t imagine trying to make every decision as a focus of social media.
I don’t at all get those reports. It doesn’t follow any sort of logic. If the thing holding him back was his maturity and lifestyle driven by addiction, then the Browns would be the first to know it. It makes zero sense for them to give up on him because he went into rehab. Indeed, that would be counter-intuitive. His presence in rehab also did not hinder his preparation, as (and you guys have discussed this below) no QBs have been working on the new offense.
Agreed. If we would have cut him in January, it would have made some logical sense. “We don’t think he can conquer his demons so we’re cutting bait.” But the kid just did his first mature thing since being a Brown and NOW is when everyone decides he’s a lost cause? No sense.
I somewhat disagree. Nobody over there is going to bother him, there’s nobody in front of him to turn around and say something, he can just sit at the game and enjoy with his girlfriend. Being normal is part of turning life around. If you walk on eggshells with every decision because of how it will be perceived you can’t possibly recover.
Just like the Patriots stopped pushing boundaries after Spy-gate, right?
http://image.slidesharecdn.com/top10navysealsayings-andtheirmeanings-141005160642-conversion-gate02/95/the-top-10-navy-seal-sayings-and-their-meanings-motivational-quotes-images-and-definitions-16-638.jpg?cb=1412807250
Agreed. I used to love Woods, but now his histrionics and profanity after a bad shot or near miss have become a real turnoff.
Playing in the Masters is, or would be, like heaven on earth for most people, but he sulks around the course with a scowl and a bad attitude like he hates every minute of it. Maybe fierce focus was what made him great when he was great, but now that he isn’t great anymore, it’s manifesting as childish petulance.
Most everybody else seems to enjoy what they’re doing out there, and that’s fun to watch.
I somewhat disagree with myself. Maybe being very visible is part of Johnny’s DNA. But if it was me, if I was presumably adapting a major life change, had presumably just done serious life introspection, doubt I’d be out front in the most attention-getting public seat right away. He could have decided to sit anywhere in that stadium. (And on a certain level I agree with you and Sam).
“if you thought he had the physical/mental gifts to play quarterback in April 2014”
Two things at work here; this is a different scouting department, quarterback coach and offensive coordinator and dude straight up embarrassed Jimmy.
The newer scouts, QB coach and OC may be looking at Manziel like; I have no idea why he was taken in the first round as a first year starter. His skill set, mental makeup is not a starting NFL QB.
And for all the embarrassment Haslam has suffered thus far with this team he may be ready to not take a risk on it falling apart again.
We have a long way to go to be compared to the Patriots…in any way.
Jettison that girl anyways, orange faces with silver eyes are reserved for Jim Henson movies.
…..Oh hey, but I’m sure she’s REALLY nice. Not stuck up in ANY way.
http://media.giphy.com/media/wxWo79iar36mY/giphy.gif
That’s a good point.
Though, the men in charge (whomever that may be) looked at those scouting reports, talked to the scouts, probably were in on interviewing Manziel, etc. They looked at all that evidence and concluded that Manziel could play QB.
So the new guys can have their opinions. As for Farmer and the rest…. I just don’t get how you draft a guy with obvious off-field problems and then instantly get rid of him when those problems become an issue. They had to know that Johnny would be a project, both on-field and off.
To me, if they don’t give him a fair shake in 2015 then they’re admitting to some pretty high level incompetence and mismanagement.
http://www.diyadventurer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/dave-coulier-cut-it-out.jpg
I think it’s now down to a simple damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
The FO is damned if Manziel comes back to camp and can’t beat out the likes of McCown, Lewis and Shaw.
The FO is even more damned if Manziel comes back, flashes in camp and preseason but then succumbs to a relapse during the season ultimately screwing the organization in the same way again.
I’m completely biased though in that I am not allowing the 3rd option of Manziel coming back to camp, staying sober and winning the starting job.
I never thought he was suited to play quarterback in the NFL and whether he’s clean or not doesn’t change that for me.
Maybe the 1990 Patriots.
True. And I agree with your assessment of his on-field ability.
I don’t watch cfb, but I just don’t see how a small and lithe guy (by NFL standards) who found success mostly through improvisation and shenanigans makes it in the NFL.
That said, I agree with Garry that I’d like to seem him get the chance to fail on his lack of on-field ability rather than because he’s too drunk and coked out to play.
And even if he does work out, I still think it was a pretty dumb pick. First time GM. Dysfunctional franchise. A plethora of holes on the roster. Last thing you should do is take a chance on a guy like Johnny Manziel.
LMAO !!
I said it when they made the pick and I’ll say it again today, that kid set the franchise back another 3 years.
It really does mess with Farmer’s head for this off season, the upcoming draft and camp.
And because of all the things we’ve mentioned is why Farmer brought in McCown and Lewis, went after Bradford, continues the smoke screen on Mariota, etc.
All his moves to me thus far point to “ANYONE BUT MANZIEL”
Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.
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