Johnny Manziel - Pro Football Rumors

AFC North Notes: Manziel, Burfict, Rice

October 29th, 2015 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this afternoon, we learned that Steve Smith‘s agent, Derrick Fox, isn’t entirely convinced that the Ravens wideout will retire at season’s end. That’s not the only news out of the AFC North today though, so let’s dive in and round up a few more items…

Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel is not expected to receive discipline from the NFL for his role in an off-field incident earlier this month, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, the league has maintained that its investigation isn’t yet complete, so there’s no official word on Manziel yet.
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who opened the season on the physically unable to perform list, returned to practice today, as Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes. Burfict won’t play right away, but the Bengals now have three weeks to either activate him to their 53-man roster or shut him down for the year.
Despite not playing in an NFL regular season game since 2013, and not receiving a workout this year, former Ravens running back Ray Rice continues to train in the hopes of getting another shot, according to Luke Broadwater of the Baltimore Sun. Of course, even putting aside the elevator video that continues to haunt him, the longer Rice’s absence from the league lasts, the less likely it becomes that he’ll get another opportunity.

Extra Points: Manziel, Pryor, Ratliff

October 28th, 2015 at 9:28pm CST by Zachary Links

The next round of CBA discussions could include some talks on a revamp of team practices, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes. In the last Collective Bargaining Agreement, there was a reduction in the number of practices and changes as to how teams practice and coaches have been fighting for more teaching opportunities for young players who are still learning. Ultimately, one of the key changes could see the size of the practice squad roster – currently at 10 – increase.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

At this point it would be a surprise if Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel is found culpable and faced discipline for his incident, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Either way, we should all know for sure this week. The NFL is interviewing Manziel tonight about his role in the incident and they’ve already interviewed several of the parties involved (link).
Terrelle Pryor continues to work out in the hopes that a team will take a shot on him as a receiver, writes ESPN’s Ashley Fox. Pryor’s lack of practice squad eligibility has perhaps discouraged clubs from rolling the dice on him, but agent Drew Rosenhaus says his client’s workouts have all gone well: “We’re confident that it’s just a matter of time until one of these teams decides to make the move.”
The Bears notified the Cowboys of Jeremiah Ratliff’s release as a security precaution, sources tell David Moore of The Dallas Morning News. The Bears cut Ratliff last week after an incident at their practice facility and it sounds like things got fairly hostile. Ratliff has not attempted to come by the Cowboys facility in the past week, but due to the acrimonious nature of their split, the Bears felt compelled to give them a heads up.
Calvin Johnson to the Panthers? Tamba Hali to the Falcons? Those trade ideas may be far-fetched, but they’re two of eight deals that Gil Brandt of NFL.com would like to see happen by next Tuesday’s deadline.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Browns Notes: Manziel, C. Johnson, Arians

October 28th, 2015 at 2:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Even if they wanted to suspend Johnny Manziel for his involvement in a recent off-field incident, the Browns wouldn’t be able to do so, GM Ray Farmer told reporters, including ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon. The Browns’ only option, under the NFL’s rules, was to make Manziel inactive for this past Sunday’s game against the Rams, the GM said.

Only the NFL has the authority to discipline the quarterback, because potential personal conduct policy violations fall under the umbrella of the league, not the team — Manziel was involved in an argument with his girlfriend and there may have been fisticuffs between the two.

Here’s more on Manziel, along with some other Browns-related items:

The NFL hopes to have its Manziel investigation wrapped up by the end of the week, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Presumably, a decision on whether or not the signal-caller will be disciplined will be announced shortly after the investigation concludes.
Manziel’s meeting with the league is imminent and “there’s a sense of urgency to it,” per head coach Mike Pettine (link via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). It makes sense that Pettine would want things wrapped up as soon as possible, since the team needs some clarity on its quarterback situation for Week 8 — Josh McCown is banged up, and while he may be able to play, the team would need to add an insurance quarterback if Manziel receives a suspension from the NFL.
With a game against the Cardinals on tap this weekend for the Browns, Cabot notes (via Twitter) that the Browns could have signed running back Chris Johnson when Duke Johnson was injured in camp. However, the Browns instead discussed signing Ray Rice at the time, and ended up passing on both Rice and Chris Johnson, who is now second in the league in rushing yards.
The upcoming game against Arizona also resulted in Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians speaking to Browns reporters today, including Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. The former Cleveland offensive coordinator admitted he thought he might get a chance to return to the Browns as their head coach in 2009, but the club quickly hired Eric Mangini instead. “I always thought if you could build a winner in Cleveland how special that would be,” Arians said of the missed opportunity.

Latest on Manziel, NFL Investigation

October 25th, 2015 at 7:35pm CST by Ben Levine

SUNDAY, 7:30pm: It’s going to be a busy week for Manziel. McManamon reports that the quarterback is likely to start next weekend’s game for the Browns, and that will come after a scheduled interview with the NFL regarding the mid-October incident.

Manziel played briefly during Cleveland’s loss to the Rams today, passing for 27 yards. Starter Josh McCown left the contest with an injured right shoulder, and he was also checked for a concussion following the game.

While Manziel wouldn’t confirm whether the meeting will take place, he did say he’d cooperate with any investigation.

“If anybody reaches out to me, if the NFL does reach out to me, I’ll fully cooperate with anything that they ask me,” he said. “Anything they need from me, I’m not shying away from that. I cooperated fully with Avon. I cooperated fully with everybody in the Browns and anybody that’s asked me anything.

“It’s an ongoing situation, and I don’t really want to speak on it much more than that. If the situation does arise I’ll fully cooperate. That’s really it.”

Manziel also had a message for the Browns fanbase.

“I hope people haven’t given up on me,” Manziel said. “I know I’m trying to do the right things on the field. Just trying to keep my head down and just keep plugging and keep pushing and keep trying to gain, back, really, what I felt I lost last year in a rough rookie season.”

SATURDAY, 9:35am: While the NFL continues to investigate the recent Johnny Manziel incident, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com says the league could still punish the sophomore quarterback before the “probe is complete.” The NFL could cite the league’s personal conduct policy, which allows commissioner Roger Goodell to place Manziel on paid leave if he believes the former first-rounder was in violation of league rules.

“If an investigation leads the Commissioner to believe that you may have violated this Policy by committing any of the conduct identified above, he may act where the circumstances and evidence warrant doing so,” the NFL personal conduct policy states (via McManamon). “This decision will not reflect a finding of guilt or innocence and will not be guided by the same legal standards and considerations that would apply in a criminal trial.”

As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes, the league hasn’t hesitated from handing out these “paid vacations” in the past, but it’s still uncertain whether they’ll punish Manziel. Overall, the writer would be surprised if the quarterback was placed on paid leave.

Sunday Roundup: Mallett, Trades, Guion

October 25th, 2015 at 1:07pm CST by Rory Parks

Ryan Mallett missed the Texans‘ team charter to Miami Saturday and had to make the trip via commercial airline, per Karen Warren of The Houston Chronicle. Mallett is in uniform and will be the team’s No. 2 quarterback today, as expected–the Texans do not have another quarterback on the roster–but he will certainly be fined, and his future with the club has never been more in doubt. Mallett, who also missed a training camp practice this year–he said his cell phone battery died, so his cell phone alarm would not go off–is due $2.5MM in 2016, the second year of his two-year contract, but Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle believes the team will cut ties with Mallett after the 2015 season (Twitter link). If Tom Savage was not on injured reserve, Warren says it would not be a surprise if Mallett was cut today.

Now for some more links from around the league:

The Bears‘ Matt Forte, the 49ers‘ Vernon Davis, and the Falcons‘ Roddy White have been the biggest names included in this year’s trade rumors, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (article via Kevin Patra of NFL.com) does not believe any of the three will be traded, and he sets forth his rationale for why each will stay with their current clubs for the remainder of 2015.
According to Rapoport (via Twitter), there are three notable college coaches who would be open to an NFL head coaching job after this season: UCLA’s Jim Mora, Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly, and Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin. In a separate tweet, Rapoport notes that NFL GMs believe Kelly would be an especially good fit with the Giants, if Big Blue has a head coaching vacancy after 2015.
Earlier this year, Johnny Manziel was saying and doing all the right things, and he had earned considerable praise for his on- and off-field behavior and for apparently turning his life around. But after an alcohol-related incident that culminated in an encounter with police several weeks ago–an incident for which he will not be facing any charges–questions about his future in the league have resurfaced. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Browns officials had been bracing for some sort of negative publicity, as Manziel’s demeanor and dedication had taken a turn for the worse after Josh McCown returned from injury to reclaim the starting quarterback job from Manziel, who led the club for one week. Some within the organization have been hoping to part ways with Manziel for some time, and this latest development will give that contingent a little more ammunition, as they have further proof that Manziel is not a team-first type of player.
Packers DT Letroy Guion‘s recent legal troubles have been well-documented, but according to Michael Cohen and John Diedrich of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Guion has faced domestic violence charges as well, which had previously gone unreported. In two of the three cases brought against Guion, the charges were dropped, and in the third, Guion paid restitution to avoid additional penalties. He has been accused of stalking and of hitting the mother of his child in the jaw. Those incidents occurred from 2011 to 2013 when Guion was with the Vikings, and if it turns out he never reported the charges to the club, he could face further discipline from the league.
The Bears are actively scouting college quarterbacks as they prepare for the post-Jay Cutler era, and Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune examines two potential targets, California’s Jared Goff and Michigan State’s Connor Cook, in detail.
Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post examines in detail how Broncos GM John Elway has methodically constructed Denver’s defense, which has been the league’s best in 2015.

NFL Investigating Johnny Manziel

October 19th, 2015 at 6:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL is investigating a recent incident involving Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel and his girlfriend, coach Mike Pettine told reporters, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. An in-car fight last week Manziel and girlfriend Colleen Crowley led to questioning from Avon police and now the league is also asking questions about the involvement of the troubled former first-round pick.

Pettine hasn’t ruled out punishing Manziel in connection with the incident, but he explained that he wants to let the process play out with the league.

“The league gets involved when there are cases like this,” Pettine said during a news conference. “I don’t know what their timetable is. I don’t know the specifics, but as with anything that comes up, there’s a reporting process you go through. I’m not privy to what their details are as far as timetable.”

Crowley took to Instagram on Friday (via Ulrich on Twitter) and downplayed the incident. Manziel later echoed Crowley’s sentiment in a series of tweets (1; 2; 3).

“Colleen and I got into a dumb public argument on the way home Monday afternoon. It probably looked more interesting than it was and I know I would stop and check if I saw a couple arguing on the side of the road,” Manziel wrote. “It was embarrassing but not serious and when we talked to the police and they realized everything was alright and I was sober, we went home together and everything is fine.”

According to the police report, Crowley was intoxicated when they arrived and made inconsistent statements, “ranging from whether Mr. Manziel was physically abusive towards her or not.” The former Texas A&M star was also said to be drinking that day and that’s a potential red flag considering his recent stint in rehab.

Browns Notes: Manziel, Orchard, Defense

October 17th, 2015 at 11:45am CST by Ben Levine

Browns second-year quarterback Johnny Manziel was once again in the news yesterday, this time for a roadside argument with his girlfriend.

Let’s check out the latest on Johnny Football and the organization…

ESPN.com’s Field Yates believes the league will let the legal process “run its course” before they make any decision on a Manziel punishment. Yates notes that Manziel could also be punished by the Browns, although it appears that he’ll be in uniform tomorrow.
ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon wonders what it would take for the Browns to part ways with Manziel. The writer says the quarterback should be commended for acknowledging prior mistakes and entering rehab. However, Friday night’s incident is still another example of the second-year player making poor decisions off the field.
With linebacker Scott Solomon out for the season, Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com says rookie Nate Orchard has a “tremendous chance” to make an impact on the Browns defense. The second-round pick struggled with a back injury during the preseason, but he’s been heating up over the past few weeks.
The Browns worked out a trio of linebackers, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter): Edwin Jackson, Terrance Plummer and Alex Singleton.
Defensive back Jordan Poyer and kicker Travis Coons were each fined $8,681 for penalties they received during last weekend’s game, according to Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com.

Extra Points: Browns, Draft Prospects

October 16th, 2015 at 9:28pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Browns running back Robert Turbin is recovered from an ankle injury that kept him out of action for the five weeks of the NFL season and will make his debut with the team this Sunday. Turbin, whose first opponent will be the Broncos and their fifth-ranked run defense, has lofty goals for the season.

“I feel like this is going to be my team,” Turbin said, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

Turbin added that he wants to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark, which will be extra difficult in an 11-game season.

Turbin, a fourth-round pick out of Utah State in 2012, spent the first three years of his career in Seattle. The Seahawks waived him in September and the Browns subsequently claimed him. The 25-year-old has amassed 231 carries and 928 yards, good for 4.0 yards per rush. That’s not great, but it would be an improvement for a Browns offense that currently has the league’s 27th-ranked per-carry average (3.7).

More on the Browns and a couple of notes concerning the 2016 draft:

Despite his latest off-field issue, the Browns plan to suit up quarterback Johnny Manziel as Josh McCown‘s backup Sunday. That’s the wrong approach, opines the Northeast Ohio Media Group’s Bud Shaw, who believes the Browns should discipline Manziel by deactivating him for Week 6.
In another piece regarding Manziel, Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today contends that any credibility he reestablished with the team after an offseason that included a rehab stint could be gone. She also wonders whether the second-year man’s career is now in jeopardy.
Former UCLA linebacker Myles Jack has chosen Octagon Sports as his agency as he prepares for next spring’s draft, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter link). John Thornton will represent Jack, who withdrew from UCLA earlier this month after suffering a season-ending knee injury in September. Jack is a potential first-round pick.
There’s talk among agents that junior Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright will turn pro after this season, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). Wright’s standout performance last year earned him All-America honors, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Award, the Jack Lambert Award (nation’s best linebacker), and the Chuck Bednarik Award (nation’s top defender).

Johnny Manziel Involved In Alcohol-Related Domestic Dispute

October 16th, 2015 at 6:19pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel was pulled over by Avon, Ohio, police Monday after an out-of-hand domestic argument, according to Joe Pagonakis of WEWS-TV. Per the police report, Manziel was driving erratically and his girlfriend, Colleen Elizabeth Crowley, tried to exit his car after throwing his wallet out the window. Crowley told police that Manziel pushed her head into a window. Police found an abrasion on her arm, but they determined it came from Manziel trying to keep her from leaving the vehicle while it was on the road. Both Manziel and Crowley admitted to drinking, but neither was deemed intoxicated and Crowley elected against pressing charges. They were then allowed to leave the scene in Manziel’s car.

Crowley subsequently shrugged off the incident on Instagram, writing (via the Akron Beacon Journal’s Nate Ulrich on Twitter), “Fortunately it was just an argument, it was private, and we are all good!”

Manziel echoed Crowley’s sentiment in a series of tweets (1; 2; 3).

“Colleen and I got into a dumb public argument on the way home Monday afternoon. It probably looked more interesting than it was and I know I would stop and check if I saw a couple arguing on the side of the road,” Manziel wrote. “It was embarrassing but not serious and when we talked to the police and they realized everything was alright and I was sober, we went home together and everything is fine.”

Browns general manager Ray Farmer issued a statement on behalf of the organization: “We were aware of the situation. It is a matter that we take seriously and have expressed our concerns to Johnny directly. Those conversations will remain private and we will refrain from further comment at this time.”

The NFL is aware of the situation, but it declined to comment on it, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

Given that Manziel spent 10 weeks of the offseason in rehab for alcohol issues, an already serious situation carries extra weight. The fact that a domestic dispute was involved makes it that much more of a problem.

This latest episode doesn’t bode well for Manziel’s future in Cleveland, Smith opines, as the 2014 first-round pick’s career has so far been defined by errors both on and off the field. Nevertheless, Manziel will be active for Sunday’s game against Denver, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com reports (via Twitter).

Extra Points: Browns, Bears, Rex, Eagles

October 4th, 2015 at 9:17pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Browns wideout Dwayne Bowe signed for $9MM guaranteed during the offseason and was expected to upgrade a receiving corps in desperate need of help. That didn’t happen through the first three weeks of the season, though, as the former Pro Bowler went without a catch in the opener and then missed the next two games because of a strained hamstring. Nevertheless, the ninth-year man entered Sunday’s game against San Diego brimming with confidence.

“I can’t wait to go out there and showcase my talent and be a ringleader for the guys and go out there and bring home a win,” Bowe said, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

Bowe got back on the field in Week 4, but he once again failed to catch a pass. Quarterback Josh McCown, who completed passes to eight different teammates, targeted Bowe just once. The Browns lost, 30-27.

Here’s more on the Browns and a few of their counterparts from around the NFL:

After the Bears dealt linebacker Jared Allen to Carolina earlier this week, fellow LB Willie Young asked Chicago for a trade, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Young played defensive end in the Bears’ 4-3 scheme last year and had 10 sacks. They switched to a 3-4 this season, forcing him to shift to linebacker, and he’s currently without a sack. Young doesn’t believe he’s a fit for the Bears’ defense anymore, and if the team agrees, Florio writes that it should grant his request and send him elsewhere.
The Bills turned in a horrendous performance in their 24-10 loss to the Giants on Sunday, especially with respect to discipline. Their 17 penalties gives them 57 for the year, the most any team has had through the first four weeks of the season since 2005, per ESPN’s Mike Rodak. Head coach Rex Ryan wasn’t upset with his team, however. Contrarily, he said he was “proud” of how the Bills played. “Can you play a lot smarter? Absolutely,” Ryan continued. “But I’ll take a team that can fight over a team that won’t — that will sit back and take it — any day of the week. And bring on the next team.”
Much of the dialogue regarding the Browns this year has centered on the quarterback position – whether they should start McCown or Johnny Manziel. That shouldn’t be the case after Week 4, writes Bud Shaw of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. Shaw believes McCown’s sensational Sunday output (32 of 41 for 356 yards and two touchdowns) should be enough for him to keep the No. 1 job going forward. A better performance from Cleveland’s defense, which allowed 438 total yards (358 passing), could’ve helped earn the team a win and improve to 2-2 instead of drop to 1-3.
The Eagles’ Chip Kelly was a successful coach during his first two NFL seasons, leading the team to back-to-back double-digit-win seasons and a playoff berth. Now, after the Eagles gave him full control over their roster, Kelly looks like both a coach unable to adjust to how other clubs are game planning against Philly and a football czar who built a highly flawed team, opines Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report.
Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson suffered a left knee injury during their 23-20 loss to Washington on Sunday and will have an MRI on Monday. Johnson said he re-injured his MCL, and Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer speculates that it’s a sprain (Twitter link).