Johnny Manziel

AFC North Notes: Hoyer, Manziel, Rice

November 25th, 2014 at 5:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Tom Reed of the Northeast Ohio Media Group implores you not to adjust your computer screens. Yes, the Browns and the Bills are set to play a meaningful late season game. “This is going to be an old-fashioned, blue-collar matchup as much as it can be when all the players are millionaires,” said Hall-of-Fame guard Joe DeLamielleure, who played for both franchises. “The teams are similar and so are the fan bases. I’ve told people that fans of these two cities will buy tickets before they’ll buy their kids jackets. That’s how much the franchises mean to their cities.” More on the Browns and other notes from the AFC North..

The Browns are committed to Brian Hoyer for the rest of the season, but they’re not sold on him long-term, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Johnny Manziel might be the long-term answer, perhaps as soon as next season, but they won’t be trotting him out there to start this year.
After the Ray Rice situation and some other contract issues were cleared up, the Ravens are now $4.287MM under the NFL salary cap limit of $133MM, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Still, should Rice win his grievance against the Ravens for wrongful termination, he would be owed $3.529 million in salary that he was due before the team cut him Sept. 8 when a graphic video surfaced of his domestic violence incident.
Joe Kruger, the brother of Browns outside linebacker Paul Kruger, visited the Steelers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).

Extra Points: Goodell, Vikings, Harvin, Dogra

November 22nd, 2014 at 11:08pm CST by Rob DiRe

In the wake of the Adrian Peterson decision, tensions between the NFL and the player’s union are high once again, writes Mark Maske of the Washington Post. Commissioner Roger Goodell exerted significant power in suspending Peterson for the season, singular power the the union was under the impression he would no longer be wielding on his own. According to Maske’s source, the two sides have no good will between them.

“I think it reflects a fundamental disagreement about the role of the commissioner’s office in the disciplinary process,” said Gabriel Feldman of the sports law program at Tulane University. “I think it’s a reflection of the tension that has existed. It’s not surprising. It would have been surprising if the Players Association had not sought so vigorously to have Peterson reinstated. To some extent, it is each side playing the role it’s supposed to play.”

Here are some other notes from around the NFL this Saturday evening:

In Peterson’s absence, the Vikings will be forced to continue the season using a running back-by-committe approach, and that may be the plan going forward, writes Matt Vensel of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. He writes that the player taking carries for the Vikings next season could be any one of the players on the active roster, Peterson, or someone they take in the 2015 NFL Draft.
The Jets‘ have seen a lot of improvement with their midseason acquisition of Percy Harvin, and are happy with how he has fit in so far, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. They will have a tough decision to make at the end of the season on whether to keep him at his hefty price tag of $10MM, but Harvin hopes to remain with the team.
Since Ben Dogra has been fired, CAA Sports has also terminated the contracts of a number of employees who worked closely with the embattled NFL agent, writes Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal. On behalf of Dogra, his attorney, Rusty Hardin, stated that he was unsure of any “supposed cause” for his firing and ensured that none of the agent’s clients had left (via Twitter). He also commented on Dogra’s future, saying he “hasn’t decided where he is going to land or whether he is going to start his own firm.” (via Twitter).
Three of the top four quarterbacks selected in this past NFL Draft have seen significant game action this season, and Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post has compared their play to see who has played best and who has shown the most promise for the future. The answer to both questions so far point to Derek Carr, who has impressed with his decision-making and his quick release, according to Gabriel. Blake Bortles has struggled and Teddy Bridgewater has yet to be unleashed, while Johnny Manziel is the only one of the four to not receive any significant playing time this season.

NFC East Links: Rolle, Smith, Cowboys, Cofield

November 22nd, 2014 at 8:50pm CST by Rob DiRe

Antrel Rolle is playing in a contract year for the Giants, and while he wants to stay with the team, he knows that anything can happen in an NFL offseason, writes Bob Glauber of Newsday.com.

“Staying here would definitely be ideal,” said Rolle. “I feel like there’s a lot of things that I would like to get accomplished with a new set of [teammates]. I feel like there’s a lot more to get done. Unfortunately, if you don’t have the opportunity to stay, you move on.”

The 32-year-old safety has been a stalwart of the Giants’ defense since coming over from Arizona in 2010.

Here are some other links from around the NFC East:

Eagles‘ first-round pick Marcus Smith has struggled to see the field as a rookie, but the team worries if he will ever develop into the player they had hoped when they drafted him, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Smith has been compared to Danny Watkins, another failed first-round selection.
Cowboys‘ head coach Jason Garrett has been thought of as a puppet for Jerry Jones, but Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com thinks Garrett has wielded more power within the organization recently. He cites the team drafting Zack Martin, letting DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher leave in free agency, and holding off on extensions for Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray as all uncharacteristic moves for Jones, likely influenced by Garrett.
Martin has been excellent as a rookie, validating the Cowboys‘ decision not to draft Johnny Manziel. However, if the Browns decide to sign Hoyer to a long-term contract, Manziel could still be a fit for the Cowboys, writes Steven Mullenax of The LandryHat.com. With the struggles of Brandon Weeden and Tony Romo‘s injury issues, Manziel could be a good backup and eventual replacement in Dallas.
Given the choice between Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, or Murray this offseason, Jon Machota of DallasNews.com believes the Cowboys should place Peterson at the top of their wish list. He believes that signing Peterson behind this offensive line would be more dangerous even than the younger DeMarco Murray.
Washington defensive lineman Barry Cofield eased his way back into action last week against the Buccaneers, after returning from injury. Cofield should see his snaps increase starting this week, reports Tom Schad of the Washington Times.
Washington defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has been in charge of an erratic defense during his tenure with the team, but despite scheme changes and coaching changes, he has survived, writes Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Jones paints the major problem in the consistency of the defense as a lack of talent on that side of the ball.
As the controversy with the Washington team name carries on, one devoted fan has decided to take a stand against the name, writes John Woodrow Cox of the Washington Post. He found a company to make strips of cloth that say “Washington” in which fans can use to patch over their old team apparel. Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News points to the name change for the University of Stanford as a precedent for the change, and the New Yorker has used their cover to mock the name in anticipation of Thanksgiving, according to Sports Illustrated.

Monday Roundup: Cutler, Trades, Landry

October 27th, 2014 at 8:54pm CST by Rory Parks

Our Zach Links wrote earlier that Bears GM Phil Emery is not currently thinking about parting ways with head coach Marc Trestman, and Emery and Trestman both reaffirmed their support for embattled quarterback Jay Cutler one day after Chicago’s embarrassing Week 8 loss to the Patriots. As Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com writes, Emery and Trestman remain committed to Cutler, attempting to accentuate the positives in their signal caller’s performances while acknowledging the struggles.

Emery claimed that his club’s decision to stick with Cutler has nothing to do with Cutler’s salary, but ESPN’s John Clayton is understandably skeptical. In his “Clayton Minute” video segment, Clayton says that, given the Bear’s $18MM annual commitment to Cutler, Chicago simply has no other choice than to hope that Cutler can right the ship.

Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun Times writes that Emery has been approached with “two or three interesting” trade proposals, but nothing that helps the Bears win in 2014. As Emery stated that the team is far from giving up hope on this season.
Derek Carr is showing tremendous promise and the Browns have to be second-guessing their decision to target Johnny Manziel in the draft instead of him, writes Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer.
Browns head coach Mike Pettine says that the team’s phones are ringing but cautions that the deadline brings few trades in comparison to the amount of talk that happens, tweets Nate Urlich of the Akron Beacon-Journal.
Citing ESPN’s Adam Schefter, CSNBaltimore.com staff reports that the league has levied a $1.4MM salary cap charge on the Ravens as a result of Ray Rice‘s grievance against the club. According to Schefter, it is normal practice for the NFL to make such a move when a grievance is pending. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun writes that the cap charge reduces the Ravens’ cap room to about $4.1MM. Baltimore may need to utilize some of that room, as star cornerback Jimmy Smith is expected to miss “a few weeks” with a left foot sprain, according to Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com.
Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt said that his club is unlikely to make any more trades,according to Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com (via Twitter).
The Colts are in no hurry to bring back LaRon Landry after his four-game PED suspension, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com looks at how Jon Beason‘s salary, and the Giants‘ salary cap, will be affected by Beason’s season-ending injury.

Zach Links contributed to this post

Mike Pettine On Carr, Manziel, Hoyer

October 22nd, 2014 at 5:59pm CST by Zachary Links

This Sunday, the Browns will take on the Raiders who are led by promising rookie quarterback Derek Carr. While the Browns drafted the most talked about QB this year, Carr is making the biggest impact of any rookie signal caller this year. Cleveland coach Mike Pettine can’t help but be impressed by what he’s seen out of Carr. “For a rookie quarterback, the kid’s playing.. pretty well,” Pettine said, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. “You use a coaching cliché, ‘He can make all the throws.’ This is a kid that can legitimately make all the throws. You could tell he’s got a firm grasp of what they’re doing.” In an alternate universe somewhere, the Browns resisted the urge to draft Johnny Manziel and instead selected Carr. While you ponder that, here are more highlights from today’s presser, courtesy of Ulrich:

On what his discussions were like with Carr before the draft

Positive. We had a good visit with him – ran out to Fresno (State University), spent some time with him and his brother. It was good. He’s very mature. If you’re around him you wouldn’t think that he’s a kid just coming out of college. The fact that he’s so close with his brother and what his brother has been through in the NFL, I think prepared him that much more. It’s showing up in his play. You can tell he’s very much a student of the game just by how he plays. You can tell he knows certain defenses, where to go with the ball, when to get out of a run and throw it on the outside and based on coverage where to attack a defense. I think his football IQ is well ahead of the game because of his background.

On if his brother David Carr’s lack of success in the NFL ever came up when evaluating Derek Carr

No, to me, you look at it as a positive because the mistakes that his brother made or what happened to his brother can only make Derek better. Like I said, here’s a guy that’s only been sacked four times. He can make plays with his feet and get out of the pocket. He’s got a quick release, and he’s decisive with the ball and they’re blocking well in front of him.

On if the Browns had Carr rated close to Manziel on their draft board

I don’t know where he finally fell in that cluster of guys, but this year – just going back looking at the draft – you just had so many varying opinions on players. It wasn’t that there was a clear consensus on it, but when you watched the Fresno tape he was guy that you knew this kid’s an NFL quarterback.

On what makes him think that pending free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer can come back from last week’s loss to the Jaguars

Number one, I think his confidence, his preparation, his ability to compartmentalize and put something behind him, then also just confidence in the guys around him. I think all the guys know on offense that they didn’t play well enough for the offense to be successful, which was a big part in making his performance look the way that it did starts up front. That goes to the backs, to the receivers, to the tight end. It’s the whole group, and it’s a subtle effect. When you have issues in the run game that puts you in second-and-9. It’s hard for your quarterback to look good at times – second-and-9, third-and-9 than it is second-and-5, third-and-4. To me, it’s a ripple effect throughout when you’re not playing at a high level around him

Extra Points: Harvin, Jets, Manziel, Ravens

October 20th, 2014 at 10:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Percy Harvin‘s character has come into question following reports of fights with former teammates Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin, but Breno Giacomini, who played with him in Seattle, isn’t concerned, writes Seth Walder of the Daily News. “Almost everybody in this locker room’s been in a fight before, we play football,” the Jets‘ offensive lineman said. “Oh, it happened twice? Who cares. He’s a good competitor, that’s what it is.” More from around the NFL..

Jets coach Rex Ryan expressed similar thoughts on his new star wide receiver, saying “Nobody’s perfect,” Walder writes. The Jets have had experience with wide receivers and off the field issues in the past. Braylon Edwards, for the most part, stayed out of trouble during his Jets tenure. Santonio Holmes, meanwhile, was cut after several reported locker room disruptions.
The Browns briefly considered putting Johnny Manziel in at quarterback on Sunday while Brian Hoyer was having a tough time against the Jaguars, writes Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. “It was discussed briefly, but it was a situation where we still wanted to…at least try to end the game with Brian on a positive note,” coach Mike Pettine said. Hoyer appears poised to have some significant leverage as he approaches free agency this offseason but more outings like Sunday’s will change his forecast for 2015.
Despite his slow start, the Ravens should give Torrey Smith a new deal, opines Mike Preston of The Baltimore Sun. Smith has just 18 catches for 308 yards and four touchdowns so far this year, but he’s a strong No. 2 receiver and offers great leadership in the locker room.
Rookie Marcus Martin is going to get the “first shot” at replacing the injured Daniel Kilgore in the starting lineup, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said, according to Steve Corkran of the Mercury News. The club lost their starting center to a left leg fracture in the third quarter of their blowout loss to the Broncos.

“Everything’s Been Fine” With Manziel, Hoyer

October 17th, 2014 at 11:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

Earlier this week, Browns’ quarterback Brian Hoyer refuted a report that he would have no interest in re-signing with the team if Johnny Manziel is on the roster. Although he denied the report, the thought that Hoyer wouldn’t want to assume a Matt Cassel in Minnesota type role, remaining as a placeholder to the eventual first-round pick makes sense.

Still, Hoyer insists that there is no truth to the report at all. However, there is definitely some conflict going on, with both quarterbacks looking to be the long term starter in Cleveland. It is not only Hoyer that has to respond to that report, but Manziel who now has the uneasy role of backup quarterback who has to pretend to have no interest in the starting job in order to not cause waves in the locker room.

Still, so far he is saying the right things, writes Jeff Schudel of The Morning Journal and News-Herald. “Brian didn’t even really need to come up to me because obviously he dismissed that and then between me and him and our room, I don’t think we ever even thought that had even the slightest piece of legitimacy behind it,” Manziel said. “So between me and him, everything’s been fine.”

Manziel is the only rookie quarterback drafted in the first 60 picks in 2014 who has not started a game this season. Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, and Derek Carr have all been handed the starting jobs for their respective teams. Hoyer is the only veteran quarterback who was able to ward off his successor.

“I think all of that stuff will really play itself out, but it’s not something that’s really been on my mind,” said Manziel. “I think it’s hard to sit here right now and kind of guess how things are going to play in the future. but every quarterback that’s come into the league has had a different circumstance. I think it’s all about how you handle it when you’re not on the field and continuing to try and better yourself even when it’s really hard.”

However, despite saying the right things, Manziel acknowledges that he is prepared to go in if he is called upon, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland.com.

“I feel a lot more confident, a lot more comfortable,” said Manziel. “Getting into a new system, just getting around these guys, the whole process of being under center a lot more, everything that’s involved in this offense just wasn’t anything that I was asked to do really at A&M. I knew it would take me some time. Now going through these game plans and getting some of the same ideas spilling over into the next week, I’m a lot more honed in on that.”

Quarterback situations can be fickle in the NFL. One injury, or one bad game from Hoyer could open the door for Manziel to get some game action. Play well enough in that opportunity, and it may be enough to overtake Hoyer for good. Manziel stresses readiness in case that opportunity presents itself.

“My strategy, my mindset really haven’t changed much this year except stay on top of my stuff and make sure I’m ready,” said Manziel. “It’s a wacky league, so you never really know when you could be thrust in there.”

Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan follows a similar philosophy with his young quarterback. Shanahan is committed to Hoyer, but stresses that Manziel must be prepared for his time under center, despite limited opportunity.

“He could end up being – as the cliché is – one play from starting,” said Shanahan. “I hope he’s working to be ready, and if that ever does happen I think he will be.”

While some have pointed to Steve Young sitting behind Joe Montana or Aaron Rodgers sitting behind Brett Favre, the Hoyer/Manziel situation might be most similar to Philip Rivers sitting behind Drew Brees, writes Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Fowler writes that all Manziel can do in the mean time is to come up with creative ways to say that he is alright waiting for his turn.

It might not be in Manziel or Hoyer’s best interest to leave Cleveland. Shanahan’s recent record with quarterbacks has been fantastic, and both could benefit by playing under his expertise, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. Hoyer is playing his best football right now. In Washington, Robert Griffin III was dominant when healthy, and Kirk Cousins was drawing trade interest before being thrust into the lineup this season where he has mostly turned the football over. Before that, Shanahan spent time with the Texans, where Matt Schaub had some great years before self combusting in 2013, shortly after Shanahan left.

Hoyer staying in Cleveland would make sense, but the truth is that the Browns are committed to Manziel at some point in the future. Albert Breer of NFL.com writes that the team should take a wait and see approach with Hoyer when it comes to a contract extension. Giving him an extension now would risk him petering out, and the team would be heavily invested in a backup after a small sample size of competency.

Of course, if they wait too long, Breer points out that the uneven quarterback situations with the Bills, Buccaneers, Jets, Texans and Titans that Hoyer could have multiple suitors in the open market, and a bidding war could force the Browns hands. They may be starting Manziel next season out of necessity rather than choice.

Still, as of right now, the Browns are 3-2 and clicking on multiple cylinders. Hoyer has them in the playoff race, and All Pro wide receiver Josh Gordon will be back in uniform in a few weeks. For now, Hoyer is the starter and Manziel is the backup, and everything’s been fine between them.

NFC East Notes: Manziel, McBride, Cowboys

October 13th, 2014 at 2:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he’s done discussing his team’s decision to pass on Johnny Manziel in the 2014 draft, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. “Well, I don’t know how that’s relevant,” Jones said. “I’m really not so sure I’m ready to admit a mis-thought. It is not relevant, and I really have had some very stern, succinct instructions not to mention Johnny anymore from people who count, let me put it like that.” More out of the AFC and NFC East..

Giants coach Tom Coughlin told reporters that cornerback Trumaine McBride will undergo thumb surgery, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). Coughlin wouldn’t confirm that McBride is done for the year, but thumb surgery would likely end his season. With Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie still healing up, the Giants now have a tough situation at corner.
After becoming the most accurate kicker in NFL history on Sunday, Dan Bailey said that he’s hoping to keep it up for a long, long time, writes Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News. “Honestly, I want to play another 10-plus years, so hopefully I’ll be able to do that,” the Cowboys kicker said. “With that being said, there’s plenty of more kicks to make and there’s probably going to be some misses in there too. Realistically, it’s just not that big of deal right now.”
After yesterday’s feel-good win, Jones cautioned not to expect any new deals getting hammered out for Cowboys players right away, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com. Jones also pumped the brakes on an extension for coach Jason Garrett.
After Victor Cruz went down with a likely season-ending injury last night, Giants rookie receiver Odell Beckham Jr. told him that he’ll step up in his absence. “I said, ‘Bro, I got you,’” Beckham said, according to Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. “Because he’s had me since Day One. That’s the only thing that I feel like is the right thing to do is play for him.” The Giants will need the LSU product to do just that. Even though Big Blue has nearly $3MM in cap space, there aren’t any notable receiving options waiting on a phone call.
Eagles quarterback Matt Barkley has left CAA Sports in favor of Dave Dunn of Athletes First, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (on Twitter).

Poll: Who Will Be Browns’ Starting QB In 2015?

October 9th, 2014 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, I examined Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer as a potential candidate for a contract extension. While there’s an expectation that Hoyer and the Browns will engage in discussions at some point, and could hammer out an agreement, it’ll be an extremely complicated negotiation based on the presence of 2014 first-rounder Johnny Manziel.

We’ve seen highly-touted young signal-callers sit on the bench for a year or two before – Aaron Rodgers backing up Brett Favre in Green Bay comes to mind – but in most of those cases, the starter has a more extensive track record than Hoyer does. Often, contracts will play a part as well — teams may be reluctant to part with a highly-paid starter whose release would result in a ton of dead money on the cap.

In the case of Hoyer though, the Browns could simply move on from him at the end of the 2014 season, allowing Manziel to take the reins after learning the system for a year. The former Texas A&M QB would be inexpensive for the remainder of his rookie contract, and would have the opportunity to lead a roster that has an increasing amount of talent on both sides of the ball.

On the other hand, Hoyer’s short stints this season and last season as the Browns’ starter have been impressive, and he’s proving to be the most capable quarterback the team has had in years. A Cleveland native, Hoyer could ultimately make more sense as the club’s long-term answer at the position if he continues to excel for the rest of 2014 and Manziel remains an unproven commodity on the bench.

So what do you think? Who will be the Browns’ quarterback in 2015? Will they re-sign Hoyer intending to start him? Will Manziel have taken over by then? Weigh in with your vote below, and feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section as well.

Adrian Peterson Expressed Interest In Playing For Cowboys

August 28th, 2014 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

1:30pm: Peterson and the Vikings have issued an official statement on the ESPN report. Peterson’s comments read, in full:

“This was a casual conversation between NFL colleagues in which I never indicated I wanted to leave the Vikings. I have always said I understand the NFL is a business but that I would love to retire as a Viking.”

1:00pm: Star running back Adrian Peterson told Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in a June telephone call that he’d have interest in joining the Cowboys after his tenure with the Vikings comes to an end, according to an ESPN.com Outside the Lines report by Don Van Natta Jr. Van Natta recounts Jones’ side of the conversation with the Vikings running back, writing that it’s “obvious” Peterson told Jones he’d like to play for Dallas.

“Well, I understand, Adrian,” Jones said during the conversation. “I’d like that, too … Well, I love your story. I love your daddy’s story. I’ve always respected what you’ve been about. I’ve always been a fan of yours.”

The NFL’s rules related to tampering dictate that if a team is contacted by a player who is under contract with another club, that team must immediately report the contact to the club which holds the player’s rights. Jones, confirming that Peterson told him he’d like to play for the Cowboys, said he didn’t contact the Vikings about the discussion, so it’s not clear whether he’ll be subject to a penalty from the league.

Van Natta’s story also includes details on Jones’ desire to draft Johnny Manziel back in May, rather than offensive lineman Zack Martin.

“If we had picked Manziel, he’d guarantee our relevance for 10 years,” Jones said. “When we were on the clock, I said, if we pick the other guy – any other guy – it would be a ticket to parity, more 8-8 seasons. The only way to break out is to gamble — take a chance with that first pick, if you wanna dramatically improve your team. That’s why I wanted Manziel, but I was the only guy who wanted him.”

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