HEADLINES

Johnny Manziel

AFC North Notes: Manziel, Tucker, Polamalu

June 28th, 2014 at 2:50pm CST by Rob DiRe

Johnny Manziel hasn’t played in an NFL game yet, but his off the field conduct has already become a point of contention in the Browns‘ organization, according to the Chicago Tribune. He has been in the news for his already legendary partying, and has come out and stated that he was not going to tone down his personality for the NFL. Manziel’s conduct is already the biggest storyline in the NFL this offseason, according to our PFR Poll, slightly edging out Andre Johnson trade rumors, Jimmy Graham‘s contract, and the Redskins’ name controversy.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC North:

  • Browns‘ head coach Mike Pettine has been impressed with the team’s two top backs, free agent signing Ben Tate and rookie Terrance West, writes Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. The Browns attempted 681 passes in 2013, most in the NFL, and will need a strong ground game to help avoid repeating that performance next season.
  • The Ravens have a number of players who are up for contract extensions this summer, including kicker Justin Tucker, writes Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun. Tucker is coming into the final year of a three-year deal and has been one of the top kickers in the league over his first two seasons. The team is also looking to lock up Torrey Smith, Jimmy Smith, and Haloti Ngata.
  • Steelers‘ safeties Troy Polamalu and Shamarko Thomas are training together this offseason, writes Ray Frager of CSNBaltimore.com. Polamalu invited the younger safety out to California this offseason to help bring him up to speed on the defense.

Poll: Most Intriguing NFL Storyline?

June 27th, 2014 at 6:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Minicamps have wrapped up around the NFL and there’s a bit of a lull prior to training camp. Nevertheless, there are still a number of intriguing stories to focus on.

There’s the Jimmy Graham–Saints standoff, where the two sides are haggling over the player’s position. The Saints slapped the franchise tag on Graham as a tight end, thus assuring him a $7.035MM contract. Considering Graham’s production at the position, the player’s side wanted him designated as a wideout. The difference in salary is significant – Graham would receive $12.312MM as a receiver. A resolution is expected sometime next week.

On the morning after the NBA Draft, Cleveland’s focus isn’t as much on number-one pick Andrew Wiggins. Instead, all eyes are on Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel. The former Heisman winner has been stealing headlines for his off-the-field antics, leading some to question whether he can lead the team to their first playoff appearance since 2002. Manziel addressed his critics earlier today, claiming he wasn’t going to change for anybody.

Wide receiver Andre Johnson remains on the Texans roster, even after he expressed his frustration with the team and skipped the mandatory minicamp. It appears that Johnson wants out of Houston, but plenty of obstacles stand in his way. The wideout has three years remaining on his contract and the team doesn’t seem in any rush to trade their disgruntled star.

Or maybe you’re most interested in the saga surrounding the Redskins. The organization recently lost the trademark on the team’s name, with the U.S. Patent Office declaring that the word is “disparaging to Native Americans” and can’t be trademarked under federal law. However, owner Dan Snyder has not relented on his support for the name.

What do you think is the most intriguing NFL storyline at the end of minicamp? Is there something we forgot? Let us know in the comments.

Browns Notes: Manziel, Gilbert, Bortles

June 27th, 2014 at 5:35pm CST by Ben Levine

As PFR’s Matt Feminis briefly touched on earlier today, Johnny Manziel remains defiant amid all of the negative press regarding his off-the-field behavior. Manziel, who was attending the NFL Rookie Symposium’s Play 60 youth clinic in Cleveland, said he was planning on maturing instead of completely changing his character. Via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer…

“I’m not going to change who I am for anybody. I’m growing up and continuing to learn from my mistakes and trying not to make the same ones over and over again, but am I going to live in a shell or am I just going to hide from everybody and not do anything? I don’t think that’s the way I should live my life and I’m not going to do it.

“I’m here, I’m very committed to football. I’m committed to my job, but on the weekends, I’m going to enjoy my time off. We deserve it. We work hard here.

“I am going to enjoy my time off. I’m very about football and very about my job, which doesn’t get reported or won’t get reported, but I am going to enjoy my time off. That’s I think what everybody else does and that’s what I should do.”

Meanwhile, teammate Terrance West didn’t necessarily express frustration towards Manziel. However, was the rookie running back annoyed about the continuing questions about the quarterback’s antics? Mary Kay Cabot has the answer:

“Yes, because it’s a distraction,” West said. “We’re here to play football and it’s all about all of his off-the-field stuff, so it’s a distraction.

“He’s enjoying life. He’s not doing anything negative. He’s not getting arrested or getting DUIs or anything like that. I don’t think it’s a big deal. Everyone’s supposed to enjoy life and have fun.”

Additionally, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that team owner Jimmy Haslam was turned off by a particular Manziel video and asked the quarterback to “tone it down” (Cabot has the story on Cleveland.com).

Let’s see what else is going within the organization…

  • The Browns other first-round pick, cornerback Justin Gilbert, didn’t sound optimistic when asked if he’d sign his contract prior to training camp. “I don’t know,” Gilbert said (via Fox Sport Ohio’s Fred Greetham). “They’re still working on it.”
  • Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, who was also in Cleveland for the youth clinic, wasn’t expecting to be drafted third overall. In fact, he originally thought there was a better chance of being picked by the Browns. “I had no idea. I was as surprised as anybody else when they called me,” Bortles said (via the Morning-Journal’s Jeff Schudel). “I definitely thought there was more of a possibility I’d be here (Cleveland) than Jacksonville, but that’s not the way it turned out and I couldn’t be happier to be where I am.”
  • When it comes to “diamonds in the rough” among the wide receiver depth, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com points to undrafted rookie Chandler Jones (via Twitter). The former San Jose State Spartan finished 2013 with 79 catches for 1,356 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was signed by the Browns in the middle of May.

Rookie Notes: Clowney, Bortles, Manziel, Beckham Jr., Cooks

June 27th, 2014 at 11:12am CST by Matt Feminis

This week, Texans top overall pick Jedeveon Clowney opened up about the sports hernia injury he had surgically repaired two weeks ago, admitting the injury bothered him as far back as last football season. The Houston Chronicle’s John McClain has the story of Clowney revealing the information to Gil Brandt, while Pro Football Talk wonders if the Texans should have known.

In other rookie news and notes…

  • Jaguars third-overall pick Blake Bortles will receive first-team reps in training camp, writes NFL.com’s Mike Coppinger.
  • Meanwhile, Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel continues to be a lightning rod even during the slowest of news periods, as he told Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, “I’m not going to change for anybody.” A couple of Hall of Famers advise Manziel to stay out of the non-football headlines, though. Joe Montana weighed in on NFL Network, while Warren Moon talked to Alex Marvez and Pat Kirwan SiriusXM NFL Radio.
  • “[Draft picks] better all contribute right away, whether it be on special teams, defense, offense, whatever it is they’re going to be,” Giants head coach Tom Coughlin tells Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. “There’s no waiting around in this game today.” With that in mind, Raanan examined realistic expectations for rookie receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
  • The ingenuity of the Saints’ offensive system should enable first-rounder Brandin Cooks to thrive given the rookie’s explosiveness, playmaking and versatility, asserts SI.com’s Doug Farrar.
  • Bleacher Report’s Dan Hope highlights ten rookies already making favorable impressions and earning early reps, including the Raiders’ Gabe Jackson, the Cardinals’ John Brown.

AFC North Notes: Shazier, Smith, Hunt, Wilder

June 21st, 2014 at 9:02am CST by Matt Feminis

Steelers first-rounder Ryan Shazier looks like the “real deal,” according to Mike Prisuta of Steelers.com: “The Steelers knew Shazier was fast when they drafted him No. 1 from The Ohio State University. But since arriving on the South Side of Pittsburgh Shazier has gotten Maurkice Pouncey‘s attention with physicality in practice, stunned Bruce Gradkowski with leaping ability on the way to an interception and impressed Ben Roethlisberger as a potential defensive signal-caller someday. Shazier also has been running with the first-team defense since snap one of OTAs. He’ll still have to do it in pads this summer, but he created a consistent buzz this spring.”

Here’s a few more AFC North notes:

  • Ravens head coach John Harbaugh says veteran inside linebacker Daryl Smith, who re-signed for four years and $16MM, played at a high level last season, writes Garrett Downing on BaltimoreRavens.com. That means first-rounder C.J. Mosley and 2013 second-rounder Arthur Brown will compete for playing time next to Smith.
  • The Bengals have high expectations for 27-year-old, second-year Estonian defensive end Margus Hunt, writes Geoff Hobson on Bengals.com. A 2013 second-round project, Hunt is a “freakish,” 6-8, 291-pounder who might be ready to contribute at left end.
  • Bengals running back James Wilder Jr., an undrafted free agent out of Florida State, claims he broke a team conditioning record, but he’s on the outside looking in for now, says ESPN’s Coley Harvey.
  • Browns All-Pro Joe Haden is the latest to (delicately) express concern over Johnny Manziel’s partying ways (radio interview with 850 AM here), but says nothing Manziel is doing away from the team facility is negatively affecting his work. Haden merely suggests, “Just try to have fun without the whole world knowing.”

Johnny Manziel, Browns Agree To Terms

June 17th, 2014 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

12:18pm: About 94% of Manziel’s rookie contract is fully guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), who adds that the deal includes a $250K roster bonus in March of the fourth year.

11:30am: The Browns have locked up one of their two first-round picks, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve agreed to terms with quarterback Johnny Manziel. With Manziel under contract, the team just needs to sign first-round cornerback Justin Gilbert and second-round tackle Joel Bitonio.

The 22nd overall pick in May, Manziel enters the NFL after two standout seasons as Texas A&M’s starter. In 2012, he compiled 3,706 passing yards and 1,410 rushing yards, throwing for 26 TDs and running for another 21, en route to a Heisman Trophy. Manziel’s rushing totals were more modest in 2013, but his passing stats improved, as he racked up over 4,100 yards and 37 touchdowns through the air.

After passing on Manziel with the eighth overall pick, the Browns sent the 26th and 83rd overall selections to Philadelphia in order to move up to No. 22 and snag the young signal-caller. Per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, the 21-year-old will be in line for a signing bonus worth about $4.319MM, while the overall value of his four-year contract will be around $8.249MM. Cleveland will also hold a fifth-year team option for the 2018 season.

Browns Notes: Manziel, Burleson, Gordon

June 7th, 2014 at 8:36pm CST by Ben Levine

If this whole football thing doesn’t end up working out, Johnny Manziel has a pretty good fallback option. The San Diego Padres drafted Manziel with the 837th pick in the MLB Draft this afternoon (via Twitter). The Browns rookie quarterback is listed as a shortstop.

According to USA Today’s Nick Schwartz, Manziel played a bit of baseball in high school, so the drafting is not completely random. The quarterback also threw out the first pitch at a Padres game last season.

As ESPN Stats & Info pointed out on Twitter, it’s unlikely Manziel will ever make the major league level (and it has nothing to do with his career in the NFL) – no 837th pick has ever played in an MLB game.

Let’s see what else is going on in Cleveland…

  • After being “blindsided” by the organization over his firing in February, former CEO Joe Banner is unsure whether he’ll return to the NFL. “I’m not going to do anything for now, and whether or not I’m going to come back and do something in football is up in the air,” Banner told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
  • Wide receiver Nate Burleson says injuries were the main reason why the Lions let him go, write Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. The veteran adds that he considered retiring and was close to accepting a job with one of the large television networks as an analyst.
  • If the Browns decide to trade embattled star wideout Josh Gordon, ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon isn’t convinced the team would even receive a draft pick in return. He refers to the Randy Moss trade in 2007, when the Patriots sent the Raiders a fourth-round pick.

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Miller, Hoyer

May 31st, 2014 at 4:25pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Steelers are returning all of their offensive lineman, including Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey who was lost last season to a torn ACL. No one is more excited than Ben Roethlisberger, who believes that continuity on the offensive line could be the key to success, particularly in the no huddle offense, writes Kim Myers of NicePickCowher.com. “That’s a big part of being able to run the no-huddle because those guys are up there and they’re comfortable, they’re familiar. They’ve got another offseason in training of continuity and learning from each other,” said Roethlisberger. “I tell them before each game that they are what is going to drive this team and this offense. As long as they stay healthy and can play every game we’ll be good.”  Here are some other notes from around the AFC North:

  • Steelers‘ tight end Heath Miller bounced back well from a torn ACL in 2013, catching 58 passes for 593 yards and a touchdown, writes Matt Shetler of CityOfChampionsSports.com. However, he had posted career highs in yards and touchdowns the previous season, and is looking to re-establish himself as one of the league’s top tight ends. “Last year was about trying to find a new normal for myself and I’m a creature of habit, so that wasn’t easy for me,” said Miller. “I’m fully confident by the time the season rolls around I’m going to be feeling much better than the start of last year just from a confidence perspective.”
  • The Bengals have a deep bench at the running back position, and it is unclear how many the team will keep on the 53-man roster, writes Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. Harvey says that both BenJarvus Green-Ellis and undrafted free agent Jeff Scott are on the bubble, with Giovani Bernard and second-round pick Jeremy Hill looking to take a bulk of the carries. However, Green-Ellis’ veteran presence and Scott’s versatility could keep them on the roster this season.
  • The Browns still plan to let first-round pick Johnny Manziel start as a backup, and if veteran Brian Hoyer plays well the team could extend him, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. With Manziel on his rookie contract for four years (with a fifth-year option), the team could afford to keep both players.

AFC Notes: Titans, Ravens, Browns, Revis

May 26th, 2014 at 2:27pm CST by Rob DiRe

Let’s take a Memorial Day look around the AFC:

  • There a number of Titans who may see their starting jobs, and even roster spots in general, in jeopardy come training camp, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Shonn Greene, Michael Oher, and Jake Locker are among the notable names who may not see as much action as expected for the Titans in 2014.
  • The Ravens selected quarterback Keith Wenning in this month’s draft to compete with Tyrod Taylor to be the backup to Joe Flacco, writes Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore,com. However, Brown writes that he is unsure if the Ravens will devote three roster spots to the position, meaning the two might not only be battling for a backup job, but a spot on the roster.
  • Ravens defensive lineman Brandon Williams is determined to come back in 2014 with more success after a toe injury kept him out of nine games as a rookie, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Williams, a third-round pick in 2013, has dedicated himself to being in better shape this season. “I’ve had a good offseason, I’ve been working out doing cardio and a bunch of other stuff,” Williams said. “I’m lighter and leaner. I’ve gotten a little stronger.”
  • Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer speculates that neither Brian Hoyer nor Johnny Manziel will win the Browns‘ quarterback job until later this summer. Reed thinks that while Hoyer is perhaps the favorite to start to open the 2014 season, if Manziel performs like he did at Texas A&M during the preseason, it will put significant pressure on the Browns’ organization to start the former Heisman Trophy winner.
  • Darrelle Revis will have a positive impact on the Patriots‘ offense this upcoming season, writes Brent Sobleski of USA Today. Tom Brady told Peter King of The Monday Morning Quarterback that he’s already tired of throwing against Revis in practice everyday. The former first-round pick out of Pittsburgh has been described by former teammate Jim Leonard as “the best practice player” he’s ever seen. Sobleski thinks that having such a worthy practice adversary will only serve to improve Brady’s game.

David Kipke contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Rice, Russell, Daniels, Manziel

May 23rd, 2014 at 9:34pm CST by Matt Feminis
  • Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) hears that a multi-game suspension for Ravens running back Ray Rice is likely, and one source says that the punishment will be “extremely significant.”
  • Broncos director of player personnel Matt Russell was sentenced to seven months in jail after pleading guilty to DUI, among other charges (Denver Post story here). Russell, who was arrested last July, served a suspension and returned to his job in September.
  • Pro Football Focus tabbed defensive lineman Mike Daniels as the Packers’ “Secret Superstar.”
  • In an “Offseason Notebook” piece, Adam Hoge of 670 AM/CBSChicago.com referenced an interview Bears GM Phil Emery did on the station in which he said former Canadian League star Chris Williams was the frontrunner for the team’s open kick returner job. Williams was signed late last season off the Saints practice squad, and Bears special teams coach Joe DeCamillis said he heard from members of the New Orleans staff who were disappointed to lose Williams, whom Emery believes has talent commensurate with mid-round draft picks.
  • An anonymous executive envisions Browns rookie QB Johnny Manziel developing into a Jeff Garcia type whose mobility fits well in a West Coast, zone-blocking system, shares Dan Hanzus on NFL.com.
  • Lions 2013 seventh-rounder Michael Williams is converting from tight end to offensive tackle, writes Dave Birkett in the Detroit Free Press. Williams (6-6, 270) was drafted as a blocking tight end and missed last season because of a broken hand.
  • The agent for Dolphins fourth-round cornerback Walt Aikens, Daniel Frid, tweeted out a picture of the Liberty product signing his contract. Aikens had interest from a number of clubs prior to the draft. He met with the Colts, Packers, Bengals, Chiefs, and Buccaneers and worked out for Cowboys and Jaguars.
  • The Dolphins brought in 36 tryout players for their rookie minicamp, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Load More Posts