Johnny Manziel

Extra Points: Editorial Change, Manziel, Cook

May 17th, 2016 at 3:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Here at Pro Football Rumors, our biggest transaction of the week happened outside of the NFL. PFR’s founding editor, Luke Adams, has returned to his former post, taking on the same title at our sister NBA site, Hoops Rumors. With Luke returning to the hardwood, I have been elevated under center as the site’s new signal caller. Or, to cut the mawkish sports metaphors: I am the new editor here at Pro Football Rumors.

The entire staff at PFR wishes Luke the best of luck at his new (old?) position and we are extremely grateful for his tremendous leadership and guidance over the last two years and change. Thanks to the foundation that he has built, PFR will continue to serve as the No. 1 site for news and analysis on NFL player movement.

Here’s the latest from around the league:

Maverick Carter, who works closely with LeBron James and once managed Johnny Manziel, tells Mark Anthony Green of GQ that he doesn’t regret his association with the former Browns quarterback. “No, I don’t regret it,” Carter said. “I met Johnny and liked him. He obviously was who he was coming out, which is gigantic. I feel like we did a great job with Johnny and helped him a lot. But he was his biggest opponent. He’s a very intelligent guy—he’s just his biggest opponent. Still is. But to this day, if he called me, I’d go help him in a second. So that’s another reason why I can’t regret it: I made relationships with him and his family that’ll probably last a lifetime.”
Some say that Connor Cook dropped in the draft due to concerns about his attitude and leadership abilities. However, Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio has been impressed by what he’s seen in those areas so far. “I think he’s been outstanding,” Del Rio said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “He comes in, had a tremendous career and is very humble. Obviously he is intelligent. He asks good questions. He’s got arm talent. It’s a matter of getting familiar [with] what we do and how we do it. . . I think he’s off to a great start.”
Prospective Bengals tryout performer Antonio Longino likely won’t have an opportunity in Cincinnati after being indicted for tampering and obstruction of justice in a murder investigation, Cleveland19.com reports. The former Arizona State linebacker had a tough upbringing in East Cleveland and was not able to distance himself from that environment as he pursued his NFL dream.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Latest On Johnny Manziel

May 5th, 2016 at 9:35am CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 9:35am: Manziel’s bond has been set with two conditions, according to Ari Melber of MSNBC (on Twitter). He is prohibited from having contact from his accuser and he is not allowed to be in possession of firearms at this time.

WEDNESDAY, 5:34pm: Johnny Manziel has been booked in Texas and he has posted bond in his domestic violence case, as The Associated Press reports. The former Browns quarterback is set to face a Dallas judge on Thursday morning.

Manziel, 23, was indicted by a grand jury in March following allegations that he struck his ex-girlfriend and threatened to kill her during a night out in January. If convicted of this Class A misdemeanor, the Texas A&M product could face up to a year in jail and a $4K fine. Late last month, Manziel’s attorney indicated that he will not seek any sort of leniency based on his client’s celebrity status.

“Judge, set the bond at whatever you think is right,” attorney Bob Hinton said he plans to say. “We will produce Johnny and we will pay the bond. We are not asking for any special treatment.”

The Browns cut the former Texas A&M star in March and two agents have dropped Manziel as a client in 2016. Since the Browns drafted the former Texas A&M star in the 2014 first round, Manziel appeared in 15 games, made eight starts, and tossed seven touchdowns and seven picks. Manziel showed progress in parts of his six starts last season, but his off-field issues overshadowed his positive steps on the gridiron. Those troubles carried into the offseason, leaving Manziel without a job and with an unclear future in professional football.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Chargers, Brady, Las Vegas

April 27th, 2016 at 9:15pm CST by Zachary Links

With less than 24 hours to go until the draft, we have a pretty good idea of how the first two picks will go. The real intrigue, then, starts with the Chargers at No. 3. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) seems confident that the Bolts will take Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley.

While we wait to see how that plays out, here’s more from around the NFL:

The NFL does not see any need to reignite settlement talks with Patriots QB Tom Brady and the NFLPA, a league source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Facebook). The NFL believes that neither the NFLPA nor anyone from Brady’s camp has provided any rationale for settlement discussions, so they are not motivated to revisit that idea. The league believes the time for those talks has come and gone, Schefter writes, after the two sides had discussed a settlement last summer.
The Raiders will need the approval of 24 NFL owners if they wish to move to Las Vegas, but Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News figures that they already have four votes in the bag. The Rams and Chargers would likely OK the move because it would remove the Raiders from their market. Meanwhile, the Cowboys and Texans would likely approve the relocation because it would prevent the Raiders from moving to San Antonio.
Lions GM Bob Quinn and head coach Jim Caldwell went to Ohio State to work out offensive tackle Taylor Decker, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. If Detroit goes tackle in the first round, Birkett gets the sense that Decker could be their guy. Decker says that he has also met with the Bills, Broncos, and Titans.
Johnny Manziel‘s lawyer, Jim Darnell, tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that there has been no settlement of any kind with the quarterback’s ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley. That contradicts a previous report that indicated Manziel and Crowley had reached an out-of-court civil settlement, and suggests that Crowley will have motivation to cooperate with the prosecution during Manziel’s case.
The Seahawks worked out defensive end/outside linebacker Xzavier Dickson today, according to a league source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Dickson, a former seventh-round pick of the Pats, played collegiately for Alabama. He also spent time with Atlanta’s taxi squad.
49ers GM Trent Baalke personally worked out Clemson defensive end/outside linebacker Kevin Dodd and also brought him in for a pre-draft visit, Alex Marvez of FOX Sports tweets.

Cole’s Latest: Lynch, Jets, Bills, Manziel, Brady

April 26th, 2016 at 6:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s the latest from Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via video links):

The Bills and Jets are “extremely” interested in quarterback Paxton Lynch, according to multiple NFL executives who spoke with Cole. Both teams see Lynch as a future star in the NFL and know that they will have to move up into the high teens to possibly land him. The Browns pick at No. 8 and are said to be fond of the Memphis product, though that’s probably a little too high to pull the trigger on him. By the same token, the belief is that Lynch will move up the board with Jared Goff and Carson Wentz going in the top two.
The NFL will speed up its ongoing investigation into Johnny Manziel‘s domestic violence incident this week, an NFL source tells Cole. The expectation that Manziel will get a suspension of some length of time since he narrowly escaped a suspension for a previous incident. Meanwhile, the attorney for Manziel’s ex-girlfriend tells Cole that she is unaware of any NFL investigation at this time.
Two NFL owners tell Cole that they would like to see Brady and the NFL reach a settlement rather than drag things out in court and in the public. A growing number of owners apparently share this sentiment, he adds. Owners generally feel that some suspension is appropriate for Brady, though a four-game ban is too much.

Johnny Manziel To Plead Not Guilty

April 25th, 2016 at 5:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Johnny Manziel will enter a plea of not guilty when he is brought before a judge, attorney Bob Hinton told reporters, including Jennifer Emily of The Dallas Morning News. When that time comes, Hinton says that he will not ask for any sort of leniency based on Manziel’s celebrity status.

“Judge, set the bond at whatever you think is right,” Hinton said he plans to say. “We will produce Johnny and we will pay the bond. We are not asking for any special treatment.”

The NFL’s own investigation into the incident is ongoing, a league spokesman confirmed to the Dallas Morning News. If Manziel signs with a new team and he is found to have violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, he would face a minimum six game suspension for his first offense. A second violation would result in a lifetime ban, per the rules. Even if Manziel is not found guilty in court, he can still face punishment from the league. If he is found guilty, Manziel could face up to a year in jail and a $4K fine.

The Browns cut the former Texas A&M star in March and two agents have dropped Manziel as a client in 2016.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dallas Grand Jury Indicts Johnny Manziel

April 24th, 2016 at 9:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Making endless headlines for the wrong reasons this offseason, free agent quarterback Johnny Manziel has been indicted by a Dallas County Grand Jury for his role in an alleged domestic assault in late January, sources tell CBSDFW.com.

The grand jury reviewed this misdemeanor assault charge Thursday night, the TV station reports. The Dallas Police Department presented evidence to the jury instead of arresting Manziel, and the former first-round draft pick’s offseason looks to continue to worsen.

Manziel, 23, faces up to a year in jail and a $4K fine. Manziel and Colleen Crowley, the woman who’s alleged the quarterback hit her several times on the night in question, reached an undisclosed settlement in a civil suit recently, the station reports. A judge granted Crowley’s request for a protective order against Manziel. He has to stay away from his ex-girlfriend until Feb. 3, 2018 and remain 500 feet from her Fort Worth apartment during that span. Manziel is also unable to possess a firearm while this order is in effect.

The Browns cut the former Heisman Trophy winner in March.

Manziel recently released a statement expressing desire to play in the NFL in 2016. Although, the indictment, subsequent alcohol-related issues post-rehab and the quarterback’s substandard play during two abbreviated seasons will make that difficult.

Multiple agents, Erik Burkhardt and Drew Rosenhaus, dropped Manziel as a client, with Rosenhaus parting ways with the wayward passer earlier this week.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

QB Notes: Hoyer, Broncos, Jets, Bradford

April 21st, 2016 at 6:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Neither the Broncos nor the Jets talked contract with free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer during their respective visits, sources tell Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Denver, per Klis, is inclined to wait until after the draft to find a new signal-caller, a concept that Jason Cole of Bleacher Report confirms (video link), saying that GM John Elway won’t overpay for a “mediocre” quarterback.

Hoyer, meanwhile, could very well be off the market by the time the Broncos are ready to make a decision at QB. Hoyer now has at least six teams interested in him, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.

Let’s take a look at some other interesting quarterback situations around the NFL…

The Jets and Broncos should call the Eagles about Sam Bradford, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk opines. With Bradford’s $11MM signing bonus already earned, another team could theoretically trade for the QB and pay him $24MM on a two-year deal with just $7MM in 2016. That $7MM salary is the same amount as what Denver wants to pay Kaepernick and the same sum the Jets want to give to Ryan Fitzpatrick. Of course, the Eagles might not be thrilled about the idea of trading Bradford after having picked up a significant portion of the check on him.
While Bradford is a good guy, the fact that two teams he has played for have made massive trades to take a top two quarterback is not a resume builder, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. Cole reported earlier tonight that Bradford may ask for a trade from the Eagles.
The Eagles’ trade for the No. 2 pick is a reminder that Washington has been wise to seek quarterback help in the past even when they seemed set at the position, John Keim of ESPN.com writes. In 2012, Washington drafted Kirk Cousins even though they appeared to have a future star in RGIII. Even though Cousins is installed as the starter now, Keim believes that Washington should get some insurance by drafting developmental QB.
The Eagles/Browns trade could have a trickle-down effect on the Jets‘ quarterback plans, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. Cimini believes that the Jets were previously interested in making a move for one of the top quarterbacks and using Muhammad Wilkerson as trade bait, but the cost of moving from No. 20 to No. 2 was unrealistic. The Jets could now miss out on the draft’s third-best quarterback prospect in Paxton Lynch since the Browns could target him at No. 8. The Jets could turn to the next tier of QBs including Michigan State’s Connor Cook and Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg and Cimini hears that Gang Green likes Hackenberg. Meanwhile, the Jets allowed Hoyer to leave his visit without a deal and the team could be putting themselves in jeopardy if they don’t retain Fitzpatrick.
Pat McManamon of ESPN.com didn’t like the trade down for the Browns because the Browns’ wait for a franchise quarterback continues to drag on. The team is staying true to analytics by trading down, but McManamon argues that even an exceptionally talented team will hit a ceiling without a competent QB. McManamon sees RGIII as the biggest winner of the trade since Cleveland is now putting more faith in him than any other team in the league would.
A formal indictment in free agent Johnny Manziel’s domestic violence case will be handed down on Monday, reports Jennifer Emily of the Dallas Morning News, who writes that Manziel is likely to face a criminal charge.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Johnny Manziel Hopes To Play In 2016

April 19th, 2016 at 6:12pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent quarterback Johnny Manziel is aiming to put his myriad off-field troubles behind him and play in 2016, he told A.J. Perez of USA Today.

“I’m hoping to take care of the issues in front of me right now so I can focus on what I have to do if I want to play in 2016,” Manziel said. “I also continue to be thankful to those who really know me and support me.”

Manziel’s latest off-field blow came Tuesday when agent Drew Rosenhaus, who only began representing the 23-year-old in March, dropped him as a client. Rosenhaus’ decision came after offering Manziel an ultimatum last week to either seek treatment for substance abuse issues within a five-day window or lose his representation. Manziel didn’t follow through, so Rosenhaus joined Erik Burkhardt as the second agent to sever ties with the two-year NFL veteran this offseason.

“This is a life or death situation right now,” Rosenhaus told Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio last Friday. “This is not about football. I’m not going to stand by and watch him injure himself.”

Combined with his uninspiring on-field performance since entering the NFL as a first-round pick in 2014, Manziel’s checkered off-field history helped lead the Browns to release him over the winter. That turmoil away from the gridiron has also stopped teams from pursing the ex-Texas A&M star and 2012 Heisman Trophy winner as a free agent.

Manziel is currently facing up to a year in jail and a $4K fine if a Dallas grand jury indicts him on a misdemeanor assault charge stemming from a January altercation between him and ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley. Further, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reported last week that Manziel had been served with a legal demand for nearly $32K in damages to a Los Angeles house he rented and partied in from April 4-6. Manziel and Browns receiver Josh Gordon were at the house with what appeared to be drugs – including cocaine, mushrooms and marijuana – visible, according to rental agency owner Nicholas Goodwin. It’s important to note that Goodwin didn’t actually see Manziel or Gordon engage in the use of drugs or alcohol. Manziel, of course, spent a significant portion of last offseason in a rehab facility for substance abuse issues.

“So many people only have one image of Jonathan but, believe it or not, he takes all this very seriously,” Denise Michaels, Manziel’s spokesperson, told Perez. “He’s hoping that he can clear up his personal issues, start interviewing agents and see what he needs to do if he wants to play this year.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Drew Rosenhaus Parts Ways With Johnny Manziel

April 19th, 2016 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

Agent Drew Rosenhaus has officially terminated his business relationship with quarterback Johnny Manziel, says Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Rosenhaus announced last week that Manziel would have a five-day window to take certain steps in order to retain Rosenhaus as his agent, but it seems that window closed without the quarterback committing to making any changes.

“I have terminated the standard representation with Johnny Manziel in the hopes of helping him get the treatment I believe he needs,” Rosenhaus said last Wednesday. “I have informed him that if he takes the immediate steps I have outlined for him that I will rescind the termination and continue to represent him. Otherwise the termination will become permanent. There is a five-day window for me to rescind the termination.”

Rosenhaus, who called Manziel’s situation “life or death,” adding that it’s not about football, said during an appearance on PFT Live on Friday that he didn’t believe he and Manziel were “on the same page” regarding the treatment he believes the ex-Brown requires. Today’s news essentially confirms as much.

During a conversation with TMZ earlier this month, Manziel dismissed the notion that NFL teams would be put off by his fondness for partying, suggesting that there was a difference between parting and being “out of control.”

Even if Manziel believes his lifestyle and his behavior isn’t an issue for NFL teams, it has clearly been a problem for his agents, who have urged him to seek help. Rosenhaus becomes the second player rep this year to part ways with Manziel — his previous agent, Erik Burkhardt, publicly cut ties with the troubled quarterback in early February, issuing a public statement in which he wrote: “Accountability is the foundation of any relationship, and without it, the function of my work is counterproductive.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Josh Gordon, Johnny Manziel

April 15th, 2016 at 9:32pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In the latest inauspicious chapter in the lives of Browns receiver Josh Gordon and free agent quarterback Johnny Manziel, someone identifying himself as Gordon was with Manziel at a rented home in Los Angeles that had incurred damage, reports Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. Further, alcohol and what appeared to be drugs were visible, rental agency owner Nicholas Goodwin told Cabot.

“I didn’t recognize Josh because he’s not as recognizable as Johnny,” Goodwin stated. “I sat and talked to him and said ‘how do you know these guys?’ He goes, ‘I played with Johnny over at Cleveland.’ I said, your name? He said ‘Josh Gordon.’ And I was like ‘wow, OK, I don’t know if it’s a good idea for these guys to be hanging out together.'”

While Goodwin said he didn’t witness either Gordon or Manziel engage in drug or alcohol use, he claimed to see what appeared to be cocaine on a table. Goodwin also saw substances that looked like mushrooms and marijuana when Gordon and Manziel were in the home, in which they partied from April 4-6, he said. As a result of the damage done to the home, Manziel has been served with a legal demand for nearly $32K in damages, Cabot writes.

Gordon’s troubles are particularly frustrating given that he looked like one of the premier players in football in 2013, the last time he took the field for an extended period of time. In 14 games that year, Gordon racked up 87 receptions, a jaw-dropping 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns. However, various substance abuse-related suspensions have cost Gordon 29 of the Browns’ last 48 games. He missed all of the 2015 season thanks to a positive alcohol test and could also sit out the 2016 campaign after the NFL denied his petition for reinstatement this week on the heels of another failed substance test.

Gordon, who turned 25 on Wednesday, will have a chance to reapply for reinstatement Aug. 1. However, the league will keep the ban in place if his off-field behavior doesn’t do a 180. The league’s decision to not reinstate Gordon came after it collected a tainted urine sample from him in March. Both the “A” and “B” samples were flagged as diluted and came up positive for marijuana. While the actual level of marijuana was below the 35 nanograms per milliliter required for a positive test, the diluted sample is considered a positive test.

Unlike Gordon, Manziel – a 2014 first-round pick – hasn’t shown much promise on the field. Manziel’s off-field behavior has been far worse than his on-field performance, though, as his checkered history helped lead the Browns to release him over the winter and has stopped teams from pursing him as a free agent. Super agent Drew Rosenhaus, who began representing Manziel in March, announced earlier this week he would drop the 23-year-old as a client if he didn’t seek treatment for his substance abuse problems. That came after Erik Burkhardt, Manziel’s previous agent, publicly cut ties with the former Texas A&M star in early February. Rosenhaus told SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link) that he is only thinking about the QB’s well-being.

“This is a life or death situation right now,” Rosenhaus said. “This is not about football. I’m not going to stand by and watch him injure himself.”

Rosenhaus provided an update on the situation Friday, suggesting to Mike Florio on PFT Live that he doesn’t think he and Manziel are “on the same page” about the life changes the ex-Brown needs to make.

After a storied college career which included winning the Heisman Trophy in 2012, Manziel has made just eight starts in the NFL, completing 57 percent of his passes for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. It’s difficult to imagine Manziel ever setting foot on an NFL field again without a complete turnaround away from the gridiron. Unfortunately, though, an off-field about-face doesn’t appear imminent.

Zach Links contributed to this report. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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