Johnny Manziel - Pro Football Rumors

Drew Rosenhaus Threatens To Drop Johnny Manziel

April 13th, 2016 at 6:38pm CST by Zachary Links

6:38pm: The agreement between Rosenhaus and Manziel was contingent upon him entering a treatment facility and the quarterback hasn’t done so, Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter links) hears from a source. Rosenhaus, he adds, has never fired a player as a client in his 27 years as an agent.

6:12pm: Agent Drew Rosenhaus has informed Johnny Manziel that he will no longer represent him if he does not get treatment, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Facebook) writes.

“I have terminated the standard representation with Johnny Manziel in the hopes of helping him get the treatment I believe he needs,” Rosenhaus said. “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. I’m hoping he takes the necessary steps to get his life back on track.”

The former Browns QB has been on Rosenhaus’ roster of clients for less than a month. Manziel’s previous agent, Erik Burkhardt, publicly cut ties with the troubled quarterback in early February. On March 19th, Manziel signed on with Rosenhaus. Soon after, Rosenhaus asserted that Manziel was drawing interest from NFL teams despite his issues, a claim that was met with eye rolls from most football fans.

Rosenhaus’ stance comes days after a report that Manziel has been palling around with former Browns teammate Josh Gordon. Gordon has trouble of his own to deal with after failing a drug test and subsequently having his application for reinstatement denied.

The 23-year-old made eight starts and played in 15 total games for Cleveland, completing 57% of his passes (147 of 258) for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. His overall passer rating was 74.4.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Titans, Raiders, Vegas, Dolphins

April 13th, 2016 at 1:52pm CST by Luke Adams

While the defensive line doesn’t appear on the surface to be a glaring hole for the Titans, it may be more of a priority in the draft for the team than we think, says Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. One personnel man tells Kuharsky that Tennessee’s line has “no depth,” and given how deep this year’s draft class is at that spot, it makes sense that the team would use at least one of its picks on a defensive lineman.

Here’s more from across the AFC:

Richard N. Velotta of the Las Vegas Review-Journal has more details on the presentation Raiders owner Mark Davis is making in Las Vegas later this month. Per Velotta, Davis is appearing before the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee on April 28th to address the proposed Vegas stadium. The committee will be tasked with determining whether to recommend the project for state funding. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report first reported on the meeting on Wednesday.
Clemson defensive end Kevin Dodd, who recently visited the Seahawks, is paying a visit to the Dolphins today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes, the Dolphins have shown plenty of interest in Clemson defenders this year, having done “significant work” on linebacker B.J. Goodson, who is also visiting the team.
The Steelers have yet to make a decision on the fifth-year option of outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes. Pittsburgh has until May 2nd to reach a verdict on the 2013 first-round pick. Last year, 12 of 32 selections did not get their options picked up.
Mike Rodak of ESPN.com explores whether or not it makes sense for the Bills to use an early- or mid-round pick on a quarterback in this year’s draft.
Contrary to an ESPN report, Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon and former Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel aren’t currently living together in Los Angeles, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

QB Rumors: Cook, Goff, Wentz, Manziel

April 11th, 2016 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

After spending the last week “sniffing around on the situation,” Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com is more convinced than ever that Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook will come off the board earlier than expected in this year’s draft. While other quarterbacks, such as Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, and Paxton Lynch, are being discussed more frequently in media circles, La Canfora suspects that a few NFL teams are hoping Cook flies under the radar.

According to La Canfora, at least one club is considering moving up from the second round to late in the first round to take Cook, if he’s available, and several teams have him rated as the second-best quarterback on their boards.

“We like the kid a lot,” said an executive from one team that has Cook second on its draft board. “We don’t think there is a whole lot separating some of these quarterbacks and Cook is the most ready to play. Goff, look at his tape against Utah, it’s not pretty. And Wentz, there is a lot to like there, but he needs to go somewhere and sit for a year or two and develop.”

Cook will have a busy schedule this week, according to La Canfora, who writes that the QB is visiting the Cowboys, Dolphins, Broncos, and 49ers. Cook will also visit the Jets and Bears, and work out for the Rams. He has previously visited the Ravens and Bills, and met with the Browns.

Here are a few more updates on quarterbacks who are seeking NFL jobs:

Jared Goff and Carson Wentz will be in Santa Clara this week to meet with the 49ers, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. San Francisco holds the No. 7 overall pick and is believed to be in the market for a quarterback.
In addition to meeting with San Francisco, Goff will visit the Saints, Eagles, and Jets in the coming days, tweets Michael Silver of the NFL Network. Unless Goff slips a little in the draft, at least two of those clubs would likely have to trade up to have a chance to land the Cal QB, so the fact that he’s meeting with those teams is interesting.
Wentz and Paxton Lynch, like Goff, will be visiting the Eagles this week, says Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
Penn State signal-caller Christian Hackenberg is among the quarterbacks meeting with the Jets this week, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Although Johnny Manziel told TMZ over the weekend that he’s living with Von Miller in Los Angeles, sources tell ESPN that Manziel is actually living with Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon. While it’s entirely possible that Manziel and Gordon are helping one another to stay out of trouble and get back on the field, the arrangement may not look great to potential Manziel suitors, or – in Gordon’s case – to the league office. It probably also didn’t improve Manziel’s odds of landing a job that he told TMZ that he had been out in West Hollywood five or six nights in a row, adding that he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with “partying.”

Extra Points: Manziel, Bills, Newsome

April 9th, 2016 at 12:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL…

Broncos star linebacker Von Miller wouldn’t mind if his team added his former college teammate, embattled quarterback Johnny Manziel. “If I had to make my decision on it, he would already be with the Broncos. But we’ve got guys in the front office that make those decisions, and they’ve put us in the championship with those decisions,” Miller said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com).
Linebacker Danny Lansanah is set to visit the Bills, tweets Josh Reed of WIVB. The 30-year-old spent the past three year with the Buccaneers, and he finished last season with 55 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble.
Jonathan Newsome avoided a felony conviction stemming from his marijuana arrest, writes Stephen Holder of IndyStar.com. The former Colts linebacker was instead sentenced to supervised probation.
Newsome may get another chance in the NFL, but ESPN.com’s Mike Wells doesn’t believe it will be with the Colts. The 25-year-old was released by the team in February following an arrest for marijuana possession.

Latest On Broncos, Johnny Manziel

April 7th, 2016 at 1:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos have spoken with Johnny Manziel about his potential fit with the team, according to ESPN’s Jeff Legwold (Twitter link). However, the Broncos have no plans to sign Johnny Manziel and signing him has not been discussed, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS (on Twitter). Even though head coach Gary Kubiak reached out to Manziel’s camp about a month ago, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter) also hears that team has no intention of signing him.

Kubiak and Manziel are both former Texas A&M quarterbacks and have a relationship stemming from that commonality, Klis notes (on Twitter). The Broncos head coach reached out to Manziel sometime after his release from the Browns, but it doesn’t sound like there were substantive conversations after that point.

The Broncos, of course, are searching for a quarterback after Peyton Manning announced his retirement and Brock Osweiler signed with the Texans on a four-year, $72MM deal. In March, Denver acquired Mark Sanchez from the Eagles, though he could be relegated to No. 2 on the depth chart if the team finds a better alternative at QB. The Broncos have discussed acquiring Colin Kaepernick from the 49ers, but Kaepernick is not interested in taking the kind of pay cut that Denver is pushing.

Earlier this year, Manziel was dropped by both the team that drafted him and his agent. In March, the controversial signal caller signed on with polarizing agent Drew Rosenhaus. Days later, Rosenhaus claimed that there were teams interested in his new client. That assertion was (understandably) met with some eye rolls from around football, but it appears that the defending champs at least kicked the tires on the former first-round pick.

The 23-year-old made eight starts and played in 15 total games for Cleveland, completing 57% of his passes (147 of 258) for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. His overall passer rating was 74.4.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Drew Rosenhaus: “Teams Are Interested” In Johnny Manziel

March 22nd, 2016 at 2:27pm CST by Zachary Links

TUESDAY, 2:27pm: There are teams interested in Manziel, but that interest comes with a caveat, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (all Twitter links). As Rapoport explains, clubs will want to see what the NFL decides on potential discipline for Manziel, and the league’s investigation is in a holding pattern while a grand jury considers the case. It may be months before the NFL is able to make any decisions.

Of course, any interested team will certainly also want to see Manziel seriously commit to making better life decisions off the field.

MONDAY, 9:59pm: Can Johnny Manziel find an NFL home sometime soon? Well, at least one person thinks he can. Manziel’s new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, says that there is interest in Manziel this offseason, despite his recent off-the-field problems.

“I’m not talking much about him publicly,” Rosenhaus said Monday, according to Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram. “Much of his life and career is public so from the business side we are trying to keep that behind the scenes. Yes, there are teams interested in him.”

At this stage, it’s hard to tell whether Rosenhaus’ comments are rooted in truth or are simply the bluster of an aggressive agent. For starters, Manziel is being investigated over a Jan. 30 altercation with ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley. Crowley alleges that Manziel assaulted her and ruptured her eardrum. The Texas A&M product has also had issues with alcohol and has declined re-entry into rehab multiple times.

The 23-year-old made eight starts and played in 15 total games for Cleveland, completing 57% of his passes (147 of 258) for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. His overall passer rating was 74.4.

Time will tell, but we have a hard time imagining that teams are clamoring to sign Manziel at this point. If he is able to get his personal troubles in check, however, there could certainly be renewed interest in the former first-round pick.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Johnny Manziel To Hire Drew Rosenhaus

March 19th, 2016 at 5:08pm CST by Luke Adams

5:08pm: Manziel has formally hired Rosenhaus for representation, according to La Canfora (Twitter link).

4:17pm: A week after becoming a free agent, and about a month and a half after losing his agent, Johnny Manziel appears likely to hire Drew Rosenhaus for representation, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). According to La Canfora, the situation remains “fluid,” but several of his sources say that Rosenhaus is very well-positioned to take over as Manziel’s agent.

Manziel’s previous agent, Erik Burkhardt, publicly cut ties with the troubled quarterback in early February in the wake of the latest off-field incident involving Manziel.

“Though I will remain a friend and Johnny supporter, and he knows I have worked tirelessly to arrange a number of professional options for him to continue to pursue, it has become painfully obvious that his future rests solely in his own hands,” Burkhardt said last month in a statement. “His family and I have gone to great lengths to outline the steps we feel he must take to get his life in order. Accountability is the foundation of any relationship, and without it, the function of my work is counterproductive.”

Although Rosenhaus appears poised to take over Manziel’s business interests, the super-agent won’t have an easy time finding the former first-round pick a new NFL home. La Canfora notes (via Twitter) that multiple teams have suggested they have no interest in considering Manziel until (or unless) he commits to major life changes, including making real progress toward getting sober.

The ex-Brown spent some time in rehab a year ago, but was spotted in nightclubs and bars several times during and after the 2015 season, and has repeatedly made headlines for off-field incidents, including a domestic altercation with his ex-girlfriend. A Dallas grand jury is currently deliberating over whether Manziel will face charges.

While it was Manziel’s off-field behavior that cost him his roster spot in Cleveland, he didn’t fare all that well on the field when he saw action during his first two seasons. The 23-year-old made eight starts and played in 15 total games for Cleveland, completing 57% of his passes (147 of 258) for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. His overall passer rating was 74.4.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Free Agency Rumors: Freeman, Carroll, Blount

March 12th, 2016 at 6:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts offered Jerrell Freeman the same three-year, $12MM deal that the Bears ultimately handed the 30-year-old linebacker, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com reports (on Twitter). The No. 23 player on PFR’s list of 2016’s top free agents, Freeman spurned the Colts’ offer and decided to change agents, winding up in Drew Rosenhaus’ stable, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. Freeman held out for a better deal after not being scooped up during free agency’s opening two days, and the Colts moved on after Freeman turned down their initial offer, Holder reports.

Here’s at look at the latest free agent notes:

Veteran corner Nolan Carroll left his visit with the Cowboys without agreeing to a contract, according to Tim McManus of 97.5 The Fanatic (Twitter link), who adds that the Dolphins and Eagles are apparently still in play for Carroll. Carroll, 29, started 11 games for Philadelphia last season.
LeGarrette Blount did not undergo surgery on the injured hip that ended his season early, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Still unsigned, Blount, who suffered a chipped bone in his hip, is 100% healthy and would be ready for OTAs should a team sign him.
Johnny Manziel cleared waivers, and the Browns as of now owe their latest first-round flameout quarterback $2.17MM, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. The Browns will attempt to recoup some of that money, should Manziel be suspended for his role in an alleged domestic violence incident this January in Dallas. Cleveland waited until Friday to waive Manziel, who’s been photographed at nightclubs in each of the past 10 nights, in hopes of a team attempting to trade for him.
The Dolphins confirmed (via Twitter) three previously-reported free agent visits, announcing that defensive end Jason Jones, linebacker Sean Spence, and quarterback Brandon Weeden had all met with the team.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Browns Waive Johnny Manziel

March 12th, 2016 at 4:36pm CST by Zachary Links

MARCH 12, 4:36pm: Manziel has officially cleared waivers and is now free to sign with any team, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

MARCH 11, 10:34am: The Browns have officially waived Manziel, as Andrew Gribble of ClevelandBrowns.com writes.

9:20am: The Browns are expected to waive Johnny Manziel by the end of Friday, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The move has long been expected and the Browns will make it all official in a matter of hours.

Some speculated that the Browns would wait on making a move with Manziel to see if they might be able to trade him for a late-round pick. Given his off-the-field troubles and uneven play on the field, teams were apparently unwilling to give up anything of value for Manziel.

Since the Browns drafted the former Texas A&M star in the 2014 first round, he has 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 and have carried into the offseason. The Dallas County District Attorney’s office is currently investigating the 23-year-old over a Jan. 30 altercation with ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley, who alleges that Manziel assaulted her and ruptured her eardrum.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Manziel, Okung, Streater

March 12th, 2016 at 11:58am CST by Ben Levine

Rumors have persisted that Johnny Manziel could eventually wind up with the Cowboys. However, following the embattled quarterback’s release from the Browns, it doesn’t sound like Dallas currently has much interest.

According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys have no intention of signing the 23-year-old once he passes waivers. However, Moore did leave the window open, noting that the organization wouldn’t pursue the signal-caller “until he gets his life back in order.”

A report in January hinted that Manziel had interest in playing for Dallas, and according to Moore, the quarterback was convinced that the interest would be mutual. For the time being, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Let’s check out some more assorted notes from around the league…

Michael Silver of Sports Illustrated believes the Lions are the favorite to sign offensive tackle Russell Okung. The writer notes that the Seahawks, 49ers, and Giants are also in the mix for the 28-year-old.
Wideout Rod Streater is set to meet with the Chiefs today, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The former Raiders receiver has also met with the Patriots and the Jets.
Defensive back Will Blackmon has received a contract offer from Washington, reports Mike Jones of The Washington Post (via Twitter). However, the 31-year-old has drawn interest from several teams, and the cornerback is currently “reviewing his options.”
The 49ers have interest in retaining defensive end Tony Jerod-Eddie, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. The team wasn’t willing to commit the $1.67MM it would have taken to make the 25-year-old a restricted free agent.