Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther believes in Johnny Manziel, the controversial quarterback out of Texas A&M who went No. 22 overall in last year's draft to the Cleveland Browns. Unfortunately for Manziel, he is still on the Browns, and not the Bengals.
Manziel's rookie year was a disastrous cocktail of ineptitude on the field and bad press off of it. So far this offseason Manziel has gone to rehab and come back saying all the right things; the question now is whether or not he can actually play. He hasn't proved it yet, but Guenther believes it will just take time and patience for him to develop into an asset.
The key, Guenther said, is Manziel learning how to play inside the pocket even though he lacks prototypical size for the position.
"Drew Brees did it," Guenther said. "I know Drew is a little bit thicker than Johnny but about the same height. ... I don't see any reason why he can't do it up there. [Manziel] was such a high-profile guy out of college and everyone expected what he did at Texas A&M, but it's a man's game, it's a lot different, and it takes time. You have to take your lumps a little bit."
Comparing Manziel to Brees is obviously a big stretch, but the size comparison is valid, and Manziel does have mobility that Brees couldn't dream of.
"I think he has good feet, is obviously a threat to run it, and I think in the right system he can be a good player," Guenther said. "There was so much expected in his first game, and maybe some of that was self-warranted, but it was so much from the fan base that you have to let him make mistakes."
Manziel is going to have time to develop. He is currently behind Josh McCown on the Browns' depth chart, and it does not seem like there is even a competition for the starting job. He's also unlikely to be traded because his value couldn't be lower after last year's debacle.
[ESPN]
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