Johnny Manziel is clearly entering 2015 training camp as a backup option to veteran free agent signee Josh McCown, but the tune around the Cleveland Browns on Manziel is reverting back to hopeful after a mostly quiet offseason.
The controversial No. 22 overall pick of the 2014 draft was a disaster in Year 1, and after the season ended he checked himself into rehab. After spending 10 weeks there, Manziel has been largely silent. Aside from one incident in which he allegedly chucked a water bottle at a teenager, Manziel's stayed out of the spotlight, and only commented to apologize for his behavior last year and denounce his money sign celebration.
When the Browns added McCown this offseason, and made it clear that drafting a quarterback in 2015 was a possibility, it looked like the team was moving on from Manziel. Owner Jimmy Haslam is saying that isn't true at all.
"Despite what everybody reads and says, we've not at all given up on Johnny [Manziel],'' Haslam said. "We think he has the potential to be a good football player. Now, having the potential and doing it are two different things, but I think we've said numerous times that you're not going to win consistently in this league without a good quarterback and we're trying to make that happen."
Manziel's problems were not limited to his behavior off the field. On the gridiron Manziel looked unprepared when given his chance to start, undersized, and unable to physically handle NFL hits. Haslam thinks it is too early to bury him as a prospect.
"I think it's important -- everybody forgets he's barely 22 years old. He's still young, so I think over the next couple of years we've got to see if Johnny can be a legitimate quarterback or not. I don't want to put too much pressure on him or our coaches to say it has to happen this year.''
Manziel must continue to put his best foot forward though, Haslam noted.
"I think we're pleased that Johnny did do the things he should do in the offseason and it was a great improvement over his first year but anything less would've been totally unacceptable."
[CBS]
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