Browns coaches will not allow Johnny Manziel to blame his height for his struggles so far in the NFL, and once again invoked Saints quarterback Drew Brees as an example of height-challenged quarterbacks who have found major success.

"I see part of it as a positive," Pettine said. "The realization is that he's going to have to understand where to move in the pocket to create some throwing lanes. When you study a Drew Brees, you can see that he's not a scrambler but he has great sense in the pocket as far as where to move in relation to who he's throwing to and where the potential throwing lane would be.”

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Pettine must stop mentioning Brees in the same sentence as Manziel. Brees, a former Super Bowl MVP and nine-time Pro Bowler, is a lock for the Hall of Fame, and plays football with a style completely opposed to Manziel’s. Pettine also mentioned Russell Wilson as a comparison, and while he is a little closer there, Manziel is too far away from that kind of success.

Johnny Football has started four games in his career, while Brees and Wilson have started in three combined Super Bowls. Manziel, the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner, also did not enter the league with any reputation as a pocket passer. While Pettine correctly identified Brees’ ability to move in the pocket and locate throwing lanes, Manziel has never demonstrated that ability.

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In fact, he’s never even shown as much polish as Wilson in that regard. While Wilson can scramble, he, like Brees, prefers to make plays from the pocket and then scramble if necessary. Manziel’s college success was mostly on the ground, and the majority of his highlights at the NFL level involve him scrambling or rolling out and throwing on the run.

Manziel does not have the speed or durability of Wilson when he’s running, and he lacks the football IQ and arm strength of either veteran he is often compared to. The reality is that Manziel is a unique talent that Cleveland must cater the offense to if they view him as their future.

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