His football career in Cleveland all but pronounced dead, Johnny Manziel had a big barrier removed in his possible transition to the Cowboys for 2016.
The blessing of the Dallas media -- or at least The Dallas Morning News.
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Manziel's second-year improvement and his discounted price tag make him a much more palatable target for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, the Morning News' Tim Cowlishaw said.
"Given limited opportunities with a bad team missing its best receiver, Josh Gordon, Manziel's play improved dramatically in his second year," Cowlishaw said. "It's not like he removed all doubts. He simply reopened the discussion of whether the undersized, run-first Heisman winner can alter his style enough to succeed in the NFL."
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And while the Cowboys could find a top-flight quarterback in the NFL draft with their No. 4 pick, why should they go the quarterback route if Manziel's available at a bargain rate and the team can use their top draft pick to address another need?
Jones, whose previously professed to have wanted to draft Manziel when he left Texas A&M after the 2013 season, also said that he expects current starting quarterback Tony Romo to play at least two or three more seasons. That gives Manziel time to address his issue, or simply grow up.
"That brings us back to the bargain bin," Cowlishaw said. "What if you can get Manziel another way -- he certainly won't cost a high draft pick at this point -- and land an impact defensive player to help the team immediately in 2016 when Tony Romo and Dez Bryant (presumably) are fully healthy? How much better is that than a quarterback you are hoping to sit?"
Manziel's whereabouts on Saturday still are in doubt -- whether he was in Cleveland with his dog as his Instagram account suggested, or whether he was in Las Vegas -- but he was reportedly at the team's facility on Monday for exit meetings.
"Seems like he's trying to party his way out of Cleveland," Sports Illustrated's Peter King wrote. "The team doesn't want him anymore but won't say so for fear of eliminating any trade value for him. Too late for that. I bet 25 teams in this league, at least, wouldn't take Manziel off waivers right now."
Fortunately for Manziel, he seems to have Jerry Jones on his side. And Jones seems to have the Dallas media on his.
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