Is Starting Johnny Manziel the Right Choice for the Cleveland Browns?

When Mike Pettine informed Johnny Manziel he was giving him the reins to the team on Tuesday, naming him the full-time starting quarterback, making him the face of the Browns, the conversation turned to Manziel’s history of off-the-field incidents. He threw for 372 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

“He showed significant progress”, Pettine said.

Benjamin, who has 48 catches for 736 yards and four touchdowns as the No. 1 wideout, said he had no problem with Pettine and his staff.

Despite being unable to conclude Cleveland’s five-game losing streak, Manziel’s showing was enough to convince Pettine of his readiness for the starting job. “I think these guys know I’m dialed in, I’m focused on this stuff, and I’m ready to try and put us in the best position to win”. According to this tweet by Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, Pettine wouldn’t say that he’s sticking with Manziel moving forward.

Roethlisberger was quick to deflect the praise, something he might not have done during that breakout season 10 years ago when he became the youngest quarterback ever to win it all.

After last week’s big game against the Raiders, DeAngelo Williams cooled off against the NFL’s worst run defense, rushing 17 times for 54 yards. “This will give us an opportunity to see how far he’s come and what he’s capable of”.

McCown worked wonders for the two biggest receiving threats in the offense.

“I appreciate the NFL’s diligence and discretion in reviewing a situation that was both personal and embarrassing”, Manziel said.

Pettine also acknowledged that Manziel’s off-field goings-on have been a concern.

The message is clear: This is Manziel’s time to show he’s the future of the Browns.

However, not everyone involved in the decision wanted to commit to Manziel for the rest of the season because of how well McCown has played, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

After watching Manziel struggle through a tumultuous rookie season in 2014, Greco believes he has more trust in his own skills, and that is why his leadership has improved. “We’ll move forward accordingly”. But Manziel spent 10 weeks in an addiction treatment center in the offseason, and those incidents are red flags for the organization. As important as his success in that game is for his professional aspirations, the next two months off the field may prove just as critical.

But what did the Steelers get in return when they signed Jacoby Jones to replace Archer as their kick returner and ostensibly to replace Antonio Brown as their punt returner? “You hardly see any of it. Notwithstanding the first play (Manziel fumbled trying to throw a pass) and that can happen to anybody, but the sharpness, the command of the offense, the command of the huddle is really impressive, especially considering where he was a year ago”.

If things go well, the Browns would obviously keep Manziel around and let him continue to develop next season when, barring some unforeseen change, they’re once again in a rebuilding year. Now that it is here, Manziel can not play average or the chances of the Browns acquiring another QB either through the draft or free agency will increase.

Fresh off a loss which begged their still-loyal fans to root for literally any other football team, the Cleveland Browns are heading into a much-needed bye week.