The Cleveland Browns went 7-9 in 2014, giving fans hope that a better future was on the horizon. Cleveland, where hope and championship dreams go to die, actually has a solid roster and a young, promising head coach in Mike Pettine. Yet, this is Cleveland, so there is a catch.
The Browns drafted Johnny Manziel with the 21st overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, hoping to have solved their long-standing quarterback woes. Since coming back into existence in 1999, the best Cleveland signal-caller is a race between Derek Anderson and Tim Couch. Let that sink in for a minute.
Manziel was selected to a chorus of media fanfare with the undertone of nervousness. The talent is most certainly there, but so are the personal problems. The man known as Johnny Football is always up for a good time, whether it is partying Las Vegas during the offseason or getting wild the night before a Week 17 walkthrough, causing you to miss practice.
Now, Manziel has taken an honorable and proper step. He has admitted he needs help getting his substance abuse under control, with multiple reports stating the substance is alcohol. Manziel checked into an unknown treatment facility near Cleveland with the team’s blessing. The Browns can only wait and see, praying for both their and Manziel’s sake that he comes out clean on the other side.
From a football standpoint, Manziel’s actions have put Cleveland in limbo. Last year’s primary starter, Brian Hoyer, is hitting free agency come March 10. Hoyer performed well at times for the Browns in 2014, but doesn’t appear a long-term solution. Cleveland also holds two first-round selections for the second consecutive year in the draft, thanks to a trade with the Buffalo Bills.
The draft experts only have two quarterbacks worthy of a first-round pick, focusing on Marcus Mariota of Oregon and Florida State’s Jameis Winston. Winston seems a likely candidate to go first-overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Mariota is not projected to get past the New York Jets at the sixth spot.
Mariota has been working out with quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell, causing much ire within the NFL. O’Connell is currently unemployed by any league team, allowing him to work out with Mariota. However, it is strongly believed Cleveland will hire O’Connell, making this a backdoor way of getting a leg up on the competition, per Pro Football Talk.
Would the Browns be willing to package both first-round picks to move up for Mariota? Do they plan on Mariota sliding further than expected and nabbing him with the 12th-overall selection? Cleveland would be putting a ton of stock in Mariota after drafting Manziel only a year prior, while simultaneously admitting that choice was a bust.
The Browns face a serious dilemma because with some help at the offensive skill positions, this is a playoff team provided a good quarterback is running the show. Cleveland has an excellent defense and a good coach, but the situation must improve under center.
The Browns have a tough call to make in a few months. They can’t afford to mess it up.