How Johnny Manziel Fits in the Context of the Browns' Troubled QB Situation

For all the deserved criticism Cleveland Browns general manager Ray Farmer has fielded, at least credit him for not entertaining the idea of retaining Brian Hoyer as the team's hopeful savior at quarterback.

In leaving Cleveland for the Houston Texans, Hoyer was headed to the only offensive system he's known for multiple years of his NFL career for a chance to start. Hoyer proceeded to throw a horrible interception on his first pass attempt as the Texans signal-caller—and was benched for poor play after less than one game by head coach Bill O'Brien, who knows Hoyer as well as any other coach in the league.

Granted, Johnny Manziel, one of Farmer's two first-round picks as a first-time GM, was dealing with off-field issues last year and wasn't ready to play for the Browns. The extent of that wasn't fully evident until he went to rehab. Yours truly expected Manziel to "wreck this league" right away.

It didn't work out that way. Manziel was dealing with serious personal issues while trying to be an NFL quarterback. Forget transitioning from an air-raid offense at Texas A&M to pro-style schematics. Manziel was carrying an added burden that can't be minimized.

But it was obvious how limited Hoyer was when he struggled under pressure and delivered a 72.4 passer rating off play-action fakes, per Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson. This also serves as a testament to how brilliant of a play-caller Kyle Shanahan was and is.

David Richard/Associated Press

In his first NFL offensive coordinator gig in Houston, of all places, Shanahan helped Matt Schaub become the NFL's leading passer in 2009. Schaub had a couple of decent years thereafter but was never that good again.

Shanahan had to deal with the Robert Griffin III fiasco in Washington and got out of that situation—not before catering his system to Griffin's strengths and seeing RG3 lead Washington to an NFC East title and become the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Observe how Griffin has turned out—third string behind Kirk Cousins and former Browns QB Colt McCoy.

Shanahan schemed up a genius offense in 2014 with Hoyer as his quarterback and a cast of no-name receivers, helping the Browns win seven games. Now Shanahan gets to work with Matt Ryan in Atlanta, which is why the Falcons are going to surprise people in the coming years.

In the offseason, CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reported Shanahan showed Browns head coach Mike Pettine a 32-point presentation on why he was leaving the coaching staff. Call it classless, or call it being pushed to the brink of insanity by the Browns' incompetence:

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At season's end Shanahan, the lone bright spot on offense, perhaps, presented Pettine with a 32-point presentation on why he wanted to get out of his contract, sources said. And after much deliberation among lawyers and negotiation, in a bizarre precedent, a statement was crafted and Shanahan was a free man. ... Allowing Shanahan to walk sent shockwaves through the building, with such a talented coach allowed to go at a time when the Browns desperately needed to develop a quarterback and with a quarter of the teams in the NFL needing a new offensive coordinator.

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In an act that will go down in the most infamous annals of Browns history, Farmer sent text messages to the sidelines during games last year, suggesting play calls and such; Farmer is currently serving a four-game suspension for those actions.

At least at the root of Farmer venting his frustration was something that was absolutely true—that Hoyer is not a starting-caliber quarterback. But even at that time, Farmer couldn't have known how bad it had gotten with Manziel. He knew Hoyer was horrible and had to surmise Manziel could at least create plays or do something better.

That didn't turn out to be the case in 2014. Manziel couldn't deal with the hype after being the biggest rock star college football has ever seen.

Even though Hoyer was mentored by Tom Brady to start his NFL career, look no further than the facts. His NFL career completion percentage is 56.3 over a span of 33 games. That's a large enough sample size to know what you have in a quarterback—to know those are not the numbers of a long-term starter under center.

Hoyer completed 55.8 percent of his passes at Michigan State. In the final two years he started, he completed 59.3 percent as a junior but regressed to 51.0 percent as a senior.

Multiple prominent, respectable Browns media members pined for the team to retain Hoyer. They rip Manziel on a constant basis, for some reason still believe he places himself above the team and don't acknowledge the possibility that he can succeed now or in the years to come.

What are they watching?

The media becoming embittered over the team's QB woes since it re-entered the league in 1999 is a function of how dysfunctional the Browns have been. One particular reporter who should be commended as one of the pillars of Browns football coverage stated this year's team would win 10 games with Hoyer under center:

In light of what happened to Hoyer in Houston in Week 1, that's ludicrous. This is how dire it's gotten. A veteran beat reporter and team analyst is longing for the Hoyer glory days, whatever those were.

An otherwise-likable, oft-funny, evocative and passion-fueled Cleveland radio show that's enjoyable to listen to, The Really Big Show on ESPN 850 WKNR, is the latest prime example of Manziel bashing.

The show implied that the team had a collective letdown in Week 1 against the New York Jets solely because Manziel had to enter the game. Multiple radio personalities were on public record, asserting no one on the Browns wants to play for Manziel or get behind him.

Yet after Week 1, Joe Thomas, perhaps the most respected player in the Browns locker room, cast Manziel in a different light:

Thomas isn't the type of guy who minces words. He's seen his fair share of terrible quarterback play and could have given a bland answer when discussing Manziel. The five-time first-team All-Pro chose not to.

Now Manziel is getting that opportunity and starting in Week 2, as ClevelandBrowns.com's Andrew Gribble reported Friday.

Cornerback Joe Haden has been behind Manziel, even during his turbulent rookie season. Linebacker Karlos Dansby, another veteran team leader who's acknowledged disappointment with Manziel in the past, has said on public record that he sees the potential and talent.

"Johnny gave us some great looks,'' Dansby said in January, per Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot. "I can't lie. He was giving us that every day. He was making us better as a defense every day."

Dansby was referencing the time frame in which Manziel was at the height of his partying phase as a rookie.

Offensive coordinator John DeFilippo had things to say about Manziel on Thursday to suggest Manziel has come a long way, per ESPN.com's Pat McManamon:

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Johnny losing these last three weeks of practice, he didn't drop off from a level of accuracy, footwork and those things that a lot of young quarterbacks do. Johnny has tremendous physical attributes, tremendous physical attributes. We just have to keep grooming him and keep teaching him situational football and when to take chances and when not to.

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Here's another key detail from DeFilippo's presser, courtesy of CBS Cleveland's Daryl Ruiter:

If that's the case, it seems as though Manziel is coming around.

Most Browns fans and media are ready to give up on a unique talent in Johnny Manziel—even though he hasn't made a start since his stint in rehab, whereupon—by all accounts, reports and his own actions—he's drastically turned his life around for the better. Bleacher Report's Lars Anderson did an expansive feature about Manziel's road to recovery that is well worth the read.

All the self-inflicted turmoil the 22-year-old Manziel has brought on himself appears to be blowing over at long last. Despite the fact that he's mastering a completely new offense, kicking his demons aside and moving to the precipice of getting his shot to prove he can live up to his first-round draft label, many still want to engage in negative Johnny Football banter.

Those who doubt Manziel may yet have fuel to add to the fire of what's already a blazing inferno because of how polarizing the young signal-caller innately is.

It may still take a year for Manziel to fully jell, trust his reads, develop confidence in how he scans the field and strike the ideal balance between playing from the pocket and utilizing his unique improvisational skills to his benefit.

The 2012 draft class featuring Andrew Luck, RG3, Ryan Tannehill and Russell Wilson, along with the microwave, instant-gratification era we live in now, has distorted the perception of top-level quarterbacks coming out of college in recent years. That class has created a dangerous climate of wild expectations.

Luck has done such a phenomenal job of succeeding Peyton Manning in Indianapolis that he is setting the bar even higher. That's in spite of the fact that he's a once-in-15-or-20-years prospect. It leads to jumping to conclusions in certain instances:

Cleveland's Week 2 opponent, Tennessee, saw Marcus Mariota light it up in his NFL debut with four touchdown passes. Mariota is another rare prospect who's more of the exception than the trend, yet that won't stop the emerging, prevailing perception.

If a first-round rookie doesn't start right away and play exceptionally well, he's a bust, according to the precedent set by the extraordinary 2012 QB crop that many are following as the new NFL standard.

Blake Bortles has the most starting experience thus far and boasts the gaudiest first-round draft label from Manziel's class as the No. 3 overall pick.

I did not like Bortles coming out of UCF. Bleacher Report analyst Chris Simms has serious reservations about Bortles' natural throwing ability that I agree with, particularly for a man of his 6'5", 245-pound stature who would have his backers from biased Browns fans eager for a bigger QB.

Bortles hasn't done anything in the regular season to prove Simms or me wrong. Still, Bortles is at the beginning of his second year, yet everyone is expecting him to break out now and be a star. He's a massive project and needs this full season before a judgment can be made.

Yes, top quarterback prospects are better equipped with football knowledge and resources to be prepared entering the NFL than they have been in the past. Nevertheless, the league is always evolving and adapting to whatever offensive trends are ruling the day or year.

That's why, when Manziel gets his shot this Sunday—his first start since entering rehab—he may prove all the haters wrong and play well enough to suggest he can be the long-awaited QB answer in Cleveland.

Browns Beat's Mike Hoag is one of the few casting Manziel in any sort of positive light after his performance against a stout Jets secondary—which featured a 54-yard touchdown strike to Travis Benjamin:

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Manziel's first 10 dropbacks (2nd quarter): 4/6, 92 yds, 1 TD; 2 rush, 9 yds (22-yd scramble & 7-yard 1st dn completion negated by penalty)

— Mike Hoag (@MikeHoagJr) September 15, 2015"

The problem is that if Manziel keeps the job and plays out the season with a running game that looked awful in Week 1 and a dearth of receiving weapons, he may do fine as an individual. However, Manziel's stats will be pedestrian because of the lack of supporting talent Farmer has flanked him with.

Furthermore, and potentially worse, if Josh McCown plays out the season or most of it beyond Week 2, Manziel is on the bench for too long and he only goes in when the Browns' year is lost, he'll have those middling results compounded with a small sample size. All the pressure will then be on Cleveland to force-feed itself a new quarterback through the 2016 NFL draft.

At this moment, there appear to be no clear-cut franchise QBs in the 2016 draft class. Ohio State's Cardale Jones—who's started five college games and is still battling for clear-cut starter status with J.T. Barrett—has the potential and arm talent to be a future face of an NFL franchise.

Brad Penner/Associated Press

It would be a classic Browns move to use another first-round pick on a probable bust. But here they are, already reportedly digging in on another Michigan State quarterback by the name of Connor Cook, per CBS Sports' Jon Solomon.

Cook isn't the same player as Hoyer. He has superior physical tools but rocks a career completion percentage of 58.1, including 55.6 percent in two games this season.

Same old Browns? This much is uncertain. It's Week 2 of the season.

To say as much would be the type of overreaction and predetermination of doom that's plagued Cleveland for years. McCown was the team's 24th different starting quarterback since 1999.

Continuity, stability and sheer logic would aid the chronic culture crisis in Cleveland, regardless of whomever the organization rolls with as its QB of the future. If they're smart, the Browns will give Manziel a chance, retain the current coaching staff and spend their next offseason prioritizing the additions of legitimate playmakers and top-tier talent at the skill positions.

Only then will the Browns and their fans—desperate for a winner to the point of a myriad expressing vitriol toward Manziel—know what they have in their latest heavy investment in football's most important position.