Last year, the Cleveland Browns had a tough decision to make during training camp. Whether to move forward with Brian Hoyer or Johnny Manziel as the starting quarterback. Head Coach Mike Pettine decided to go with the veteran. He is faced with a similar decision this off-season. Although this time around, it makes a little more sense for Manziel to win the job.
The Browns signed quarterback Josh McCown this offseason. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year in what would be considered a disappointing season. McCown was benched early in the year and replaced with backup Mike Glennon. For good reason, McCown was playing horrible football. During last season Josh threw 11 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and had a QBR of 32.7. The Browns did sign him as a bridge quarterback to mentor and play over Manziel. But, is that really the best option for Cleveland? A team that has been in quarterback purgatory since they returned to the NFL in 1999.
Manziel is a better option for the Browns moving forward. This regime may have only been installed last year but time may be running out. If McCown plays his absolute best with a very good defense and supporting cast around him you might win 8-10 games. With Manziel, you don’t know where his ceiling is. Yes, he did play terrible in the small sample size we had last year, but it was obvious he had personal problems. Johnny has shown maturity and a focus on football since he has come back from rehabilitation. The Browns have already used their first round pick on Johnny, why not give him a real chance to succeed ?
The Browns are a young talented team. Using a mediocre veteran quarterback is not the way to push this team to the next level. Giving Manziel his chance is the correct decision. He will give them a spark and serve as hope for the Browns fans. First round picks are not meant to watch from the sideline. If both quarterbacks fail to produce and can’t win games, there is a popular saying in Cleveland used for those type of situations, “There’s always next year.”