Well, he's back again -- for now. The Cleveland Browns are giving Johnny Manziel a second, second chance to be the starting quarterback and prove his worth. But if it doesn't work out this time (or he's seen partying once again), could rumors emerge that this is Manziel's last opportunity before he ultimately gets traded to the Dallas Cowboys?
Back on November 24, it was reported that Manziel partied during the Browns' bye week and a mobile phone video emerged. That got Manziel demoted to third-string QB behind the previously uninjured Josh McCown and young Austin Davis.
Then McCown broke his collarbone, and Davis was given the chance to start a game. He didn't look all that great, and today, Manziel was named the starter by head coach Mike Pettine.
But his leash can't be very long. After all, how many chances do you give the guy?
In the past week, the connection of Manziel to Jerry Jones and the Cowboys has been well documented. Dallas' owner and GM talked at length about what was going on in the war room during the 2014 NFL Draft when the Cowboys ultimately selected Zack Martin over Manziel.
"Do you remember two years ago when we sat there right to the last second on the clock with Manziel? My whole point is, there you are," Jones said via FOX Sports. "That was the whole purpose of doing that. At that particular time, for a first-round pick, I thought that Romo had more time. And if we sat there and worked with Manziel for four or five years, now we all know what's happened. We know the off-the-field issues. But on our board, one of our top-five or six picks dropped down to us and it was at the quarterback position, and I absolutely was a vote of one in that room to basically go there."
It's no mystery that Jones at one point wanted Manziel. If Johnny Football ruins this opportunity -- his fourth different chance to earn the starter position in only two years -- I'd have to imagine the Browns would be ready to move on; and if that happens, the team that will more than likely be the first to call would be the Cowboys.
Manziel for a third-round pick?
Doesn't sound so far-fetched at this juncture.
Honestly, the only way this won't happen this offseason is if Manziel proves he can play on the field. The off-field stuff has obviously been an issue, but you know? Rob Gronkowski parties pretty hard. He still comes to play and gets paid well to do so every Sunday (when healthy, at least) for the New England Patriots. Patrick Kane has been known to enjoy his free time. He still comes to play and also gets paid handsomely to do so for the Chicago Blackhawks. If you can play and help your team win games, the other stuff will all just be noise.
That said, perhaps Manziel wants out of Cleveland. I mean, who wouldn't?
If that's the case, maybe we won't see him play too well. That definitely isn't the right or respectable thing to do -- but then again, who said Manziel cared all that much about those things in the first place?
There's no way to know for sure, but this writer's gut feeling is that Manziel won't be a Brown for too much longer. I think they'll be ready to just move on, and Jerry Jones will happily oblige their request to move him.
