Brian Hoyer got the start under center with the Browns' first team offense last weekend, with Johnny Manziel working with the second string. That is no indication of who the regular season starter will be on September 7th in Pittsburgh. Rumors are swirling that Manziel may start Cleveland’s 2nd preseason game against the Redskins, which coincidentally will be on ESPN. The Browns say they would like to choose a full-time starter by their 3rd preseason game against the Rams. No matter who ends up under center in Week 1, at this point in seems like a no-win situation for Cleveland, for at least this season. Brian Hoyer did start a few games last year, and did go 3-0, so he has some experience starting at this level. But in those 3 games he threw 5 TD’s and 3 INT’s, not the best ratio for a starter. Hoyer is obviously far from a proven QB. The easy choice, based on popularity, would be Johnny Manziel, who is nearly as popular in Cleveland as LeBron James. Manziel was drafter 22nd overall by Cleveland, with only 1 other QB ahead of him (Bortles, No. 3 to the Jaguars). The Browns came in to the draft knowing no matter who they chose, there would be a question mark at the QB position, especially when they let Brandon Weeden go to Dallas. So they didn’t draft Manziel thinking he would be a guaranteed franchise player to lead them to the top. So far in training camp, he has shown no signs of even winning this competition. He has looked confused during practice and drills, showing no chemistry with those around him yet, and spending a lot of time asking questions about the plays rather than executing them. There have even been plays where Manziel didn’t know the route, or what the play was after the ball was snapped. He insists that he is continuing to learn, which may be true, but the chances of him learning enough to be a reliable starter in the next month seem very slim at this point. Also, Manziel relies more on his legs than he does his arm. That proves to work in college, but has proven otherwise in the NFL. Denard Robinson is now a wide receiver in Jacksonville after being drafted as a QB. Tim Tebow went from Denver to the Jets after being drafted in 2010, and is now an analyst on the SEC Network. Robert Griffin III’s numbers went down tremendously last season after taking a hit on a run option that injured his knee in a playoff game the previous year. All 3 of those QB’s depended on their legs more than their arms, and it has impacted them early on in their careers in a negative way. That does not bode well for Manziel. And whether it's Manziel, or Hoyer, they most likely will be without the leader in receiving yards last season, Josh Gordon. If Cleveland wants to go with the safe bet, they choose the some-what experienced Hoyer. Either way, Cleveland seems to be on their way to another struggling season.
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Justin Valentine is the Program Coordinator at The ROAR, the host of the JVSportsTalk PPV Pod, and the Promotions Coordinator at 105.1 The Bounce, 105.9 KISS FM, and The Detroit Praise Network.
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