CLEVELAND- Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel told NFL.com that he expects to be the starter at some point in the 2014 regular season. The Browns are currently negotiating a contract extension with quarterback Brian Hoyer. If Manziel starts, it may not be for the regular season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Former Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden provides the perfect example of what happens to when a quarterback is thrown into the fire too early.
Manziel said, “I want to play. That’s what anybody wants to do.” Anybody that’s been a starter in the past, and been playing, they want to play. To say I don’t want to be the starter, that would be ridiculous. I absolutely want to start, that’s my goal. Hopefully I can achieve that.”
Hoyer will not make it easy for him. As popular as Manziel is with the Browns fan base and the media, Hoyer dazzled Browns fans last year with his unexpected performances against Minnesota and Cincinnati, both wins. Hoyer started after Brandon Weeden sustained an injury that kept him out several weeks.
If Manziel starts, it may not be for the regular season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Former Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden provides the perfect example of what happens to when a quarterback is thrown into the fire too early.
The reality of losing is constant in the Browns organization. Hoyer had a chance to change the losing culture of Browns football. He had a chance to go 3-0 as the Browns starting quarterback before suffering an ACL tear that ended his season, thus sucking the life out the Browns fan base. The team rallied around Brandon Weeden during the remainder of the Thursday Night Primetime game which the Browns defeated the Bills 37-24 after losing Hoyer.
Quarterback competitions are nothing new to the Browns. The team went through many changes at starting quarterback in search of their long term answer. The Browns seem to be an eyelash away from finding out as Hoyer and Manziel provide something that Browns fans last saw with Bernie Kosar, stability at quarterback. Who will be the long term solution?