The Cleveland Browns drafted Johnny Manziel this year and he remains the backup to Brian Hoyer after the veteran won the job over the summer and now that he has continued to perform well, the Browns potentially could look at a trade for Manziel if they keep Hoyer long term as the starting quarterback.
According to Pro Football Talk, there was report from Jason Cole that came out earlier in the week that said Hoyer would not sign long term in Cleveland if Manziel was still on the roster. Hoyer came out to say that the report was not true and he also added that he was focused on playing against the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. Hoyer has played well this season and the Browns could consider making a trade for draft picks or an impact player if they find a team interested.
Hoyer is heading towards free agency and the Browns are unlikely to hit him with a franchise tag of over $15 million, so that could turn into an interesting discussion. On top of that, as well as Hoyer is playing, last year showed that one play can change anything and there really is no reason why Manziel and Hoyer can't co-exist. Hoyer and the Browns have not been working on a new deal yet and while the team is off to a solid 3-2, the franchise knows that it's a long season and making any major decisions at quarterback now is likely the wrong one.
The Browns have had issues finding a legit QB since they came back into existence and they could have a star in Johnny Manziel. But if Hoyer plays well for a full season and remains healthy and somehow gets the team to the playoffs, it could be a very different story. Hoyer has seven TDs and just one interception this season and that strong play has spurred these rumors, which always surround Manziel. In this new CBA draft world, it's not the worst thing to draft another QB even with all the hype Manziel has and trading him could net a nice package.
While the team is not necessarily looking to do this, it brings up some interesting options for the Browns if Hoyer makes it through the season successfully. Hoyer has been completing 60 percent of his passes and has 1232 yards and he has not passed for over 300 yards in a game yet. The team liked what Hoyer did this summer and that is why he won the job over Manziel and now the team has to figure out what the future at QB looks like for the Browns.
Manziel only has one pass attempt this season and while he could get more as the season moves along, Hoyer is locked in as the starter. Last season Hoyer played in only three games before suffered a season ending injury and he played well before that and now he is getting another chance to be the man in Cleveland. Manziel could probably net a nice package for the Browns, but if it's not a first round pick, it likely is not worth it for the team since they used one on him. The team is in position to make moves again next year and that may depend on whether Hoyer is in long term or not.