The Cleveland Browns may have a dilemma after the season with Brian Hoyer, as he is set to be a free agent and with teams like the Oakland Raiders, Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans reportedly interested in the quarterback, the Browns may need to sign him to a long term deal, but that has its own problems, as Johnny Manziel is waiting in the wings and that could spark some trade interest with a team like the Dallas Cowboys depending on how it plays out.
The Browns are in playoff position for the first time in a number of years and Hoyer is one of the main reasons why and that has raised many questions about what will happen after the 2014 campaign. CBS Sports put out an article last week detailing some of the biggest offseason questions regarding contracts and Hoyer's situation with the Browns was mentioned at the top of the article. The Browns obviously can sign Hoyer and keep Manziel, but with the way Hoyer has played this season and the impact he has had for the Browns, the team may not have it that easy.
According to Pro Football Talk, the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders could be interested in Hoyer come next offseason and that could complicate things for the Browns. The team has to weigh how much they want Hoyer along with his contract demands and things could get testy if another team offers him a more lucrative long term deal than what the Browns are looking to do. Manziel is clearly the QB of the future if he remains in Cleveland, but the team could also potentially look at a trade if they feel they want to go all in on Hoyer.
Earlier in the season there were reports on various websites that Hoyer wouldn't consider a long term deal if Manziel was on the roster, but he later came out to refute that. Hoyer has the Browns in playoff position and while he hasn't put up numbers like Peyton Manning or other top QBs, he has taken care of the ball and he has the team winning games, which is something that has not happened here in years. Hoyer went for 330 yards last week for his first game over 300 yards and he now has 11 TDs and just five picks this season.
Last year Hoyer looked good to start the season before getting injured and now the Browns have to decide if he is a long term answer. It's likely he will ask for a deal with some security and a team like the Texans could jump in, as Bill O'Brien previously worked with Hoyer in New England. The Browns are now 6-4 and they are right in the mix in the divisional race and the playoff race in the AFC. Hoyer is getting Josh Gordon back this week and that could be huge for him and the offense overall.
The Browns have the Atlanta Falcons on the road this week and they are about to start a tough stretch with four of the next six on the road. The team has the Bills and Falcons before home matchups against playoff teams from last year, as they have the Colts and Bengals in Cleveland. The team ends the season on the road in North Carolina before a matchup with the Ravens in Baltimore and that could be a major game in deciding the division.