The Cleveland Browns are coming into the 2015 with numerous questions and with quarterback Johnny Manziel dealing with some bad press and preparation issues, Brian Hoyer may return as a free agent to be the starter and this comes as Ray Farmer has not ruled out a draft trade to get Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota if the opportunity presents itself.
The Browns started off the season in the playoff race before fading out and that came after Hoyer led the team to a 7-4 record to start the season. The Browns fell apart down the stretch, going 1-5 over the final six games and 0-5 to end the season and now there are numerous questions into 2015. Manziel was injured at the end of the season after taking over for Hoyer and he was reportedly disciplined for missing a treatment session with the team and reports came out that he was not prepared for his starts earlier in the season.
Manziel needs time to grow, as he was just a rookie, but the report from ESPN.com by Jeremy Fowler and Pat McManamon did not look good for him. Manziel came out of college with a party-boy reputation and according to the report, he lived up to that this season. Manziel continued to participate in the "nightlife" aspect of things and some unnamed players said that he was a "joke" and not prepared for his starts this season. Manziel missed a treatment session before Week 17 and that came at the same time Gordon missed an event, causing him to be suspended for the final game of the season.
Reports came out after the season that Kyle Shanahan was not happy with the QB situation and that's why he left the team. Ray Farmer and owner Jimmy Haslam have both said that they don't know if the QB for 2015 is "in the building" and they hope to light a fire under Manziel. The Browns reportedly are still committed to Manziel because they feel he has potential, but sources said to Fowler that Shanahan liked Jimmy Garoppolo and Tom Savage more than Manziel.
Either way, Manziel has a ways to go before he gets the chance to start again and that could force the Browns to make some moves. The team is interested in bringing back Brian Hoyer as a free agent, but Farmer said only at the "right price". According to ESPN.com, Hoyer is open to returning, but he wants a chance to compete for the starting quarterback position if he does. Farmer did not rule out taking a quarterback in the draft and that got everyone speculating about Mariota or Winston.
If either of those two players start to drop in the draft, the Browns could be one team that looks at trading up. The Browns have the ammo to move up, as they have two first round draft picks and double digit picks for the draft in 2015. The Browns can look at moving up easier than other teams and if they go after Winston or Mariota, they could look at trading Manziel, although that is unlikely. Hoyer was looking good to start the season and now that Manziel has faded, the Browns can look at bringing him back.