The Cleveland Browns are expected to release Johnny Manziel this offseason after the quarterback dealt with numerous issues off the field. The team is working to sign back pending free agent Travis Benjamin, while players like Jared Goff, Carson Wentz and Paxton Lynch could be draft targets for Hue Jackson.
Manziel has had a tumultuous year with the Browns and after dealing with another off the field incident, it looks like the quarterback is done in Cleveland. According to ESPN, league sources report that the Browns will release Manziel when the new league year begins in March. The report says that the team is waiting until March 9 to make a move because they currently do not have the salary cap space to deal with Manziel's $4.6 million hit.
The Browns could try and trade Manziel, but at this point a deal looks unlikely. Manziel is dealing with an off field incident regarding his ex-girlfriends and also reports that he showed up to practice "heavily hung over on something," according to ESPN sources. Even before all of this emerged, new head coach Hue Jackson said on the radio that the team needed to address the quarterback position and that likely means that Manziel is done starting (or playing) in Cleveland.
The Browns have other concerns this offseason, as wide receiver Travis Benjamin is heading towards free agency. Benjamin is coming off of a career season and he likely will be a main target for teams if he makes it to the open market. The Browns are trying to keep that from happening and reports have the two sides working on a new deal. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Benjamin said that he is "optimistic" that a deal will get done with the Browns.
Pro Football Talk reports that Benjamin is likely staying put in Cleveland. Benjamin was on PFT Live and said "hopefully, I can lock up before March" and that he has already spoken with Jackson about how he fits in the offense for the Browns. Benjamin is coming back after putting up 68 catches, 966 receiving yards and five touchdowns, which all were career high numbers for the receiver.
The Browns are expected to address the quarterback position in the draft this year and players like Carson Wentz and Jared Goff are likely targets. The team has the number two pick in the draft and could go after one of those names with the selection. Goff is considered to be the top prospect coming into the draft evaluation process, while Wentz is generating buzz from scouts as a potential top 10 pick.