The Cleveland Browns are coming into offseason workouts with Johnny Manziel as the backup to Brian Hoyer, but with Hoyer on the mend from surgery last season, Manziel will get the benefit of spending more time in the new offense with Kyle Shanahan and he also will be able to play more with Earl Bennett and Miles Austin, who were just signed to make up for the loss of Josh Gordon and with all that, the Browns also have to deal with Tim Tebow like media coverage on Manziel and now update, Greg Little has been released.
The Browns came into the draft looking to get a quarterback and they got him in Manziel, but just as that happened, the news about Gordon and his potential yearlong drug suspension came up and now Cleveland was forced to scramble a bit. The team signed Miles Austin and Earl Bennett according to ESPN.com and he joins Greg Little in the offense along with Andrew Hawkins and Nate Burleson. The team has a solid group right there and while it hurts a ton to lose a player as explosive as Gordon, they have the chance to handle things for this season if he misses all 16 games.
Gordon missed two games last season and ended up being the top receiver for the Browns and led the league with over 1,600 yards. Gordon had a career high 87 catches and also had nine touchdowns and back to back 200 yard games and now the group of receivers will have to try and make up for that production. Hawkins signed in the offseason and so did Burleson, although he is injured right now and that puts more pressure on Bennett and Austin to perform and stay healthy. Bennett has been an underachieving receiver, while Austin has never lived up to what he did a few years ago and is coming off of another injury season.
Manziel is coming into things as the backup, but he will handle himself like a starter and if he plays well in offseason workouts and in training camp, the team may have pressure to start him. Little was solid with 465 yards and 41 catches last season and he will have to be more productive and Manziel working with the receivers in the offense this offseason while Hoyer is out could be a benefit to him if he ends up starting.
Last season Austin was injured again and he ended up with 24 passes for 244 yards and that comes after he had some great years in 2009 and 2010 and that is what the Browns hope he can provide. Burleson has dealt with injuries as well, but this group collectively could help replace Gordon if they can stay healthy enough. Bennett comes in with t 185 passes for 2,227 yards and 12 touchdowns after six seasons with the Bears and now Manziel will be front and center for Cleveland. The media will cover this like Tim Tebow and the Browns will do their best to temper things for Manziel.
