The Cleveland Browns have a battle going for the starting job between Johnny Manziel and Brian Hoyer and while head coach Mike Pettine is giving Hoyer every chance to win the job, Manziel is doing his best to make it a tough decision and the next chance for him will be on Monday Night Football in Week 2 of the preseason against the Washington Redskins on the road.
According to ESPN.com, safety Donte Whitner said that the battle between the two is "fierce" and that the team is split about who they want as the starter. Hoyer has the job as long as he doesn't totally poop the bed this summer, while Manziel has a lot to prove to win the job from him. Hoyer went 6 of 14 passes for 92 yards with no touchdowns in the first game of the preseason, while Manziel had a solid game, going 7-for-11 for 63 yards with six rushes for 27 yards.
Last season the Browns went just 4-12 and they have a new head coach and offense and quarterback and running back, so clearly they have a ton to work on this season. The team was ranked 11th in passing yards per game last season, but that was mostly due to the skills of Josh Gordon and now they need to find a way to make up for his production if he is suspended for the season. The team ranked 27th in rushing yards per game and that is something the team should improve on with Ben Tate coming in to take over the starting job after the team traded Trent Richardson last season.
The Browns have a solid schedule to start the season and in the preseason they will matchup against the Washington Redskins next and then the team plays at home against the St. Lois Rams and Chicago Bears. Manziel will make his home debut against the Rams in Week 3 of the preseason and this will be a big game for him and Hoyer, as that usually signals who the starter will be for the opening of the season.
Hoyer likely will get the nod no matter what, as the Browns season may hinge on their first three games and how they head into the bye week. The team has three massive games against the Steelers on the road in the division before hosting the New Orleans Saints, and then the team has the Baltimore Ravens in another division game.
The team has a bye in Week 4 and many have speculated that the team will use Manziel after that, as the Browns are playing the Titans. The team then has the Steelers again before some winnable games against the Jaguars and Raiders and depending on what the Browns record is at that point, Manziel could get into the starting lineup. The Browns want to be careful with his development, as they think he can be a legitimate start in this league.
