Johnny Manziel will not be the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback to start the 2014 season, but that is not stopping some of his teammates from raving about his talents. Head coach Mike Pettine has all the confidence in veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer, several of his teammates are supporting the rookie as Manziel must now work towards earning his starting job.
Pettine announced that Hoyer would be starting Week 1 for Cleveland simply because he had a better understanding of the playbook and showed adequate leadership through training camp. However, wide receiver Nate Burleson is speaking out in support of Manziel, noting that he has the confidence to really become a star in the league.
"Johnny's still the man. He's still a really good quarterback. He's an NFL-quality starting quarterback. ... Johnny being the No. 2, as you want to call it, we got arguably the best No. 2 in the NFL," Burleson said, via the Akron Beacon Journal. "Johnny will be successful in this league. He'll have his opportunities. Regardless of how many chances he'll get or waves of opportunities he gets, he's going to take advantage of them. It's not a bad thing for him to be the No. 2 [quarterback] Week One. He is a rookie, still has a lot to learn and to do as a professional and as a player when it comes to the playbook. He's going to be all right. I'm a Johnny Football fan."
Manziel's tenure in the NFLhas not started off well. He has made headlines for more things off the field than on. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Manziel was struggling with the playbook while lateness to meeting also caught the headlines. Not to mention that little middle finger issue during the preseason game against the Washington Redskins. The rookie quarterback notes that he plans on working hard for the starting spot and believes he could earn it before the year is over.
"Obviously I need to do it in the proper way, but I'm still going to continue to have fun in my life and continue to live my life, and I don't think any of that really slowed me in this competition. I think more than anything, if you come out and play well, it makes the decision a lot easier," Manziel said, via ABC News.
It is unknown if Pettine would be willing to make a mid-season quarterback switch. Right now the pressure is on Hoyer to step up and prove he can lead the team. The Browns are still dealing with issues at the wide receiver position as they await a ruling on Josh Gordon and they do not need to also be dealing with quarterback issues as well.
