Brian Hoyer is winning right now and that is all he wants to talk about, so when the media continues to bring up his future in the NFL, he shuts them down. The quarterback understands the interest considering the quarterback competition in Cleveland has been the talk of the town ever since Johnny Manziel was drafted in the first round. The rookie might be the clear fan-favorite, but the veteran is winning the games. However, the last thing Hoyer wants to do is talk about things far down the road.
Rumors continue to surface about both Hoyer and Manziel. Hoyer is winning, but has an expiring contract and a high-profiled rookie playing behind him. However, Manziel has not been on the field enough to be truly evaluated for the future. Some speculate Manziel could be traded while others claim Hoyer is not getting a contract extension because of the rookie on the roster. Hoyer is shutting it all down.
"First of all I want to address what we talked about the other day, but after Jeff [Schudel] mentioned the report, I wanted to see it for myself," Hoyer said, via the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "It couldn't be further from the truth. There's no accurate information. I've never talked to that guy in my life. From here on out, my main focus is Jacksonville. If you guys want to talk about that, you can talk to the guys upstairs or my agent Joe Linta, who I think some of you know. From here on out I'm on to Jacksonville."
Earlier in the week, Hoyer made note that he is focused on being the starting quarterback in 2014, but that being a starting quarterback in 2015 is the bigger goal than remaining in Cleveland. Many NFL experts predict that Hoyer's contract will be extremely difficult to construct, the main reason being Manziel. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report writes that if Hoyer is going to be "the guy" for the future in Cleveland, the Browns must get rid of Manziel somehow.
The Browns could easily apply the $17 million franchise tag on the quarterback if they are unable to negotiate a long-term deal, but again, where does that leave Manziel? The other factor in the negotiations will be the two first-round draft picks the Browns have in 2015. The Browns do not have to do the ultimatum of Hoyer or Manziel, but the veteran quarterback is going to want a team to commit to him. If the Browns are unwilling to offer a long-term deal because of the rookie, he could head elsewhere.
"This is where I want to be, but I also am a competitor," Hoyer said. "I want to be somewhere where I'm playing."
