The curious of Johnny Manziel continues as the Cleveland Browns begin to work out their offseason plan. The quarterback position will be taking center stage as many blame it for the late-season struggles of the Browns. Brian Hoyer hit a slump. Johnny Manziel failed to impress before landing on injured reserve. The Browns were forced to start rookie Conner Shaw simply because no one else was healthy on the roster. General manager Ray Farmer is not making promises to anyone for the future which has all eyes on Manziel this offseason.
Farmer told the media that everyone will get a chance to compete for the starting quarterback job in 2015. He said that Manziel is certainly a player that will get a fair shot. If Hoyer returns he will get a fair shot and any quarterback the team might draft, because he admits there is a chance, will get a fair shot. The question becomes who is on the roster and who is not at the start of the year.
"I do think he can develop into a solid starter in this league," Farmer said, via Cleveland.com. "I think the sample size that's available is small, and to that end we all have to be patient. I think there is an opportunity for the guy, it's up to him to make those changes, but I think the talent is in his body to accomplish that."
The kicker for the Browns are their two first-round draft picks. NFL sources are linking the Browns with a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to acquire the No. 1 overall draft pick and select Marcus Mariota out of Oregon. That is certainly a stretch for the Browns, but Farmer is not doing anything to deny the idea. The general manager made it clear that the Browns are willing to do whatever it takes to get players on the roster to push the team into the postseason even if that means acquiring a quarterback in the first round.
"We're constantly in search for guys that we think can improve our roster," Farmer said. "So I would say all of the above. He'll be given every opportunity to contribute and compete, and he'll also have to compete against guys that could be draft choices, that could be free agent selections, that could be any number of stones that we overturn to try to find the right guy to bring in here to help improve our roster. I would not hesitate to take whoever I thought could help this football team and move us forward. The goal is to win."
Mariota could be drafted. Manziel could be traded. Hoyer could be re-signed. Cleveland is preparing to enter a very interesting offseason and the quarterback position takes center stage once again.
