Cleveland Browns: What’s Next for Johnny Manziel?

By CJ Oliver | Apr 14, 2015

I spent the past week on a cruise in the British West Indies, which was the first time I’ve been separated from mobile internet since I got it. News about the outside world wasn’t easy to come by, but there was a bar showing the many exciting sporting events going on. From Stanley Cup playoffs to the NBA’s final full week, from the Masters to NASCAR and the beginning of baseball season, there was no shortage of events to follow.

Yet, everywhere I went, people were talking about football.

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I was sitting at the bar waiting for a drink order and two guys on my left were arguing about the Dallas Cowboys.

A family on the beach wearing a combination of New York Jets and Giants merchandise playfully ribbed and defended Eli Manning.

Strangers in the comedy club speculated on Johnny Manziel’s release from rehab and whether he’d be worth anything to the Cleveland Browns this year.

It was interesting to get home and find out that Manziel had indeed been released from the facility in advance of the April 20th start day for Browns team activities. Whether he’s worth anything to the team this year is, of course, still subject to speculation.

Manziel’s whole stint in rehab has been respectfully private. It’s not clear why exactly he went into the facility or even which treatment center he visited. And we truly don’t need to know the details of his demons to understand that he needed to face them, not only for his football career but for the benefit of his quality of life.

But rehab is only the first step on a long road. As Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group writes, “He’ll have to change his lifestyle at least for awhile and stay away from tempting situations…find something removed from the party scene. He’ll have to rely on the help of the Browns player engagement team and he’ll need his teammates to support his recovery.

Experts say the first 60 days out of rehab are the most crucial, so Manziel will need to be especially vigilant over the next two months. But he will be in Cleveland for the start of the offseason program April 20, so he should have plenty of football to keep him busy. He can do this if he does the work.”

Dec 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) warms up prior to the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

I have no doubt that teammates will support Manziel if he truly shows he wants to work on staying out of trouble and focus on football. However, star tackle Joe Thomas’ comments in an interview with Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com indicate that Manziel will first have to work on repairing his relationships with teammates if he expects to rely on their assistance.

“You know, I think he lost probably a lot of trust among the guys on the team last year by the way he handled himself once he became the starter. And I think he had a lot of time to reflect, I’m guessing, after the season was over by the comments he made in the media and by his actions, checking himself into rehab. … I think those were really positive steps”

“…He lost probably a lot of trust among the guys on the team last year by the way he handled himself once he became the starter.” – Joe Thomas

Thomas is absolutely right that these were the necessary things to say and do to repair his relationships with teammates. But Johnny Manziel and the people around him aren’t oblivious. Going to rehab was virtually the only way to get a fresh start for the 2015 season.

Browns fans should be closely watching Manziel’s reintegration with the team and his relationship with new quarterback Josh McCown. McCown was signed when Manziel was in the treatment facility so it’s not clear they’ve met yet. There’s a lot of knowledge and experience McCown can share if Manziel is a willing pupil – and they both have a new playbook to learn.

Johnny will also get the chance to work with new wide receivers Brian Hartline and Dwayne Bowe. Both are professionals with a generally good work ethic and can be further positive influences in Manziel’s development.

The real test will be the periods between OTAs and training camp, between camp and the preseason – the little places where players get to catch their breaths before moving on to the next stage of the season. How Manziel chooses to use these times will say a lot about his commitment to reinventing himself.

Next: Grading the Rob Housler Signing

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