Johnny Manziel's NFL career hasn't quite gotten off to the start he, or the Cleveland Browns, hoped it would. Sure, he's taken some significant strides in his second year in the league and has even managed to show what could rightly be called starting-caliber NFL quarterback traits in his last few outings, highlighted by a 372-yard, one touchdown, 95.8 rating effort against the vaunted Pittsburgh Steelers defense. But despite the positive signs, Manziel's immediate and long-term future in the NFL remains cloudy. He was recently demoted to third string after a video emerged of Manziel drinking in Austin, Texas during the team's bye week - a video Manziel reportedly lied to the Browns about and then asked friends and family members to lie to the franchise about - and he's even suffered the indignity of remaining the back-up behind Austin Davis after the season-ending injury to Josh McCown.
In short, it's been a bumpy and ultimately disappointing ride for Manziel as a Brown. Talk has already begun to swirl that Manziel could be headed elsewhere this offseason and while it's certainly early, a report has already emerged suggesting that certain teams are brushing up on Manziel in order to gauge whether a possible addition via trade would make sense.
Check out what Sports Illustrated's Andrew Perloff got out of ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday:
.@AdamSchefter says Rams, 'Boys, 49ers have looked hard at Manziel at some point. And Chip Kelly. "Somebody's gonna roll the dice on him."
— Andrew Perloff (@andrewperloff) December 3, 2015
So, basically three of the NFL's teams without a franchise signal-caller on their roster (St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles) and one with a franchise signal-caller who has struggled to stay healthy in recent years and, at the age of 35, has managed just four games in 2014 (Dallas Cowboys) are doing their due diligence on a guy who, despite his recent off-field troubles, is only three seasons removed from being one of the best players in all of college football and is just two seasons removed from being a first-round draft pick.
There's no denying that, with the exception of the Cowboys, who won't be jettisoning Tony Romo this offseason, Manziel would likely walk right into the facility of the Rams, Niners or Eagles and immediately become the best quarterback in the building. But the question isn't just what it would take to acquire him - though, considering his talent level and generally idiotic behavior, that's going to be a tricky compensation package to figure out - it's whether or not they believe Manziel is trustworthy.
The NFL is littered with precedent for players who burn out at their initial spot due to immaturity, only to blossom elsewhere. Brett Favre did it. So did Cris Carter. But there are also exponentially more cases of players who simply never got the message and flamed out before they could ever make their mark as a professional.
Manziel is said to suffer from entitlement. He's been the best player on the field at every level he's played at and likely has had a cadre of "yes" men and family members, intent on seeing him succeed, excuse his way out of nearly every issue he's faced, whether as a child, during his time at College Station, or now that he's in the NFL.
Still, talent trumps all, and Manziel, while he may face issues of overall size and arm strength, is a guy that can become franchise material if he ever puts it all together.
It would be a gamble, but what in the NFL these days isn't? The ultimate goal, a Lombardi Trophy, is consistently vied for by teams with established franchise quarterbacks. Without one, the Rams, Niners, Eagles and Cowboys don't stand a chance of beating the Packers or the Patriots. Strong defense and quality special teams play will only get you so far. At the end of the day, a season is made or broken by the play under center.
And Manziel, for all his warts, represents a kind of potential that none of these four teams currently possess. If the Browns decide to part ways with him, someone will pony up the dough to bring him in. The only question, as it always is, is who is willing to take that leap?
