The Cleveland Browns are in all sorts of turmoil right about now. Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan was granted his release from the team last week. Normally, replacing an OC would not be considered too major of a situation. But Shanahan was the sixth OC in as many years for the Browns. The team has lacked a consistent offensive identity and system for more than half a decade.
Shanahan's move could force the Browns to hit the reset button at the quarterback position. Cleveland had hoped to lure Greg Roman away from the 49ers to be their new OC, but Rex Ryan beat them to it. Roman has officially signed on to orchestrate the Buffalo Bills' offense. Now the Browns are scrambling to hire an offensive coordinator who can help develop dual-threat QB Johnny Manziel, but that may prove more difficult than they initially thought.
"If the Browns discover during their coordinator search that top candidates don't believe they can win with Manziel, they'll try to upgrade the position," Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com wrote.
Manziel, the No. 22 overall pick in the 2014 draft, never put to bed questions about his work ethic and maturity over this past year. Despite Cleveland's concerns, they turned to the rookie signal-caller late in the season as veteran starter Brian Hoyer was struggling mightily down the stretch.
Manziel appeared in five games this past season, completing just 51.4 percent of his passes and throwing for 174 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Manziel added 29 rushing yards with one score on the ground as well. His first career start against the Cincinnati Bengals in December ended disastrously, with the Browns losing 30-0. He ended up finishing the year on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
Making matters worse is the lack of a viable alternative on the roster. The Browns are expected to lose Hoyer in free agency this offseason.
"As for Brian Hoyer, general manager Ray Farmer has suggested that he and Hoyer's agent don't see eye-to-eye on his value, and therefore, my guess is that Hoyer will choose to sign elsewhere," Cabot wrote. "The Browns will be in the market for a veteran quarterback, and possibly a top rookie prospect."
The Johnny Football era may already be over in Cleveland.
