Is the Johnny Manziel era over in Cleveland already?
It's possible. Manziel's first career start was an absolute nightmare. The Browns fell to the Cincinnati Bengals 30-0. Manziel then ended the season on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury against the Carolina Panthers. Overall, Manziel did little to impress on the field (175 total passing yards, 51. 4 completion percentage, zero touchdowns and two interceptions) while failing to put concerns over his maturity and work ethic to bed.
All of that may coalesce into the Browns giving up on the former 22nd overall pick.
But the manner in which the Browns give up on Manziel could be very, very exciting. Dan Kadar of SBNation.com has the Browns trading up to the No. 2 overall spot in this year's draft to select Oregon's Marcus Mariota.
"How could the Browns give up on Johnny Manziel after he played about seven quarters?" Kadar wrote. "Because the NFL is a fickle business. And because he didn't do anything on the field to stop the Browns from going after another quarterback. It's an especially intriguing scenario if you add in the old rumor from last year that Browns general manager Ray Farmer likes Mariota."
At first glance, this seems outrageous and impossible. But it could work. The Browns have two first-round picks thanks to the Sammy Watkins deal with the Buffalo Bills, so they have enough draft capital to make the move. Plus, the Tennessee Titans are reportedly looking to move down from their current draft slot.
"The Titans will be hoping for several [quarterback] needy teams to emerge in order to maximize their opportunities to trade out of the No. 2 spot, collect more picks and address other needs," ESPN's Paul Kuharsky wrote.
Unlike Manziel, Mariota has been lauded for his high character and intense commitment off the field. Although he comes from a spread offense, he has the athletic ability and mental makeup to succeed at the NFL level. If the Browns are sure they can't make it work with Manziel, and that will likely be decided when they hire a new offensive coordinator, then a bold move for a potential franchise quarterback could be in play when the draft rolls around.
