North Notes: Hayward, McManis, Manziel
A year ago, a pair of Packers cornerbacks – Tramon Williams and Davon House – reached the open market and signed with new teams, and it appears another Green Bay corner could explore his options in free agency this time around. As Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com details, Casey Hayward has hired a new agent, David Mulugheta, and isn’t sure whether he’ll get a new deal done with the Packers within the next few weeks.
“They normally wait til closer to the deadline [to negotiate],” Hayward told Demovsky this week in a text message. “But we shall see. I’ll probably hit the market.”
As Demovsky observes, the Packers typically prefer to re-sign their own homegrown players rather than bringing in outside free agents, but it appears the team is deep enough in the secondary to allow Hayward to gauge his value. If the 26-year-old finds that he has fewer suitors than expected, or doesn’t get an offer he likes, he could re-sign with the Packers even after becoming a free agent.
Here’s more from out of the NFL’s North divisions:
- Defensive back Sherrick McManis doesn’t play much on defense, but he’s extremely valuable on special teams, so the Bears ought to consider re-signing him this offseason, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com.
- Even if the Browns didn’t lie about Johnny Manziel‘s concussion diagnosis during the final week of the regular season, the team has played a part in enabling the former Texas A&M quarterback since drafting him two years ago, says Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com.
- Under previous general manager Martin Mayhew, the Lions often made their veteran cuts shortly after the Super Bowl, but new GM Bob Quinn may be a little more patient when it comes to making decisions on potential cap casualties like Stephen Tulloch, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Extra Points: Combine, Brees, Chargers
The NFL has decided that prospects that have been convicted of domestic violence and sexual assault will be barred from the NFL scouting combine, as Chase Goodbread of NFL.com writes. “It is important for us to remain strongly committed to league values as we demonstrate to our fans, future players, coaches, general managers, and others who support our game that character matters,” stated NFL Football Operations Executive Vice President Troy Vincent in the memo to NFL teams. Last year, Tennessee linebacker A.J. Johnson was uninvited from the combine at the last minute after he was indicted on two counts of aggravated rape. He went undrafted and his court case is still pending.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com ran down 18 key NFL offseason dates and notable contract deadlines. As he details, the third day of the waiver period – Wednesday, Feb. 10th – will be significant for a number of big-name players, including the Saints’ Drew Brees and Jairus Byrd, the Browns’ Joe Haden, and the Raiders’ Curtis Lofton.
- The Chargers finalized their coaching staff by naming former Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees as an offensive assistant and Marquice Williams as a special teams assistant, as Ricky Henne of Chargers.com writes. Rees quarterbacked the Irish from 2010-13, playing alongside current Bolts Manti Te’o, Chris Watt and Trevor Robinson.
- The Colts announced that they have hired Maurice Drayton as assistant special teams coach and Jemal Singleton as running backs coach. Drayton has 17 years of coaching experience, including 10 seasons at his alma mater, The Citadel. Singleton holds 14 years of collegiate coaching experience, including nine seasons at his alma mater, Air Force. He served as the special teams coordinator/running backs coach at Arkansas in 2015.
Latest On Johnny Manziel, Browns
3:00pm: A source confirms to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that Manziel showed up to a team meeting on that Wednesday in Week 17 looking disheveled, while another source says the quarterback, wasn’t drunk, but was “heavily hung over on something.”
“He was not drunk that day, but he was (recovering) from being on something,” the source said. “I don’t know what he was doing the night before, but something was wrong with him.
“This wasn’t some massive cover-up,” the source added. “What are you going to do? You have to put him in the (concussion) protocol.”
2:15pm: In a series of tweets, Silver followed up on his earlier report, walking it back a little. Although he stands by his original report that Manziel showed up drunk to practice, Silver says he’ll take the Browns at their word if they say they didn’t lie about Manziel’s diagnosis, adding that he regrets using that term (“lied”).
1:45pm: Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter links) has also been told by the Browns that the team didn’t lie about Manziel’s concussion.
12:13pm: It’s just a matter of time until the Browns part ways with Johnny Manziel, a move that is expected to happen when the new league year officially begins on March 9th. In the meantime though, new details are surfacing relating to Manziel’s final days with the team.
[RELATED: Police investigating Johnny Manziel]
According to Michael Silver of the NFL Network (video link), Manziel showed up drunk to a Browns practice late in the season, and the team lied about it in an effort to cover it up, saying that the quarterback was in the concussion protocol. The report echoes one from Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com last month – Grossi didn’t go so far as to say the Browns lied about Manziel having a concussion, but said the quarterback showed up at a Wednesday practice “disheveled and inebriated.”
While Manziel’s alleged actions are hardly shocking at this point, considering all the off-field headlines he has made in recent months, Silver’s report reflects particularly poorly on the Browns. If it’s accurate, it means the team played a significant part in enabling Manziel’s behavior as recently as about a month ago. The Browns could also be in hot water if it turns out they lied about Manziel’s health on their injury report.
For what it’s worth, a Browns spokesman tells Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link) that Manziel was, in fact, in the concussion protocol and wasn’t cleared until January 12th, well after the club’s season ended. Meanwhile, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello declined comment when Ulrich asked whether the NFL is investigating the Browns, referring the reporter to the team (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Agent no longer representing Johnny Manziel]
Whether or not the Browns’ old regime, including head coach Mike Pettine and GM Ray Farmer, tried to protect Manziel, it appears the team’s new decision-makers won’t be giving him that same treatment. Sashi Brown recently issued a statement which strongly suggested Cleveland will be moving on from Manziel, and subsequent reports suggested that would happen next month, for salary cap reasons.
Earlier today, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk questioned whether the possibility of Manziel landing on paid leave might hinder the Browns’ plan to waive him, but in a post published several hours later, Florio clarified that the QB won’t be placed on paid leave anytime soon.
“The players are off per the CBA and not being paid now,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told PFT. “It would serve no purpose and is not what paid leave was designed to accomplish.”
As such, the Browns shouldn’t have to worry about the league’s investigation into Manziel hindering their plan to cut him.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Browns Add Eight To Coaching Staff
The Browns continued to fill out their coaching staff Monday, with Hue Jackson announcing the hiring of eight coaches to work for him during his first season in Cleveland, according to a report on the team’s website.
All of which are position coaches or other assistants after the Browns announced more than two weeks ago the additions of Ray Horton, Pep Hamilton and several others.
Here’s the full list of coaches and their respective titles.
- Rock Cartwright, offensive quality control
- Louie Cioffi, defensive backs
- Ken Delgado, assistant defensive line
- Johnny Holland, inside linebackers
- Cannon Matthews, assistant defensive backs
- Robert Nunn, defensive line
- Eric Sanders, defensive quality control
- Ryan Slowik, outside linebackers
Cioffi served in the same position under Horton during his previous one-year stint as the Browns’ defensive coordinator in 2013. Cioffi’s worked with Horton in 10 of his 21 seasons.
Nunn was the Giants’ defensive line coach from 2010-15, collecting a Super Bowl ring in guiding the NASCAR package-powered team to the 2011 championship.
Slowik served as the Jets’ defensive line coach last season.
Police Investigating Johnny Manziel
MONDAY, 4:02pm: A sworn statement from Crowley indicates Manziel struck her on the left ear during their altercation Jan. 30, and the blow left her unable to hear out of that ear when she provided the statement two days later, via Scott Gordon of NBCDFW.com.
Prior to this, the couple argued about another woman Manziel was reportedly seeing, according to Crowley’s affidavit, and the argument escalated to the point he led Crowley to her car forcibly from a hotel room at Hotel ZaZa in Dallas.
Manziel, the statement indicates, then “threw” Crowley into the passenger seat of her car as he planned to drive her home. Once in the car, Crowley then left the vehicle and hid behind bushes. But Manziel, the affidavit states, performed a U-turn and dragged Crowley by the hair back into the passenger seat. After Manziel hit Crowley on the ear, she struck Manziel several times in an attempt to leave the vehicle again only to see him “throw [her] off of him” and onto the floor of the passenger side.
The statement then indicates Manziel said, “Shut up or I’ll kill us both” as Crowley cried. Once back at Crowley’s Fort Worth apartment, Manziel smashed Crowley’s phone before she grabbed a knife. According to her statement, Manziel then fled Crowley’s apartment.
Crowley’s request for a two-year restraining order was granted.
SATURDAY, 8:19pm: The off-field struggles of Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel dominated the early-morning headlines — not only did Manziel’s agent part ways with him, but the Cleveland signal-caller reportedly refused to enter a rehabilitation clinic. There’s now a bit more news on the embattled Browns QB, so let’s take a look at the latest:
- The Dallas Police Department has in fact opened a criminal investigation regarding the domestic violence clams against Manziel, the DPD announced.
- While reports yesterday indicated that no charges would be filed against Manziel, Crowley has given a statement to the Dallas Police Department and has indeed requested that charges are filed, according to Lopez (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- A judge has issued a protective order that requires Manziel to stay away from his ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, for two years, and also mandates that him to pay $12K in legal fees, reports Rebecca Lopez of WFAA (Twitter link). Manziel was involved in an incident with Crowley last month — the disturbing details of which have recently come to light — and the judge found that there “was reason to believe that family violence occurred,” tweets Lopez.
- Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has tried to reach Manziel on several occasions, and received no response, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who adds that Haslam seemed “frustrated [and] emotional.” Rapoport also passes along the full text of Haslam’s comments to the media via Twitter.
- The Cowboys had no interest in acquiring Manziel even before his latest off-field troubles, as team sources tell Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that Manziel “was never on [the Cowboys’] radar.” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has long been rumored to be intrigued by Manziel, but Hill reports that Dallas’ front office remains steadfast in its opposition to bringing in Manziel, who is expected to be cut by the Browns. For his part, Manziel reportedly has expressed a desire to play for the Cowboys.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report
Extra Points: Dolphins, Manziel, 49ers, Lions
The Dolphins have two particularly noteworthy free agents-to-be in defensive end Olivier Vernon and running back Lamar Miller, but they don’t view them as equal priorities. Instead, the Dolphins believe retaining Vernon is more important than re-signing Miller, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. That doesn’t necessarily mean Miller is done in Miami, though, as Jackson adds that the club will try to keep both players. However, if the Dolphins are unable to afford Miller, they’re confident they have a capable in-house replacement in Jay Ajayi. On the other hand, the Dolphins don’t think they’d fare as well in finding someone to take over for Vernon, reports Jackson, who notes that they could slap the $15MM franchise tag on him if they’re unable to reach a long-term deal.
Click here to read more about Vernon, Miller and other issues facing the Dolphins in PFR’s offseason preview of the team.
As the clock ticks closer to Super Bowl 50, here’s more from around the NFL:
- The league isn’t turning its back on Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel amid his off-field issues, according to its executive vice president of football operations, Troy Vincent. “We wish to give Johnny as much support as he is willing to receive. We can’t make anyone do anything,” Vincent said Saturday, per The Associated Press. “I’ve seen his father make a statement, reach out to the family to make sure the family knows the National Football League, the Cleveland Browns, the players association — everyone’s here to support you, but you have to embrace it.”
- 49ers receiver Torrey Smith believes quarterback Blaine Gabbert is right for new head coach Chip Kelly‘s offense and could give Colin Kaepernick legitimate competition for the starting job (if Kaepernick isn’t traded or cut in the coming months, of course). “I think people assume that because of this offense that Kap’s the best fit. But Blaine can do everything. He may not be as fast, but Blaine housed a 40-yard run last year, he can run, man. He can get rid of the ball quick. I think it’s going to be an interesting battle,” Smith told KNBR (link via CSNBayArea.com).
- The Lions may soon be in need of receiving help with Calvin Johnson leaning toward retirement, and it so happens that pending free agent wideout Anquan Boldin spoke glowingly of head coach Jim Caldwell on Saturday (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). Although he has been one of the league’s most productive receivers throughout the last decade-plus, the 35-year-old Boldin is nowhere near Johnson’s caliber at this stage. While Boldin hauled in a respectable 69 catches with San Francisco in 2015-16, it was for the second-lowest yardage total of his career (789).
Extra Points: Manziel, Schwartz, London
Long thought to be Johnny Manziel‘s career lifeline, the Cowboys may not have been interested in the embattled quarterback at all, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Team sources told Hill the Browns quarterback who could be facing legal action for his potential role in a domestic assault wasn’t on the Cowboys’ radar even before the ex-Heisman Trophy winner’s latest off-the-field occurrence.
Hill writes the same personnel who advised Jerry Jones to pass on the polarizing Texas A&M quarterback in favor of Zack Martin are still in place. The Cowboys remain very much in search of a quality backup quarterback, but Manziel doesn’t fit that profile and appears to be a non-starter in Dallas.
The Browns are expected to cut Manziel before the new league year begins.
Here’s the latest from around the league.
- The NFL’s tri-annual showcases in London continue to generate buzz on a franchise spawning in the United Kingdom’s biggest city, and Roger Goodell isn’t doing anything to squelch that notion. “We are considering playing more games in the U.K. It’s a balancing act with our schedule. … As far as a franchise, let’s continue to grow. Let’s continue to see that excitement and enthusiasm, passion and support continue to develop. If it does, I think that’s a realistic possibility,” Goodell told media, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. The obvious logistical issues remain, as London is an eight hours ahead of the Pacific Time Zone, and such an expansion would be the most daring step among the four major American sports leagues.
- Goodell stands in favor of the league pursuing a policy that will automatically eject players after they receive their second personal foul in a game, Mark Maske of the Washington Post reports. “I believe that that’s consistent with what we believe are safety issues,” the commissioner told media at his yearly address, “but I also believe it’s consistent with what we believe are the standards of sportsmanship that we’ve emphasized. We should take that out of the hands of the officials.” Any rule change must be approved by at least 24 of the 32 owners. John Mara wants such a rule to be clear as opposed to a gray area regarding low-end personal fouls. “To me, it’d have to be severe enough personal fouls as opposed to something like an incidental facemask,” Mara told Maske. Following the actions of Odell Beckham Jr. and Vontaze Burfict within a span of three weeks, the league would appear to have momentum to pass legislation of this sort.
- Geoff Schwartz would be hesitant if the Giants were to pursue his free agent brother Mitchell Schwartz, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reports. The Giants are in need of a right tackle after turning to journeyman Marshall Newhouse last season, and the 26-year-old Mitchell Schwartz is arguably the best available. The Browns’ right-edge presence graded as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-best tackle this season. “I don’t know if we would get along too well playing next to each other for a while, just because of our personalities,” Geoff Schwartz said. “Maybe after a week or so, we’d kind of get tired of each other. He’s a great player, don’t get me wrong. He’s the best right tackle this year, I hope he goes somewhere and gets every cent he can get. I just don’t know if the Giants are in position to pay a right tackle eight-and-a-half-, nine-million dollars.” Geoff Schwartz stands to make $3.9MM in base salary if the Giants bring the injury-prone guard/tackle back for a third season. He does not, however, want his brother to re-sign with the rebuilding Browns. “Obviously, you want to get your money, but you want to win. You don’t want to be on a losing team. He’s had four offensive coordinators in four years. He’s had three or four GMs, three head coaches. I mean, you can’t win that way,” Schwartz said.
- Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman did not activate the brakes when his Dodge Ram collided with a Honda Civic in October, injuring the other driver, according to the Seattle Times’ Lynn Thompson. Coleman, who played in a career-most 14 games for the Seahawks this season, was going 60 mph in 35-mph zone at the time of the crash, one that left the driver of the Honda Civic with a concussion and a broken collarbone. Coleman suffered a concussion in the accident while losing his hearing aid. Coleman told police he’d smoked a form of synthetic marijuana, not illegal in Washington, an hour before the collision.
Extra Points: Gordon, Megatron, Ravens
During his Super Bowl press conference, Roger Goodell acknowledged that he had received Josh Gordon‘s application for reinstatement. The commissioner now has 60 days to determine whether the Browns wideout should be reinstated. Before he makes a decision, Goodell wants to see whether the embattled receiver has changed his ways.
“The process is we will go back and look at how he’s conducted himself over the last several months, what he’s done to make sure it’s consistent with the terms of his suspension, and at some stage we’ll have a report on that, and I will engage with our people to understand where he is, where he’s been, but most importantly, where he’s going,” Goodell said (via Tony Grossi ESPN.com).
“When these things happen, it’s about trying to avoid them in the future. Our No. 1 issue here is to prevent these things from happening.
“I’m hopeful that Josh understands that he’s going to have to conduct himself differently going forward to be a member of the NFL and to be representing the Cleveland Browns — or any team in the NFL. So, our job is to try to get people to understand that, try to make sure that they live by the policies that we have, and ensure that this is what all of us want and also what the fans want. Our fans want everybody playing by the same rules.”
The Browns wideout was suspended indefinitely last February, and the 24-year-old didn’t play a single game this past season.According to the report, Gordon’s party “is confident he has met terms of his indefinite suspension to merit reinstatement.”
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…
- Jets wideout Brandon Marshall respects Calvin Johnson‘s decision to potentially walk away from the game. “Awesome. I think that he’s strong,” Marshall told Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. “I think it takes a lot of strength and courage to walk away from the game. I think all of us face that time when we question ourselves or question our passion and love for the game, and if we want to move forward. I think most of us stick around a year or two or three too long.”
- The Ravens have traditionally avoided big-name free agents, but ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley believes if the team were to spend this offseason, they’d pursue a wide receiver. According to the writer, potential options include DeSean Jackson, Vincent Jackson, Victor Cruz and Roddy White.
- Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is the “overwhelming favorite” to receive the team’s franchise tag, writes Hensley.
Offseason Outlook: Cleveland Browns
Pending free agents:
- Johnson Bademosi, S
- Travis Benjamin, WR
- Tank Carder, ILB
- Travis Coons, K (ERFA)
- Pat Devlin, QB (ERFA)
- Tashaun Gipson, S
- Darius Jennings, WR (ERFA)
- Kaleb Johnson, G (ERFA)
- Don Jones, S (RFA)
- Jamie Meder, DE (ERFA)
- Darrian Miller, G (ERFA)
- Raheem Mostert, RB (ERFA)
- Austin Pasztor, T (RFA)
- Terrelle Pryor, WR (RFA)
- Craig Robertson, LB
- Mitchell Schwartz, T
- Scott Solomon, OLB (RFA)
Top 15 cap hits for 2016:
- Joe Haden, CB: $13,400,000
- Joe Thomas, T: $9,500,000
- Donte Whitner, S: $8,450,000
- Dwayne Bowe, WR: $8,000,000
- Alex Mack, C: $8,000,000
- Paul Kruger, OLB: $7,700,000
- Desmond Bryant, DE: $7,000,000
- Tramon Williams, CB: $6,981,250
- Karlos Dansby, ILB: $6,500,000
- Barkevious Mingo, OLB: $5,201,319
- Josh McCown, QB: $5,041,666
- Brian Hartline, WR: $3,750,000
- Randy Starks, DT: $3,625,000
- Justin Gilbert, CB: $3,500,046
- John Greco, G: $2,925,000
Notable coaching/front office changes:
- Front office: Fired general manager Ray Farmer, VP of player personnel Morocco Brown, and executive chief of staff Bill Kuharich.
- Front office: Promoted Sashi Brown to VP of football operations, hired MLB executive Paul DePodesta as chief strategy officer, and hired Colts pro scouting coordinator Andrew Berry as VP of player personnel.
- Head coach: Hired Bengals OC Hue Jackson to replace Mike Pettine.
- Offensive staff: Will go without OC after firing John DeFilippo. Hired Al Saunders as senior offensive assistant, Pep Hamilton as assistant head coach/offense, and Kirby Wilson as running game coordinator.
- Defensive coordinator: Hired Titans DC Ray Horton to replace Jim O’Neil.
Draft:
- No. 2 overall pick
- No traded picks
Other:
- Current projected cap room (via Over the Cap): $33.22MM
- Must exercise or decline fifth-year option for 2017 for OLB Barkevious Mingo.
- WR Josh Gordon has filed for reinstatement from his suspension.
- C Alex Mack can opt out of his contract to become a free agent.
Overview:
In 2014, the Browns finished out the year with a 7-9 mark and at least showed glimpses of competitiveness. In 2015, there wasn’t much to write home about after a 3-13 campaign. Naysayers around the league whispered about Johnny Manziel‘s off-the-field issues, and the party-loving quarterback proved them all right. Of course, the Browns’ issues ran much deeper than the quarterback position, but their poor play under center has been an issue for decades now and it’s unlikely that they will get back on track until they finally find a solution there.
Throughout 2014, Browns fans wondered whether it would be Brian Hoyer or Manziel starting at QB for Cleveland in 2015. As it turns out, it was neither. Instead, that mantle was given to offseason acquisition Josh McCown. The 6’4″, 213-pounder spent the 2014 campaign in Tampa Bay and performed poorly in 11 games for a Buccaneers team that finished with the NFL’s worst record. Thanks to a string of injuries, things didn’t go much better for him in 2015. McCown suffered a concussion in Week 1, a shoulder injury in Week 8, a rib injury in Week 9, and a season-ending collarbone injury in Week 12.
As for Johnny Football? The injuries opened up the door for him to show his skills and, for a brief moment, he did. He wound up squandering that opportunity at mid-season, however, after he was caught on video partying and lied to the team about it. There were numerous off-the-field transgressions for Manziel in 2015 and the most recent run-in will probably bring an end to his time in Cleveland.
“We’ve been clear about expectations for our players on and off the field,” executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown said in early February. “Johnny’s continual involvement in incidents that run counter to those expectations undermines the hard work of his teammates and the reputation of our organization. His status with our team will be addressed when permitted by league rules. We will have no further comment at this time.”
Assuming they don’t designate him as a post-June 1 cut, the Browns will take on a ’16 cap hit of about $4.33MM if they release Manziel on or after March 9. Of course, the team could remove that entire figure from its cap if the 23-year-old is claimed on waivers, but that seems extremely unlikely. A first-round pick in 2014, Manziel started eight games during his two years in Cleveland, completing 57% of his passes and throwing seven touchdowns to seven interceptions, for a QB rating of 74.4. While his on-field performance was unspectacular, it was off-field behavior that will cost him his roster spot.
What follows is a detailed look at what lies ahead for the Browns — not just at quarterback, but everywhere else on the field.
Key Free Agents:
Wide receiver Travis Benjamin broke out in 2015, hauling in 68 catches (125 targets) for 966 yards and five touchdowns. Of course, this wasn’t the easiest year for the Browns, but Benjamin has been generally positive when asked about making a future in Cleveland and in December, he said he was 75-80% on the way to reaching a new deal with the Browns.
“I’m not looking for (free agency),” he said in October. “Me and the Browns have a great relationship. I love them, they love me and I love the community so if we get a deal done that’ll be great for me…I love it here, my wife loves it here and we’re just happy to be here.”
Safety Tashaun Gipson was the league’s final restricted free agent on the market last offseason and only re-signed with the Browns in June of 2015. The team assigned Gipson a second-round tender worth $2.356MM earlier in the offseason and, despite his protests, he ultimately signed it in order to join his team in training camp. While Gipson wasn’t happy with the RFA tender he received from the Browns, it’s not a huge surprise that he eventually relented and signed it, given his lack of leverage.
This past season, Gipson played in (and started) 13 games, racking up 60 tackles, two pass deflections, and two interceptions. The former UDFA could, theoretically, sign a deal with the Browns before the start of free agency, but he has stated in the past that he wants to test the open market to assess his value.
It has been speculated for some time that Browns right tackle Mitchell Schwartz could be in for a big payday this offseason. For his part, Schwartz recently said he’d like to re-sign with Cleveland. The 26-year-old is a four-year starter at the right tackle position and Pro Football Focus is wild about him, having named him to its “All Third-Year Team” for the 2015 season. The Browns have the money to retain him, but it’s not clear if they’re willing to make him the kind of offer that will convince him to bypass the open market, or if his stated preference to stay in Cleveland is genuine.
Possible Cap Casualties:
As noted above, Dwayne Bowe currently stands as the Browns’ fourth-highest cap hit with an $8MM figure in 2016. And, of course, you’ve seen the math on how much money Bowe has been paid per reception and the end result is not pretty. Bowe’s contract is not just the worst in Cleveland – it’s arguably one of the worst in the entire NFL. Cleveland gave Bowe $9MM in guaranteed money in March of 2015. In September, it was already rumored that coaches were displeased with his work ethic and performance. Bowe, 32 in September, is not wanted back in Cleveland and it would not be a surprise to see him let go.
Outside of Bowe, there are a handful of notable players that would make at least some sense as possible cap casualties. Wide receiver Brian Hartline might not have a major role going forward, but he’s also not too expensive with a cap number of $3.75MM in 2016. He also produced with 46 catches (77 targets) for 523 yards and two touchdowns across 12 games.
Barkevious Mingo would be a possible release candidate if his salary weren’t fully guaranteed. Paul Kruger and Desmond Bryant carry high cap numbers ($7.7MM and $7MM, respectively), but they gave Cleveland some decent production last year. Donte Whitner also gets honorable mention in this section, though he doesn’t seem like a strong candidate given his production.
The Browns also shouldn’t be too strapped for space as they will be carrying over ~$20MM in unused cap room from last year.
Positions Of Need:
Obviously, the quarterback position is the No. 1 priority with a bullet for the Browns. Armed with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, the Browns could try their luck again with a rookie QB. The latest word is that Cleveland prefers Carson Wentz to Jared Goff, but they’ll be evaluating all quarterback options over the next few months. If the Browns look to the free agent market for a quarterback, they’re not likely to find any real slam dunk options. Someone like Ryan Fitzpatrick, who seems likely to re-sign with the Jets anyway, would serve only as a transitional option, and that’s something Cleveland already has with McCown.
The Browns will continue to discuss a new deal with Benjamin and the outcome of those talks will largely dictate what they do at wide receiver. If the 26-year-old cannot be retained, the team would have even more room to go out and try to hit a home run at the position. If the Browns are thinking big, they could potentially make a move for Bears free agent wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. The soon-to-be 26-year-old is primed to cash in soon, be it with the Bears, Browns, or someone else, having accumulated 228 receptions, 3,000+ yards, and 21 touchdowns over the last three years (41 games). Of course, the Browns already have one of the game’s most talented wide receivers in-house: Josh Gordon (more on him later).
Cleveland threw some money at its defense last offseason, but it sure didn’t show. The Browns’ pass defense finished outside of the lower third in the league with 250.8 yards surrendered per game, but that’s partly because teams decided to just run them over instead — opponents averaged 128.4 yards per game against Cleveland, putting the club in a virtual tie for the NFL’s second-worst run defense.
Specifically, the Browns badly need an edge rusher to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Von Miller stands as the most desired free agent player at the outside linebacker position, but few expect him to actually reach the open market since the Broncos reserve the right to use the franchise tag on him. However, Seahawks free agent Bruce Irvin could be available for the Browns, if they’re interested, and he’d cost less than Miller on a long-term deal too. How much exactly? That’s hard to say, but it has been suggested that Vinny Curry‘s recent five-year, $47.25MM ($23MM guaranteed) deal with the Eagles could be a reasonable starting point for talks. Meanwhile, Joey Bosa could be a consideration for them with their top pick.
Inside linebacker will have to be addressed, particularly with Karlos Dansby getting up there in age. A strong second cornerback opposite Joe Haden would also give the Browns’ secondary a much-needed boost — 2014 first-rounder Justin Gilbert hasn’t been that player so far.
Extension Candidates/Contract Issues:
The Browns have some serious decisions to make when it comes to wide receiver Josh Gordon. Gordon was suspended for the 2015 season but just a few weeks ago, he applied for reinstatement. Since his entry into the league in 2012, Gordon’s NFL career has been tumultuous to say the least. He missed the first two games of the 2013 season following a drug suspension, but then went on to lead the NFL in receiving yards, finishing with 87 receptions for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns.
Hopes were high for the 2014 season, but Gordon’s off-the-field issues resurfaced, as he was first arrested for DUI, and then suspended for one year after again violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. He was eventually reinstated after only 10 games as part of the NFL and the players’ union agreeing to a new drug policy, which reduced the sentences for some players-in-limbo. The Browns subsequently suspended Gordon for the final contest of the season after he reportedly violated team rules, and then a failed alcohol test resulted in the wideout’s ban of at least a year last February.
Will the Browns hang on to Gordon? The old regime was vocal about wanting to build a future with the 6’4″ receiver. However, that will now be up to a group that includes head coach Hue Jackson, lead decision maker Sashi Brown, and (for some reason) former MLB executive Paul DePodesta.
The Browns’ offensive line could look drastically different in 2016 depending on how things play out. While Cleveland’s starting right tackle is a potential free agent, left tackle Joe Thomas said he was considering asking about a way out of the organization before the team hired its new coach and top decision maker. After Hue Jackson and Sashi Brown were chosen, Thomas indicated that he was unlikely to ask for a trade. Still, given that a potential deal that would have sent Thomas to the Broncos for a bevy of draft picks reportedly fell through at last year’s trade deadline, it was fair to wonder if the club might attempt to deal Thomas again.
At last check, Browns center Alex Mack said that he has yet to make a final decision on whether he’ll opt out of his contract this winter. The offensive lineman says he’ll start seriously considering his options after the Super Bowl, with a decision to follow within the next month or so. Ultimately, it stands to reason that Mack will opt out. Even if he wants to remain in Cleveland, he can easily best his current pact which calls for $8MM annual salaries for the next three seasons, with only his 2016 salary guaranteed.
Overall Outlook:
The Browns have already done some major remodeling by showing coach Mike Pettine and GM Ray Farmer the door. Now, they’ll have to do even more work to the roster if they hope to compete in 2016. Odds are ’16 will be yet another rebuilding year for the Browns, but they can set themselves up nicely for the future if they make good use of their high draft picks and significant cap space.
Information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Johnny Manziel Refuses Admittance To Rehab
Johnny Manziel‘s agent has publicly parted ways with him and expressed concern about the quarterback’s future, and he’s not the only one close to Manziel who hopes the 23-year-old gets serious about getting help. According to Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News, Manziel’s family is concerned for his well-being, with his father Paul Manziel suggesting that his son has twice declined to be admitted to area rehab facilities in the last week.
“I truly believe if they can’t get him help, he won’t live to see his 24th birthday,” the elder Manziel said.
According to Hairopoulos’ report, Manziel’s family attempted last Saturday afternoon to get him to agree to go to the Enterhealth Ranch addiction facility in Van Alstyne, Texas. However, he refused to stay there. Paul Manziel said that he tried this Tuesday to have his son admitted to Carrollton Springs Hospital, but that Johnny was allowed to leave.
[RELATED: Browns expected to cut Johnny Manziel on March 9th]
Carrollton Springs is a psychiatric and chemical dependency hospital, working with patients who suffer from mental illness and/or addiction. Paul Manziel told Hairopoulos that he was upset that Johnny was allowed to leave after Paul told a Denton County Sherriff officer that he believed his son to be suicidal.
Manziel previously checked himself into a rehab facility in 2015 voluntarily, entering a program to treat possible alcohol dependence.
In a statement issued today, agent Erik Burkhardt announced that he was ending his professional relationship with the Browns quarterback, suggesting that he had spoken at length to Manziel’s family, with all parties except the QB himself agreeing that he ought to seek help.
“Though I will remain a friend and Johnny supporter, and he knows I have worked tirelessly to arrange a number of professional options for him to continue to pursue, it has become painfully obvious that his future rests solely in his own hands,” Burkhardt said. “His family and I have gone to great lengths to outline the steps we feel he must take to get his life in order. Accountability is the foundation of any relationship, and without it, the function of my work is counterproductive.”
Police recently investigated a January dispute between Manziel and his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley, but ultimately elected not to file charges. Crowley told police that Manziel struck her several times and seemed to be on drugs, and that he also told her “shut up or I’ll kill us both” after forcing her into a car and dragging her by her hair. Manziel denied those allegations.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.