Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Browns have been “alarmed” by QB Johnny Manziel’s antics since the draft.
Cabot specifically mentions that the Browns were particularly concerned about the photo of Manziel rolling up a $20 bill in the bathroom of a bar, which is typically indicative of person sorting cocaine.
The Browns reportedly wanted answers about the situation, which is why HC Mike Pettine reportedly called Manziel from his vacation in Hawaii to addressed the situation.
On top of that, some within the Browns’ organization believe he has lost ground to Brian Hoyer as they head into training camp. According to Cabot, Manziel has “regressed in practice” and some within the organization believe this can be attributed to “too much jet-setting and not enough dedication to the playbook.”
Manziel reportedly sold the Browns on the belief that he would tone down some of his behavior in the NFL, but the team has been “stunned by his non-stop antics.”
Bob Holtzman of ESPN reported earlier in the day that the “feeling” around the Browns is that Pettine will announce that Hoyer has won the starting job “well before” the team’s third preseason game.
A Browns’ player told Holtzman that “we’re all expecting Hoyer to start” the first game of the season.
At this point in time, Hoyer looks like the clear-cut favorite to open the year as the Browns’ starting quarterback. However, should he struggle, there could be a phenomenal amount of pressure for the team to start Manziel.
After all, he popularity is soaring, which is evident from the fact that he has the No. 1 selling jersey in the NFL.
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