Johnny Manziel was not one of the players the Browns interviewed at the combine in February. (USATSI)
More NFL offseason: Mock Drafts | Prospect Rankings | Pro Days | Top free agents
The Browns spent most of February and March pretending not to care much about Johnny Manziel. But they're now apparently interested in checking out what he might be able to offer them.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Browns brass is in College Station this weekend working out the former Texas A&M quarterback.
The Browns previously let it be known they didn't interview Manziel at the combine, which would've been a strong opportunity to get to know the quarterback. And new general manager Ray Farmer was conspicuous in his absence from Manziel's pro day in College Station; the Browns didn't send anyone there to watch Manziel.
The lack of interest in Manziel was almost too flagrant. Cleveland has a desperate need for a quarterback, the fourth overall pick and could use whatever mojo Manziel brings to reinvigorate the franchise (plus Manziel is good, not to mention a good fit for Kyle Shanahan's offense).
Eventually Farmer had to check out Manziel and see if he could be worth using with the No. 4 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Not that this interest will change much in terms of CBSSports.com's Mock Drafts. Manziel was already a top-10 pick on four of five boards, with two drafts projecting him to Cleveland.
It's a logical fit, really. If Manziel can impress Farmer in College Station over the weekend, it could become a reality.
NFL Hot News
Report: Giants 'hearing good things' about RB David Wilson's recovery from neck surgery
ESPN's Dan Graziano wrote in his Saturday mailbag column that the Giants "are hearing good things" about running back David Wilson as he recovers from January spinal fusion surgery. However, Graziano also opines that Wilson will play only once he is fully healthy, something that would leave the team "pleasantly surprised."
In other words, we're not really getting anywhere with Wilson at the moment. He's trying to come back, but can he? That is a question without an answer. It's why the Giants gave a four-year deal to Rashad Jennings. Even if Wilson is somehow ready to go by Week 1, Jennings is their starter. But his fantasy value also depends heavily on Wilson. If he can't return to the field, the Giants don't really have much behind Jennings on their running back depth chart. Peyton Hillis or Michael Cox could be their No. 3 RB right now. That means Jennings could continue what he kind of started last year in Oakland: being a dual-threat workhorse.Jennings has battled several injuries throughout his five-year career. He has never played in 16 games, and missed all of 2011 due to a knee injury. But he was a beast for the second half of 2013 with the Raiders and could reprise that role in the Giants' new offense. I think the 29-year-old has high-RB2 potential, but again, we will have to keep tabs on Wilson throughout the spring and summer to know how this backfield is going to look. If Wilson is available, I have no doubt in my mind that head coach Tom Coughlin will employ a value-draining timeshare. Such a thing might be great for the Giants; fantasy owners who invested in Jennings would think otherwise.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment