The clock is rapidly ticking down for the Cleveland Browns to decide on what they will do with their fourth overall pick in next month’s NFL Draft, and on Thursday they will visit with one of their top reported options as they host a visit with QB Johnny Manziel, who will arrive in town on Wednesday according to Cleveland.com.
"Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel arrives in town Wednesday to visit with the Browns, a league source told cleveland.com."
At this point, the Browns really have no set plan in place as to in which direction they will go with that no. 4 pick, but Manziel is certainly an option as the team looks to revitalize their offense under new head coach Mike Pettine.
Recently, Pettine spoke rather highly of Manziel at the NFL meetings.
“Gifted playmaker,” Pettine said at the NFL Annual Meeting last month. “The play starts when he makes the first guy miss. That’s exciting to watch, but to transition to the NFL, he’ll have to be able to play in structure, his fifth-step, his foot hits the ground that he can execute a throw. I don’t think there’s any reason to think that wouldn’t happen and I think he’s capable of doing it, but when you have that ability to improvise like that, that’s what makes him special and maybe separates him from other guys.”
If there was a consensus at the moment, it’s that the Browns will indeed draft for the offensive side of the ball in the first round, although that might be at the wide receiver position with Clemson’s Sammy Watkins.
But on Thursday, Manziel will have the opportunity to sway them in his direction.