Browns’ Brian Hoyer ahead of Johnny Manziel by a ‘substantial margin’
By Mike Dyce
The Cleveland Browns have a quarterback competition on their hands after drafting former Texas A&M passer Johnny Manziel with the 22nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Browns head coach Mike Pettine even is encouraging the competition.
“We don’t want guys who are going to be warm and fuzzy,” Pettine said Monday, via the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “They’re fighting for a job. It’s somebody you’re going to be working with. It’s a unique situation where you’re competitive, you want that job. It’s not going to be this warm and fuzzy (thing). That to me is how you want your quarterback to be.”
Well a report from Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says Manziel was getting third string reps while Brian Hoyer got first team reps. In the mean time, Tyler Thigpen was getting second team reps ahead of Manziel.
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If that wasn’t a solid indicator of the gap between Manziel and Hoyer, general manager Ray Farmer is letting you know. In an interview with CBS’ Cleveland 92.3 The Fan, Farmer said that Hoyer is ahead of Manziel by a “substantial margin.” In all fairness to Farmer, he was asked who he wanted to start and he responded by saying “whoever the best quarterback is” and when further pushed said Hoyer.
I mean realistically that shouldn’t be all that shocking. Hoyer is familiar with the offense to a certain degree despite the coaching overhaul atop the organization. Manziel hasn’t even been on the Browns or in the NFL for more than two weeks yet.
If this were the middle of training camp this would be more alarming and by that point, as Manziel adapts to his new teammates and the NFL, he could close that gap and bring that quarterback competition alive.