5 reasons the Browns should not give up on Johnny Manziel
By Dani Bostick
2. There is a shortage of elite quarterbacks in the NFL
In 2015, the Tennessee Titans drafted Marcus Mariota in the first round while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Jameis Winston. Neither player has been stupendous, but they haven’t been disappointing either.
It has been a while since there has been a crop of truly elite quarterbacks entering the NFL. In 2011, the league took in Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, and Christian Ponder. The 2012 group was slightly better in Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Russell Wilson, Nick Foles, and Kirk Cousins.
Still, the most promising prospects of the 2012 class are not on track to become the next Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. In fact, the most promising of the lot, Griffin, spent this season on the bench, while others have struggled with sub-par play and injury.
The 2013 group was as dismal as 2011’s. That was the year of EJ Manuel, Geno Smith, Mike Glennon, Matt Barkley, Ryan Nassib, and Landry Jones. The 2014 class introduced to the league Blake Bortles, Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, and Derek Carr.
Some of the 2014 quarterbacks have fared well so far in the NFL. Manziel is not less talented than Bortles, Bridgewater, or Carr. While he certainly has more off-field problems and less talented than the Brady’s and Roethlisberger’s of the league, he is not out of place in the NFL.
Next: 1. Manziel is a good quarterback