Report: Browns will cut Johnny Manziel in March

The Cleveland Browns will release Johnny Manziel in March at the start of the new league year. 

In an announcement that is hardly surprising at all, the Cleveland Browns are ready to cut quarterback Johnny Manziel. While the move won’t be official until March, the team released a manifesto on Tuesday that heavily suggested that Manziel’s time with the team will come to an end when the cap penalty he carries is no longer an issue.

Manziel, until the start of the new league year, counts $4.6 million against the Browns cap — which is a figure they’re not willing to eat. But they can wait out the cap hit and won’t have to pay him if they release him next month. It appears that’s exactly what they’re going to do.

According to Browns beat writer Pat McManamon, the team will be cutting Manziel in March when the new league year starts. This is due to the cap penalty the Browns would be hit with if they released the quarterback now.

"The reference to league rules points to the fact that the Browns do not have the salary cap space to release Manziel on Feb. 8, the day after the Super Bowl and the first day they can do so. The move will take place when the new NFL league year starts March 9, according to the source."

The question now — as it has been since Manziel was benched for his personal problems — is where he will land next. Dallas has been heavily rumored but there’s the issue of Manziel’s off-field troubles that are a major red flag. He’s had numerous chances to turn things around and hasn’t been able to, which is a massive personal problem that he needs to sort out for reasons outside of his carer in football. He may not get picked up anywhere when he’s cut by the Browns, as his life at this point is more important than his career.