5 reasons Johnny Manziel will not start in the near future

Sep 3, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine during the third quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Being an NFL coach is a tough business. The front office gets players and expects you to win with them. If the team performs poorly, it is somehow the coaches fault.

Drafting Manziel was a move I liked, but if Pettine plays him he is asking for trouble. If Manziel plays poorly, Ray Farmer and Jimmy Haslam may wonder if there’s a coach out there who can win with Manziel.

This does not mean Pettine should keep Manziel on the bench if he proves himself, but there is no reason for a head coach to put his job on the line to see if a young quarterback can maybe possibly perform well, when the results would likely be the opposite.

Pettine is also protecting Manziel, as the tough schedule ahead would expose the young quarterback. McCown may even perform poorly in the coming weeks, but if the rest of the team does as well then there are bigger problems to deal with.