Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel has been released
The Cleveland Browns have waived Johnny Manziel after two failed seasons and a list of off-the-field problems.
The Johnny Manziel era has ended in Cleveland after less than two years.
Manziel was drafted by the Browns in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft and came to Cleveland with a great deal of hype.
He never allowed himself to live up to that hype, constantly getting in trouble off the field and never committing himself to the team.
Browns paid Johnny Manziel the equivalent of $80,291 every week for the last 96 weeks.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) March 11, 2016
Johnny Manziel's #Browns contract was 4 years, $8.245M. Of that, $7.7M was fully guaranteed, so he gets all of that. Plus millions marketing
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2016
This was an easy choice for the Browns, and came two days later than everyone expected. The front office may have been looking to trade him, but it was clear that no team would want any of the baggage he brings with him.
There is still the chance he gets suspended by the league for his domestic violence incident with his ex-girlfriend, but this is only one problem in a sea of failures he must deal with.
BREAKING NEWS: The Browns have released QB Johnny Manziel.
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 11, 2016
Manziel was 2-6 as a starter. pic.twitter.com/elfwHqcrqA
The Manziel saga had very few positive moments. He went 2-6 as a starter, but never emerged as a serious contender to turn the Browns around and make them a playoff contender.
He was named the starter for the final quarter of last season, only to get caught partying and lie to his coaches about the situation. This immaturity should have been enough to cut him right away, but doing it now suffices.
Manziel’s future in the NFL looks bleak right now. It would be a major shock if any team gave him a chance in 2016, or at least until his legal issues subside. He also has personal issues to deal with and has shown other teams that he cannot be trusted because of his behavior the last two seasons in Cleveland.
He joins the growing list of first round busts in Cleveland and will be immortalized on the growing list of Browns starting quarterbacks since 1999.
By cutting Manziel loose, this new front office has taken the first step toward righting the wrongs of the past, and moving toward the future.
Next: Browns in running for Kaepernick
Free agency is underway – maybe somebody should tell the Browns? – and Cleveland has around $48 million in cap space to spend. Follow Dawg Pound Daily for all the latest news on free agency as the Browns work to rebuild their roster.