Johnny Manziel is dealing with elbow soreness and the Cleveland Browns have decided to shut him down for the remainder of the preaseason. It was a very disappointing piece of news after the solid performances that he had in the first two preseason games. Now the question becomes, can he still win the Browns' QB starting job over Josh McCown?
Obviously the biggest concern for the Browns is whether or not Manziel's elbow is going to be a long-term issue. It likely has a lot to do with his throwing motion and mechanics, which could mean that he has to completely change his game to get rid of it for good.
No major tests have been done on his elbow soreness, which means that there isn't anything terribly serious wrong with him. Cleveland could have immediately ordered an MRI to find out more if they had thought it was too threatening. That hasn't happened yet, which gives the Browns and their fans some hope moving forward.
Through the first two preseason games this year, Manziel threw for 42 yards while rushing for 14 yard, delivering a touchdown in the first game and 118 yards and a touchdown in the second.
At 22 years old, Manziel's growth has been extremely noticeable from last season to this year. He has become a much more aggressive and mature player on the field, and his willingness to enter himself into rehab this past offseason was a big step in the right direction as well. Those improvements were beginning to get him into the starting quarterback conversation.
There is no chance that McCown is going to be a long-term option under center for the Browns. Manziel is the only quarterback currently on the roster that has a chance to be a potential franchise player. Giving him as much time on the field this year as the Browns can would be wise, as it would give them a chance to see what he has before moving on from him for someone else.
Head coach Mike Pettine hasn't been a big fan of Manziel throughout the last couple years, but even he has been very vocal about liking what he has seen from the former Texas A&M superstar.
Perhaps the biggest need for the Browns is to find playmakers on the offensive side of the football. Manziel fits that description and the games that he played this preseason were signs of big strides in the right direction. He still has a lot of work to do, but he showed that he has gotten back to what got him to this point and is working hard to make the necessary improvements.
Looking ahead at the 2015 season, it isn't likely that Manziel will win the starting job in Week 1. Despite that fact, there is a good chance that McCown will struggle early on in the season and Manziel will take the job over fairly quickly.
Manziel definitely will see the field this season for the Browns, the question is simply when his chance will come.
To answer the original question, Manziel definitely has a chance to start this season. It won't be in the first week of the season, but there is no question that he will get a chance to make an impact on the field for the Browns. That time can't come soon enough for the Browns' fan base and it likely won't take too long for them to give their young quarterback a chance.
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