Johnny Manziel was an absolute disaster last season as a rookie, and many surrounding the Cleveland Browns organization had already given up the hope that he could become their future starting quarterback. He didn't give up on himself, however, and performed very well in the Browns' first two preseason games this year before an elbow injury forced him out. The latest update on Manziel's injury is that he is recovering very fast and doing much better.
That is very good news for the Browns, although he does have tendinitis in his elbow, which can be bothersome for a while. Manziel is likely done for the next few weeks, although he could return earlier than expected depending on how things go in his rehab.
Obviously, this news is great news for the Browns as there was some concern that he could have to undergo surgery on his injured elbow. That would have put him out for the entire season and practically ended his chance of being a starting quarterback for the Browns. Instead, he will be back at some point this year and could still push veteran quarterback Josh McCown for the starting job.
At 22 years old, it is obvious that Manziel is serious about getting his career back on track. Nothing made that more clear than the willingness that he showed to check himself into rehab this past offseason to help get rid of his alcohol issue that has caused so many of the problems that he has had throughout his young career.
Looking ahead at the upcoming season, there is no question that he has made quite a few improvements in his game and the coaching staff noticed those steps.
Manziel still has a long way to go before taking over the starting job, but he could make the leap sooner rather than later. Cleveland knows that McCown offers them nothing long-term, while Manziel was a first-round pick just last year. Giving up on him now would be a major mistake, and the front office knows that they need to give him another chance.
Cleveland may not start him in the first few weeks of the season, but McCown simply isn't going to be able to put up the type of numbers that the Browns need from the quarterback position. Assuming he does struggle like many are expecting to see, that will open up the door for Manziel to take over fairly early on in the year.
There is some concern about the long-term impact of his elbow, as he has dealt with this issue since high school. His throwing motion has a lot to do with it, which could force him to make some major changes in the next couple years. That would be a very tough thing to do at this stage in his career, but it's too early to begin expecting that.
Don't be surprised to see Manziel back on-the-field in the near future and to see him begin his pursuit for the starting job once again with a renewed passion following this setback.
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