Leading up to the NFL draft, all of the emphasis was on Johnny “Football” Manziel. In the year leading up to the draft, he was hailed by many to be an athletic quarterback who could have become a combination of Tom Brady and Doug Flutie. Though this added a lot of hype, much of the anticipation died down. Having said that, the future of the Cleveland Browns is on the rise, and many are expecting them to turn it around this year.
In regards to the Manziel draft choice, there has been much discussion, and no answers will really be given until the regular season kicks off. Having said that, it is safe to assume a few things about the quarterback situation in Cleveland. Firstly, you cannot expect Johnny Manziel to start. If the past few NFL seasons have taught us anything, it is that college players, especially quarterbacks, need to adapt before they are ready for the big league. Look at RGIII. He was expected to be a great NFL player; however, his inability to play in the pocket really hurt his career. This will also be an issue in the NFL. In today’s NFL, DEs show no mercy. If you are a quarterback who is playing out of the pocket, you can expect to get hit very hard. Currently, Manziel has a strong, but not accurate arm. Because of this, most of his college highlight reel tape shows how well he can scramble, but not how well he can throw. Due to this, he will be starting on the bench and he will learn from Brian Hoyer, who is still the better of the two quarterbacks.
Defensively, the Browns are very strong. Their CB pairing, which includes the highest paid corner in the league, Joe Haden is able to put fear into opposing offenses. Next season, much of the improvements for the Browns need to come on the pass rush. Right now, their pass coverage is solid, but this is meaningless without a strong DE rush. Once this is solidified, the performance of Haden will skyrocket. If a CB is able for force a quarterback to throw the ball before he is actually ready to do it, their defense will thrive. This has to be a priority going forward.
The biggest question mark for the Browns is Josh Gordon. After multiple failed drug tests, the young WR looks as though he will be on his way out for the year. This is very unfortunate for the team. Last season, despite a suspension, Gordon put up over 1600 yards, including two 200 yard games. These numbers are astonishing, and losing him will really hurt the team. Gordon is a pain to cover, and his skill and speed combined with Hoyer’s pocket presence created such a strong tandem. If Gordon is unable to successfully appeal his suspension, expect the Brown’s offense to suffer.
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Thank you for reading. Ron Leyba is the lead editor of Fantasy Football Overdose, and a LastWordOnSports Analyst. For more of his NFL articles, follow his updates at NFL Fantasy Football Rankings Facebook or follow him on twitter @ronniedare. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
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