From the moment he was selected with the 22nd overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, the clock has been ticking on when Johnny Manziel would make his first start at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. Sunday will be that day. The anticipation of the seeing Johnny Football get his first extended action has been growing since head coach Mike Pettine made the decision to go with the rookie.
While fans aren’t sure what to expect, it sounds as though the Bengals could have their hands full. Indications from Browns players are that Manziel ability to extend plays and make things happen can present a challenge for defenses. Safety Donte Whitner is among those who have had to face Manziel in practice and has seen progression in his game. He even went as far as calling Manziel a “nightmare” to play against.
“You see him being Johnny Football,” Donte Whitner told NFL Network’s Albert Breer. “You don’t see him trying to duplicate anybody’s quarterbacking style, just sitting in the pocket. If something’s not right, you see him using his instincts and his intangibles, breaking the pocket. That’s where I can see growth.”
At this point, the Browns have a pretty idea of what they have in Brian Hoyer, who started the teams first 13 games. Johnny Manziel has now had the majority of the season to show what he can do on the practice field and has apparently improved enough to warrant the chance to impress on Sundays. After this week, the Browns close out the year with games versus the Panthers and Ravens.
H/T ProFootballTalk
