NEW YORK: Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine said yesterday that Johnny Manziel can still beat out Brian Hoyer for the starting quarterback job.
Hoyer will start tomorrow night’s preseason game against the Washington Redskins, the second time that Pettine has gone with the veteran quarterback over Manziel, the popular rookie first-round pick.
“Sure he can,’’ Pettine told reporters of Manziel. “All of our options are still on the table. I think a lot of people read into what happened, but every option for us is still on the table.’’
Pettine still plans to make his starting quarterback decision on Tuesday to get ready for the season opener Sept. 7 at Pittsburgh.
Manziel worked with the first team in practice Friday.
Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown says he supports Manziel and does not disapprove of the quarterback’s behavior off the field.
“I like Johnny, you know, I like his type,” Brown said on an ESPN Cleveland radio show. “Johnny is a champion, Johnny won games in college. He won the Heisman Trophy as a freshman, didn’t he? ... That’s pretty bold. Not bad.”
The 78-year-old Brown said he understands the Manziel frenzy.
“You’ve got to remember, I’m an ex-player. We used to party,” Brown said.
Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy are behind Robert Griffin III on the Redskins depth chart, but how the order shakes out is a mystery entering Monday night’s preseason game against the Browns.
McCoy signed with the Redskins on April 3 as the third quarterback behind Cousins and Griffin, fueling speculation that Cousins could be traded.
AFP
