Following a loss to end the season, the Cleveland Browns cleaned house. After losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns did what most were expecting them to do which was fired head coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer. Cleveland made the official announcement following the Week 17 loss and now many wonder what is next for the franchise. Heading into the offseason, all eyes are on Manziel who is on very thin ice with the franchise.
Manziel did not play in Week 17 following a concussion suffered during the week. That pairs with the second stint of party pictures which surfaced on Instagram last week along with team drama following a failed check in with the medical staff. By all accounts, Manziel was AWOL for the team's game against Pittsburgh after owner Jimmy Haslam told the media he had not seen the quarterback since he failed to check in with the medical staff on Sunday. To make matters even worse, USA Today reported Manziel was spotted in Las Vegas which does not pair well with the rehab stint he had prior to the year.
"I haven't seen Johnny and I'm not sure if those reports are accurate or not," Haslam said of the Vegas report. "We do expect a lot out of our players on and off the field, and I'll just leave it at that."
According to ESPN's Pat McManamon, the chances Manziel comes back in 2016 are slim. The quarterback has no one left in his corner at the moment and Haslam could be forced to make the tough call. The Browns will have the No.2 draft pick in 2016 with a slew of quarterback options at their feet. The chances Manziel could be replaced are now high as the team tries to get back on track.
Several quarterbacks declared for the NFL Draft over the weekend including Paxton Lynch and Jared Goff. Connor Cook is another quarterback being viewed as a high draft pick after his senior season ended with a loss to Alabama. Both Goff and Lynch are expected to be drafted early and with the Tennessee Titans not selecting a quarterback No.1 overall, the Browns could be the first to draft at the position. Either Lynch or Goff could be quality options as many NFL analysts view them as potential franchise quarterbacks.
The Browns could also get involved in the quarterback trade market. According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, both Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III are expected to be available this offseason either via trade or release. Both quarterbacks have seen their share of struggles. A change of scenery might do them so good, but they are a risk either way.
The Browns have tough questions to answer this offseason. Gary Barnidge is locked in for the future while the duo of Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson should give the run game a boost for years to come. The Browns must re-tool the receiver group and figure out their quarterback situation while searching for a new head coach and general manager.
