Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam thinks Johnny Manziel could still have a future with the franchise, even though he squandered opportunities his first two seasons.
In an interview with 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland, Haslam was asked if the relationship could still be salvaged, to which he replied: “Oh yeah, I don’t think there’s any question about that,” Haslam said.
Furthermore, he doesn’t think Manziel’s lack of communication with the club is as big a deal as many in the media are making it out to be:
“We talked to Johnny before he left. And I know a big deal was made because Hue hasn’t called Johnny but we’ve got 53 players on the active plus 10 more and a couple of other real prominent players he’s talked to in the last few days so I’m sure he’ll get around to it.”
Haslam also said Manziel’s progress on the field this past year was “undeniable.” He did mention a certain standard is expected of his players, which Manziel has obviously fallen short of following his first two years in the league.
When asked point-blank if it would be better for Manziel to simply have a change of scenery, Haslam wasn’t convinced that’s the best course of action but did defer to his personnel men:
“No, I think that’s a question for Sashi and Hue,” Haslam said. “They’ll make all those calls personnel-wise – including quarterback.”
All that said, given the fact that new head coach Hue Jackson has reportedly said he’s ready to “move on” from Manziel and has made pointed comments about avoiding exactly the kind of stunts Manziel has been pulling, it seems unlikely the former Texas A&M star will be on Cleveland’s roster next season.
What Haslam is doing here is being extremely diplomatic about the entire situation. If, by some miracle, Manziel does stay with the team, then Haslam is making sure he doesn’t have to look bad in the media. On the other side, he’s also greasing the wheels for any potential trade that could send Manziel packing.