Johnny Manziel is back playing pro football in the United States after signing a contract with AAF franchise Memphis Express. Yet don’t for a moment think this move signifies that Johnny Football will be receiving a training camp invite to an NFL team this summer.
At this point, Manziel is nothing more than a publicity stunt: Look everyone! Johnny Manziel is here!
Yet verily I say unto you, Manziel’s viability as a legitimate NFL-caliber quarterback has long since waned to the point of disappearing altogether.
NFL bust: Quite aside from all the off-field trouble Manziel went through as a member of Cleveland Browns, his play on the field showed he’s not an NFL-caliber signal caller.
The Spring League: Manziel played in the Spring League early in 2018. And while he did help promote the league and made some splash plays, his play still showed he’s not an NFL-caliber quarterback.
Canada was no cure: Showing himself to still be a mediocre pocket passer, Manziel struggled in his lone season with the Montreal Alouettes.
Following the 2018 season, Manziel was effectively banned from playing for any CFL teams for violating a rule that has yet to be defined.
The bottom line: Just looking at his body of work as a professional quarterback, Manziel in no way deserves another shot as an NFL passer.
When you factor in his previous off-field issues, the media swarm that comes with him wherever he goes, and the way things ended in the CFL, he’s a player NFL teams will go out of their way to avoid.