Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel is reportedly auditioning for more than just the Browns starting job in 2016, as the Dallas Cowboys reportedly could be enticed to trade for the former first round draft pick, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen.
Browns head coach Mike Pettine announced Tuesday that Manziel will be the starting quarterback this Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. Cleveland is coming off a crushing defeat against AFC North rival the Cincinnati Bengals, and Pettine likely felt he had no choice but to play Manziel after managing to score just three points last week with quarterback Austin Davis.
Manziel has clearly improved on the field this season, but the Browns and other organizations around the league will want to see consistency from him before any team commits to him long-term. Manziel is 1-2 as the Browns starter this season and has thrown for 933 yards with five touchdowns to two interceptions. Manziel's performance during the final four-game stretch of this season could have a major impact on where he plays next season.
The Cowboys and St. Louis Rams were reportedly interested in Manziel in the 2014 NFL draft, and an NFL executive reportedly believes that Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones could be enticed to trade a conditional fourth-round pick for the Heisman winner. Manziel's future in Cleveland is clearly up in the air, and the same NFL executive reportedly believes that Manziel will not be able to do enough this season to secure himself as the future franchise quarterback in Cleveland. "He would have to be spectacular and the Browns win games we don't expect them to win. And even then, to what extent has (Manziel) burned bridges there where no matter what he does, either the present regime or the next regime will still be looking for another guy?" said the executive, via ESPN.
Reports have already surfaced that Jones is still interested in Manziel, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Cowboys could make a trade for him this offseason given their current quarterback situation. Cleveland is currently in line to get the number one draft pick, as their 2-10 record is the worst in the NFL. With quarterbacks like Memphis' Paxton Lynch and California's Jared Goff likely to be taken early, the Browns could decide to go in a different direction, and look for a more prototypical quarterback to lead them in 2016.
There are still four games left on the schedule, with the Seahawks, Chiefs, and Steelers remaining for the Browns, giving Manziel a few difficult challenges to face. Manziel could still end up as Cleveland's starting quarterback in 2016, but that would likely require some great numbers and wins in the final four games of this season.
