Johnny Manziel’s future with the Cleveland Browns has been in question for months, but the team sent its strongest message yet about its dissatisfaction with the second-year quarterback on Tuesday – three days after a disturbance with his ex-girlfriend had him under investigation by police in Fort Worth and Dallas.
“We’ve been clear about expectations for our players on and off the field,” new Browns executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown said in a statement. “Johnny’s continual involvement in incidents that run counter to those expectations undermines the hard work of his teammates and the reputation of our organization. His status with our team will be addressed when permitted by league rules. We will have no further comment at this time.”
The first day teams can cut players is Monday, and FS1 NFL Insider Mike Garafolo is reporting that Manziel will definitely be released at some point — likely after the start of the new league year on March 9 due to salary-cap considerations but possibly earlier if the team can clear cap space. Garafolo has already reported that new coach Hue Jackson wanted assurances Manziel would be gone before he took the job.
Saturday’s incident marked the second time in several months Manziel has been investigated by police following an argument with a former girlfriend. The NFL cleared him of wrongdoing in October after a similar incident in Cleveland in which the ex-girlfriend refused to press charges.
Shortly after that, Manziel was named the team’s starter for the final six games of the seasson, but he missed the season finale with a concussion and the team was unsure of his location when he was supposed to show up for treatment. It was later reported that he was partying in Las Vegas at the time.
Manziel, the No. 22 overall pick in the 2014 draft, has a 2-6 record as a starter in two years with the Browns.
