The Cleveland Browns are reportedly looking at the possibility of selecting Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota to replace Johnny Manziel, but team owner Jimmy Haslam played down all speculation.
Talks about the possibility of the Browns drafting Mariota this year intensified after Cleveland hired Kevin O'Connell as their new quarterback coach. O'Connell has been working alongside Mariota as part of his pre-combine commitments, which he needs to accomplish before taking his new role in Cleveland.
When asked about the rumors about their alleged plan to draft Mariota, Haslam insisted that they did not hire O'Connell because they are preparing to select the junior quarterback, who has completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 4,454 yards with 42 touchdowns and four interceptions.
"We didn't hire Kevin because he's training Marcus," Haslam told reporters. "We didn't hire him because he trained Johnny last year. We hired him because -- and I've never met Kevin, let me say this -- but our people, particularly Mike Pettine, think he's a very, very smart, competent offensive/quarterback coach."
Haslam reiterated that they are not looking for a replacement for Manziel, who had a tumultuous rookie season because of his struggles on the field combined with his well-documented off-court issues.
Manziel, who was selected 22nd overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, played seven quarters in his rookie season, completing 18-of-25 passes for just 175 yards with no touchdown and two interceptions. His failure to live up to expectations on the field were actually overshadowed by his off-court antics.
Manziel was seen partying late at night several times, which was reportedly the main reason why he missed a team walkthrough late in the season. But despite the controversy that surrounded Manziel in his rookie year, Haslam insisted that they are not giving up on the 22-year-old quarterback.
Haslam praised the former Texas A&M standout for showing a strong sign that he is ready to improve as a player next season after deciding to seek treatment in rehab earlier this month.
The Browns owner insisted that they are still pinning their hopes on Manziel, who they viewed as their future franchise quarterback when they drafted him last year.
"I applaud him for raising his hand and saying 'I need help,'" Haslam said. "We're going to do everything we can to support him. Our primary interest is making sure that he gets well, if you will. Fixes himself. However long that takes, we're going to stand beside him. We hope Johnny can get that straightened out."
