Even as
Teddy Bridgewater has flatlined somewhat with his recent performance, the
Minnesota Vikings feel secure they have their quarterback; they have no regrets at this stage. However, let us remember that before the Vikings traded back into the first round of the 2014 NFL draft, they first attempted to trade up to get
Johnny Manziel. They failed to get a deal done, and the
Cleveland Browns got their man. And there were a couple of other teams intrigued by Manziel, such as the
St. Louis Rams and the
Dallas Cowboys.
So while Manziel returns to the field Sunday as the Browns' starting quarterback, it is fair to speculate that he's auditioning not just for Cleveland but also for the Cowboys or another team in 2016.
One prominent team executive believes Manziel probably can't do enough on the field "under the reality that he's just not playing with a very good cast around him" to make a convincing case that he is indeed the quarterback of the future for the Browns. "He would almost 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?" the executive pondered, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
The Browns, at this rate, will be in position to take one of the projected top quarterbacks in the 2016 draft, whether it's Connor Cook (Michigan State), Jared Goff (Cal), Christian Hackenberg (Penn State) or Paxton Lynch (Memphis). Ironically the Cowboys also figure to be in a top-10 position to draft a quarterback who can be groomed as a successor to
Tony Romo. Only it's unlikely Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones is going to spend a top-10 pick on a quarterback if he's staring at a number of nonquarterback players who can help push Dallas to that Super Bowl level.
The same team executive said the Browns can probably eventually entice Jones to offer a conditional fourth-round draft pick for Manziel, even with the knowledge that the former Texas A&M quarterback was the top-rated player on the Cowboys' board in 2014. Jones also showed everyone he was thinking team ahead of heart when he relented to select Notre Dame guard
Zack Martin, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
The Cowboys' failures this year with backup quarterbacks
Brandon Weeden and
Matt Cassel have only helped the case for Manziel as a candidate to become Romo's backup and possible successor. Sometimes the obvious is just that -- obvious.