NFL PLAYER NEWS

Browns OC Shanahan: Manziel-Hoyer even

The Sports Xchange

July 31, 2014 at 4:22 pm.

Johnny Manziel (2) throws a pass in Browns training camp. (Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports)

American’s most-watched quarterback competition is back on in Cleveland, where offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan stoked the embers Thursday.

Shanahan, in his first season with the Browns, went contrary to comments made by head coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer that veteran incumbent Brian Hoyer was ahead of rookie Johnny Manziel in the team’s QB derby.

“I don’t think one is any further in front than the other,” Shanahan said. “I think they’ve both done a good job. Today was our fifth practice and today was a lot more of a run practice with short yardage, goal line, four-minute, backed up. As far as these five practices, usually one day one guy is ahead of the other; the next day the other guy does a better job. I think it’s been back and forth.”

Hoyer could still be in the lead for the starting job, and the designation will ideally be made before the third preseason game, Pettine said.

“Nothing that really one ahead of the other, who’s here, who’s there, that’s not really on my mind at all right now,” Manziel said. “It’s me versus the playbook, and there’s nothing else. Got to know the stuff to even be able to come out here and execute everything.”

But the gap might be closing. For the first time, Pettine did not sound closed-minded about having a rookie run the first-team offense. Pettine in the past, citing last season’s experience with EJ Manuel in Buffalo and prior trials of Mark Sanchez (Jets) and Joe Flacco (Ravens), as a reason to lean toward the veteran. Of course, Sanchez and Flacco guided their teams to the postseason.

“I would even say he’s maybe slightly ahead of where we thought he would be mentally,” Pettine said of Manziel on Thursday.

Shanahan and quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains are finalizing the snap rotation for upcoming practices, Pettine said, with Manziel expected to get more work with the starting group. Shanahan said so-called first-team reps are overrated.

“We’ve been in a week. Hopefully, as these preseason games go, as these practices go, one of them will make the decision easy on us,” Shanahan said. “One will just take off and start playing really well. Usually that answer becomes pretty easy. If they make it tough, I hope it’s because they’re both playing really well.”

Manziel said the quarterback room with Hoyer and third-stringer Tyler Thigpen has a positive vibe, and he attempts to use the time to learn from both veterans. He understands the decision of when he debuts and how much playing time he gets is not entirely his to make.

“I think I’ll play whenever these coaches decide that I’m ready,” Manziel said. “I don’t think they ever want to throw me into a situation that I’m not ready for or something that I can’t handle. I don’t know if they drafted me necessarily thinking that I should come in and start Week 1. I think they wanted to see where I’m at and see how I progress, and hopefully, they’re happy with how I’m progressing. If not, then obviously I need to take it upon myself to step my game up and continue to learn the stuff at a more rapid pace.”

NOTES: Head coach Mike Pettine confirmed WR Josh Gordon was excused for a travel day. Gordon was flying to New York where his appeal of a one-year suspension for another positive drug test would be heard Friday. … OG John Greco participated in his first training camp practice after being activated from the physically unable to perform list. DL Billy Winn was also activated Thursday. … Roughly 100 military members, representing all five branches, and their families were VIP guests at Browns training camp through the team’s relationship with USO of Northern Ohio and Gold Star. Families

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