The Cleveland Browns were expected to release troubled quarterback Johnny Manziel when the new league year began on Wednesday but he remained on the team’s roster.
The Browns are ready to act sometime Friday, according to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com.
The Browns reportedly kept Manziel on the chance that a team offered them a conditional late-round pick in a trade.
As many as three teams might be interested in Manziel, according to Cleveland.com, and that could have delayed a decision.
One report had San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick wanting to play in Cleveland for new Browns coach Hue Jackson that could have involved Manziel in a a trade.
If a team trades for Manziel, it would assume the remainder of his contract — guaranteed base salaries in 2016 and 2017 of $1,169,872 and $1,004,125. He is due a $250,000 roster bonus on the fifth league day of 2017.
There also are reports the Browns may be waiting for an opportunity to void Manziel’s remaining $2.1 million in guaranteed money because he could be suspended by the NFL for his latest off-field incident — a domestic violence case in Dallas last month.
Manziel is not in the plans of the franchise under the direction of vice president Sashi Brown and Jackson, who said last month the Browns are “moving on from those types of situations.”
Manziel, the 22nd overall pick in the 2014 draft, started eight games last season, with seven touchdowns, seven interceptions and seven fumbles.
Manziel was given a shot to earn the starting job by the Browns but during the team’s bye week a video emerged showing the quarterback at a party, which drew the ire of the franchise. Rather than starting on “Monday Night Football” at Baltimore coming off of two weeks to prepare, Manziel was benched and inactive for that game.
Manziel finished the season away from the team. While the Browns were on the field for Week 17, Manziel was nowhere to be found and spent the day before in Las Vegas.
Manziel’s father said last month that his son would not follow the suggestion from the family to return to rehab.