The 2014 draft looms large in the rear view mirror at this point.
The Browns pass on very tempting impact players by trading out of the 4th pick which Buffalo's uses to draft Watkins. Still a controversial move for many, the stockpiling of another first rounder in 2015 at least makes this an understandable if not shrewd trade.
The Browns burn a 5th round pick in a trade-up of one slot with the Vikings and select Gilbert.
Later, the Eagles are the on the clock at 22; the Browns next to pick at 26. Only one QB has been selected thus far (Bortles) and the big 3 of Manziel, Bridgewater, and Carr remain on the board. Free falling some if you will. The Browns burn the 85th pick (a third rounder) to move up to 22 and select Manziel.
I know we beat this to death in the past, but in retrospect its a fascinating chain of events. Clearly, the Browns who were in desperate need of a QBOTF, were not convinced that any of "the 3" were strong prospects. If they had been, they would have taken one of them with the Gilbert pick. Instead, they watched all 3 fall another, what, 14 slots before they acted. Any QB needy team who had conviction for any of the 3 could have jumped them. If you had high conviction, there's no way a team in the Browns situation allows that risk to persist all the way down to the 22nd pick. Its illogical.
If you'll buy the logic so far, it gets weirder in my view.
Bridgewater came into the draft as the most NFL ready prospect. He's gone on to pretty much live up to that "floor" with his play thus far. Some may not see Bridgewater as ascending to a top 10 QB but there's no doubt he's played pretty solid football as a young QB. Carr probably had the best physical skill set of any QB in that draft (my view). Big, big arm, just prototypical. He's certainly playing good football in his second year.
The Browns staff is probably not surprised per se by Bridgewater and Carr's play so far. I guess, unless, they really are just shitty at player evaluation.
But, they took Manziel. And they didn't just take him, they burned a very valuable 3rd round pick (85th overall) to ensure they got him at 22. They took the guy with the most questions at least in terms of how his game would transition to the NFL. They took the biggest "chance".
What dialogue actually occurred amongst the decision makers on this choice? No one really knows. Rumors of Haslam's influence, Farmer's level of autonomy (or lack there of), and Pettine's thinking are all just rumors.
It seems clear they understood that Manziel was going to need time. Development time. The immediate positioning was purposeful and clear: We are not going to just throw Johnny in. We're going to take our time, carefully develop his NFL game, and play him when he's ready. Some hated the choice of terms ("he's the backup") but that messaging seemed pretty clear to me.
And? Well, here we sit at 2-7 in year 2 with no sense that Manziel is really any closer to being given the reins.
In light of the recent rumors alluding to a lack of cohesion (again) between FO and Coaching make the 2014 draft decisions even more stupefying. Maybe its mostly on Manziel. Maybe he just isn't developing. Maybe its just on the talent evaluation of Farmer and Co. Maybe Manziel just doesn't have what it takes.
Or, maybe, it is the organization as the primary problem. Disfunction, lack of commitment to Manziel, whatever.
I'll close with this though: Why would a newly assembled trio (owner, GM, and HC) take the riskiest of the three QB's? Why not just take the safest (Bridgewater) or the most prototypical (Carr)? Why take the biggest boom/bust prospect considering the newness of the staff, organization, and culture? Did anyone raise this point or did massive ego's just skip past this rather obvious consideration?
This really has nothing to do with my, or anyone's, views on Manziel's ultimate potential but the thinking behind his selection in the first place.
It just seems even odder now than it was when it happened.
