The Ravens showed what happens when you adapt to what a player does best. They built an offense around a running back who has some ability to throw the ball. Like Harbaugh, Belichick has been known for putting players in the best possible place to succeed.
Dan Orencole wrote " When Manziel was with the Cleveland Browns, one could question whether or not the team went to those same lengths in order to get the best out of their first-round pick." We're still waiting on the analytics department for an answer.
When I think about Johnny football, I don't think about a running back that can play football. Never did the thoughts of Randell Cunningham, Michael Vick, or Steve Young pop into my head. You know who did? Tim Rosenbach and Rob Johnson. That's still the company I'd place Manziel in.
Manziel won the Hiesman and was a dual threat in college. But just like Andre Ware and many others, that doesn't always translate into the pros. A lot of quarterbacks are only dual threats in college because the team schemes them to be.
To Manziel's credit, he kept up with his 6.3 yard average in college when he pro. Manziel had a 5.6 ypc in the NFL and a 7.4 in the CFL. Again, was this Manziel or the system?
Orencole wrote "So, it’s clear that Manziel’s athletic ability still exists. But is it enough for a team like the Patriots to take a risk on him?"
From Albert Haynesworth to Ochocinco, from Aaron Hernandez to Josh Gordon and AB, Belichick had shown a soft spot for people with red flags all over their character. So why wouldn't Belichick ponder the thought Manziel?
For starters everyone and their mother knew that Manziel had no work ethic. Merrill Hoge said he was too big a project for the NFL before Cleveland went and made him a first round selection. But if that's still not enough for anyone to accept It, Manziel admitted it on the Dan Patrick show.
“Guys are good in the NFL because they know film, they study hard, and they work even harder in the offseason. So I didn’t know that. And I feel like, if Cleveland did any of their homework, they would have known that I was a guy that didn’t come in every day and watch film. I was a guy that didn’t really know the Xs and Os of football. Nobody was there (in Cleveland), like, helping me go over the Xs and Os, and it was hard. I struggled.”
The Patriots motto is "Do Your Job". It's the "Patriots way" and if you can't, Belichick has never had an issue of getting rid of anyone for the "Next Man Up". Just ask Jonas Gray.
The Patriots also have one of the best quarterback schools. If you cannot pick up the basics, and don't ask for help, you're off the team faster than Tebow. Not that Tebow didn't understand the game.
Manziel has been out of the NFL for sometime. He's another case of Men who couldn't handle the lifestyle of the NFL. He couldn't handle the Job. He had talent but talent can only take one so far. Manziel didn't have grit, he didn't have mental discipline.
While Manziel may come cheap, he has never shown that he has anything becoming of a New England Patriot. Dez Bryant has a better chance to sooner be the next Patriots back up quarterback. Manziel is a nice pipe dream for those who believe in movie endings but it just isn't probable.
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