Brian Hoyer’s offhand comment about free agency is pretty interesting
Quarterback Brian Hoyer’s hot start has given the Cleveland Browns a good problem to have.
Hoyer has played so well to start this season that he could be a coveted free agent this offseason, especially if he continues this pace. There are more than a few teams that could use a quarterback with a 7-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 99.5 rating, and the Browns are 3-2. (Greg Cosell of NFL Films had an in-depth breakdown of how Hoyer is playing so well here last week.)
Complicating matters is that the Browns picked Johnny Manziel in the first round of this year’s draft. Manziel isn’t ready yet, as he has a long way to go to consume an NFL playbook after playing in a spread attack at Texas A&M. But he has a lot of talent, obviously, and isn’t going to sit forever.
Forget the Browns’ dilemma, what about Hoyer? He turned 29 on Monday, and finally is having extended NFL success as a starter. He has given the Browns no reason to think about Manziel this season, but again, Manziel isn’t going to sit forever.
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Hoyer hasn’t discussed a contract with the Browns after initial talks this past offseason, his agent told CBSSports.com. Part of that might be that neither side knows what the best move is.
Presumably in a perfect world Hoyer, who went to high school in Cleveland, would want to sign a rich long-term contract and be the starter for the duration of it. But, there’s Manziel.
Now read a comment Hoyer made to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com regarding his future and upcoming free-agent status:
“I don’t think I need to say more than I’m from Cleveland and this is where I want to be, but I also am a competitor, so I want to be somewhere where I’m playing,” Hoyer said.
Maybe that’s a random comment or answering a specific question in a way to cover all his bases, but it shines some light on how complicated the matter will probably be. And Hoyer was certainly telling the truth: “I want to be somewhere where I’m playing.” Nobody can blame him for that.
But, outside of trading Manziel (hmmm … ), nobody in Cleveland can guarantee that Hoyer will remain the starter indefinitely. There are no guarantees of that kind in the NFL.
So what happens? Do the Browns spend big bucks on Hoyer, essentially choosing him over Manziel for at least the immediate future, or sell low on Manziel in a trade? Does Hoyer re-sign with Cleveland believing he can hold off Manziel with his play for the length of the contract or does he sign with a team that doesn’t have a first-round pick waiting in the wings as a constant threat?
We have a long way to go before some of those questions get answered. But don’t think the Browns brass hasn’t started thinking about it already. The situation will get more complicated with every good game Hoyer has.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
