Report: Johnny Manziel out of rehab, expected to join Browns soon
according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has been released from the rehab facility at which he had been receiving treatment,Manziel entered into the drug and alcohol treatment facility back on Jan. 28 and spent more than two months there. He’s expected to rejoin his team on or prior to April 20, when the Browns start their offseason training program.
The Browns have a new quarterback in Josh McCown, as well as a new QB coach (Kevin O’Connell) and offensive coordinator (John DiFilippo) that Manziel will work with. O’Connell helped coached Manziel during his pre-draft prep a year ago.
Of course, before joining the Browns staff, O’Connell also helped coach 2015 draft prospect Marcus Mariota, and rumors have continued to swirl that the team might be interested in moving up to draft the Oregon quarterback.
Manziel remains on shaky ground in Cleveland after a rocky rookie season in which he played a mere six quarters of mostly ineffective football and was involved in a few incidents that stunted his growth as a player and helped lose trust with teammates. His recent stay in the treatment facility is further evidence that the Browns might not know what to expect from Manziel in Year 2, and his name has been floated in some trade rumors, although the Browns have not indicated they are through with Manziel.
That said, the reports have been mostly positive on Manziel’s progress since seeking professional help, and Browns head coach Mike Pettine has said that they’ll throw Manziel right back into the mix upon rejoining the team.
After that, the rest of it is up to Johnny.
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm