Finally, after weeks of anticipation, the opening of Browns training camp and the first round of the battle between Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel is at hand.
Well, sort of.
The Browns open camp at 76 Lou Groza Boulevard at 9:30 a.m. on July 26, but the first practice and the one the next day will be in shorts during the CBA-mandated acclimation period. Players won’t be in pads until July 28.
‘I want to get to Monday and get the pads on and not just see this team, but hear this team get after each other,’ Coach Mike Pettine said excitedly July 25 after veterans ran their conditioning test. ‘That’s a big part of it. We’ve talked from the beginning about being a tough team, mentally tough, physically tough and to compete in the AFC North that you have to be that way.’
The slow buildup to the clashing of shoulder pads is not likely to dampen the enthusiasm of fans who get to watch Manziel practice in a Browns uniform for the first time. If you haven’t already registered on Clevelandbrowns.com, you won’t be able to watch any of the first three practices.
‘The fans have been incredible,’ Manziel said when it was his turn at the podium. ‘From the day that I got drafted in New York, they’ve been incredible.
‘Up until now, the buzz in this city about sports in general, not just about football, but you look at basketball now, the Indians are playing well, but especially for the Browns, this state, this town has been great for us. It’s been great to me personally.’
Hoyer will be the starting quarterback when camp opens and will start the preseason opener against the Lions on Aug. 9 in Detroit ‘barring unforeseen events,’ Pettine said.
Pettine said he wants all the position battles settled before the Browns host the Rams on Aug. 23 in the third preseason game. The plan is for Hoyer to be with the first team and Manziel with the second unit for the first couple days. Pettine said he, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains will reevaluate the situation after that.
Manziel agrees with Pettine’s assessment he is battling the playbook more than Hoyer. He said he does not feel like an underdog.
‘I’m absolutely a very competitive person, and I’m going to come out here every day and compete,’ Manziel said.’ I’m not going to shy down from competition or anybody that really tests me. But at the same time, I’m worried about myself getting better as a football player, getting better at drops, throwing with accuracy, throwing on the run, doing everything and just really commanding the huddle, letting these guys see me on the field more and more.
‘There’s a lot that comes with being a rookie. I haven’t been here very long, so there’s a lot that goes into all that. It’s not two short little plays anymore. You have a lot to a play call. You have a lot to read. You have a lot of different things that weren’t asked of me at (Texas) A&M. You have to deal with protections. You have to deal with certain things. Moving forward, I have to adapt to that. I have to get better and continue to learn the game of football more and more.’
Hoyer wants to win this job more than he has ever wanted anything in football. He was 2-0 as a starter before a knee injury shortened his 2013 season and says he is more comfortable in this offense than the one used last season. While some players, including Manziel, spent most of their free time between the end of minicamp and the start of training camp away from football, Hoyer spent most of his time in Berea.
‘I am confident that I am that guy, but in the same sense, I know that if it comes down to the fact that Johnny does beat me out, I will have given everything I have and he will have totally earned it,’ Hoyer said. ‘That’s what you want, and like I said, for me, all you want is an opportunity and a chance to earn the job. That’s what I’ve been given, and for me, it’s about going out every day and proving that I can be that guy because I believe that I am.’
Hoyer was restricted during minicamp because he was still recovering from a torn ACL suffered Oct. 3 last year. He has been cleared for full practice.
