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On Wednesday, head coach Mike Pettine told reporters that, if Manziel makes another misstep, he’ll once again face the consequences.
“[I]f something were to occur, I could imagine that the repercussions would be harsh,” Pettine told reporters on Wednesday.
Pettine twice mentioned Manziel’s off-field issues and “well-documented violation of trust,” but Pettine otherwise praised Manziel.
“[E]verything else has been solid,” Pettine said, “the preparation in the building. Even when he wasn’t the guy, whether it was Josh [McCown] or whether it was Austin [Davis], he was very supportive. He upheld his responsibilities as the backup as is required in that room. We’ve seen the improvement that he took. . ... We have a guy that we’ve invested a lot in. We have four games left, and this will give us a good sense of where we are with that room moving forward.”
So what does Manziel have to do to be the guy leading the quarterback room in 2016?
“Do his job,” Pettine said. “Do his job and understand that it’s not just about on the field. ... We already talked about getting things rebuilt, and that does take time, but for all of our players, what you strive for is respect of your teammates and trust of your coaches. It’s even more so when you’re a starting quarterback. We feel he’s capable of getting there, but it’s a process.”
Meanwhile, calling the incident that got him benched “a lapse in judgment” and saying being relegated to the sideline for two games after being named the starting quarterback “sucked,” Manziel talked with reporters Wednesday for the first time since he was named the starter again this week.
Manziel wasn’t interested in questions about the demotion but called himself “fortunate” to get another chance.
Perhaps most interesting was that Manziel said he doesn’t believe he’s on his last chance with the Browns and that the organization “still believes” in him.
Manziel was even asked directly about his home-state Cowboys and what have become fairly common public flirtations by Jerry Jones.
“I’m not giving up on myself being here,” Manziel said.
Manziel indeed could be the starter in Cleveland next year, but it's not clear Pettine will be given the coach's own comments regarding a division between the coaching staff and management.
Meanwhile, wide receivers Travis Benjamin (shoulder), Taylor Gabriel (concussion), Andrew Hawkins (concussion) and Dwayne Bowe (not injury related) didn't practice Wednesday.
Tight end Gary Barnidge (ankle) and wide receiver Marlon Moore (ribs) were limited.
According to Elyria Chronicle-Telegram staffer Scott Petrak, Pettine expects Barnidge to power through his injury and play Sunday.
Wide receiver Brian Hartline (hip) and Manziel (right elbow) were full participants.