Browns coach visits Manziel, says QB in ‘better place’
Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine visited Johnny Manziel last week. The former Texas A&M quarterback voluntarily entered a treatment facility Jan. 28.
“I wanted to go visit him and see how he’s doing and let him know that we’re proud of him for the decision he made to go in and obviously he has our full support,” Pettine said Wednesday during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The second-year head coach initially said he wanted to keep details of their visit private, but he later acknowledged Manziel has improved.
“He’s in a much better place now than before he went in,” Pettine said. “He’s very determined to come out of it in a much better way.”
Pettine said there is no timetable for Manziel to rejoin the team.
The Browns made Manziel the No. 22 overall pick last May despite several red flags, including a guilty plea on a misdemeanor charge of failing to properly identify himself to police and a half-game NCAA suspension. The Dallas Cowboys were among the teams to pass on Manziel.
“We had the information that everybody else in the league had,” Pettine said. “It’s easy to look back now and say, ‘What did you miss?’ You can interpret something a little bit differently now, and it turns out to be a deeper-rooted thing than you thought. But obviously we felt very comfortable with his background, certainly enough to draft him.”
Manziel started two games, completing 13 of 26 passes for 112 yards and two interceptions before a season-ending hamstring injury. Pettine said the Browns will seek quarterback help this off-season with Brian Hoyer entering free agency.
Claiborne update
Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne has been absent from the practice field as much as he’s been on it during off-season and training camp practices in his three seasons. He will miss even more time as he continues his rehab from a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee.
Coach Jason Garrett confirmed Claiborne will miss the off-season program with his rehab possibly continuing into the start of training camp.
“Don’t anticipate him being ready in the spring,” Garrett said. “We are hopeful about training camp. He might be one of those guys who doesn’t start right away in training camp, but that’s a long way off. That’s premature. But I wouldn’t anticipate him being too involved in the spring.”
Claiborne has missed 18 regular-season games the past two seasons. He has played in only two preseason games in his career. Off-season surgery on his left shoulder kept him out of part of last off-season.
Lee to weakside?
Sean Lee could move to weakside linebacker next season. That is if the Cowboys are able to re-sign Rolando McClain, who started 12 games at middle linebacker last season.
The Cowboys traded for McClain last summer after Lee tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the first day of organized team activities. But McClain is a free agent.
“Sean can play any of the spots,” Garrett said. “We will try to figure out who is on the roster, talking about some of these free-agent decisions. Hopefully, we can get our guys back, and we’ll decide where those guys go to help our football team. But Sean has great versatility. He can play the Mike [middle]. He can play the Will [weakside]. He can play Sam [strongside] if we asked him to.”
Veteran linebackers Justin Durant and Bruce Carter also are free agents. Anthony Hitchens started at all three linebacking spots during his rookie season.
Marinelli support
Although national reports speculated Rod Marinelli would leave Dallas for Tampa Bay, Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith said the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator is right where he belongs.
“What I wanted for Rod was for Rod to be happy, and he’s been happy,” Smith said Wednesday at the NFL owners meetings. “He’s embraced the Dallas Cowboys and the tradition behind them. So I enjoyed my time I worked with Rod other places, but I’m OK with him being with my second favorite team.”
Marinelli never talked to Smith before telling Garrett he wanted to remain with the Cowboys. Marinelli signed a three-year contract before becoming a free agent.
Smith, who grew up in Big Sandy, Texas, began his NFL career with Marinelli as assistants on the Bucs’ staff in 1996. They reunited in Chicago with the Bears in 2009, and Marinelli left after the 2012 season when Smith was fired, although Marinelli had a Bears offer to stay as defensive coordinator.
Marinelli finished second in voting for NFL assistant coach of the year. He took over the third-worst defense in NFL history from Monte Kiffin, and the Cowboys finished 19th in total defense (355.1 yards per game) and second in takeaways (31).
“Not surprised at all,” Smith said. “I think I’m on record on what I think of Rod Marinelli as a football coach. I’ve just never been around a better man, a better coach. He’s the same way every day. Loves his job. You want him influencing our young men, and you want to see them have success, and he did a great job with them last year, and I’m really pulling for him to do the same thing except for that one game they come to Tampa next year.”
This story was originally published February 18, 2015 at 8:53 PM with the headline "Browns coach visits Manziel, says QB in ‘better place’."