NFL Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns Rumors: Drafting Marcus Mariota Would Be A Waste

Marcus Mariota

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The Cleveland Browns drafted Johnny Manziel in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, and he has underwhelmed and gotten injured in the two weeks the team has given him to showcase himself. Cleveland has been eliminated from playoff contention this season, but it’s still way too early to panic.

Due to Manziel’s poor play, rumors have begun to swirl about the possibility of the Browns drafting Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota in the 2015 draft. However, that would be a terrible move from a football standpoint, and a total waste of both a draft pick and a high-upside player in Manziel.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Mariota could be a stellar professional quarterback; however, that shouldn’t happen in Cleveland. Manziel, despite his struggles, still has a ton of potential, and he actually was starting to show signs of improvement in his second start before exiting with an injury. NFL teams rarely give up on high draft picks after just one season, particularly when that draft pick is someone who has as much talent as Manziel.

Drafting Mariota would totally derail Manziel’s career and prove that the Browns can’t remain stable at the quarterback position.

Manziel was drafted to be the answer, and there are bigger needs on the roster. If Manziel still isn’t a good starter in 2-3 years, the Browns should draft another signal caller. Until then, they should focus on their needs elsewhere and stay away from Mariota.

Chris Ross is an NFL writer for www.RantSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter, @DraftScout_NFL, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.

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