A tale of two quarterbacks: Mayfield and Manziel

Baker Mayfield has already won as many games as a starter for the Cleveland Browns as Johnny Manziel did in his tenure with the club. Both players were heralded picks in the first round of the NFL Draft. Manziel was selected with the 22nd selection in the 2014 Draft to

Much fanfare at the time due to his exploits at the Texans A&M Aggies. He was not pressed into a starting role due to the presence of Brian Hoyer, who enjoyed a solid campaign before tearing his ACL in the 2014 season.

Manziel started the final two matches of the term, losing both of the contests as the Browns ended the term 7-9. He would start the 2015 campaign but for a number of reasons was never able to realise his potential. Manziel’s off-the-field conduct proved to be his downfall in the NFL, suffering an arrest for domestic violence that was ended with a plea agreement. His partying antics were also out of hand, resulting in his release from the team after just two seasons.

Comparisons were made between Mayfield and Manziel ahead of the 2018 Draft. Mayfield had a similar skill set to his predecessor in the college game. He flourished with the Oklahoma Sooners so much so that the Browns used the first-overall pick to acquire the Heisman Trophy winner’s services. Unlike Manziel, the 23-year-old appears to have a mature head on his shoulders.

He was thrown into action earlier than head coach Hue Jackson would have liked after Tyrod Taylor suffered an injury against the New York Jets. However, Mayfield rose to the occasion to lead the Browns to a comeback win – their first triumph in 635 days. The 23-year-old led his team to another fine victory over the Baltimore Ravens, giving the club a two-win campaign for the first time since 2015.

It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Cleveland could contend for the AFC North, boasting a good record against their divisional rivals. It could be worth monitoring their odds in the sports betting market at 12/1 to win the AFC North for the first time with Mayfield pulling the strings.

While the horizon looks optimistic for Cleveland and Mayfield, life is not so rosy for Manziel. The quarterback moved to the CFL after failing to attract an NFL team. However, his spell with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats did not last long as he was traded to the Montreal Alouettes. Manziel made his first start against his former team, only to see his first pass

intercepted by BJ Cunningham. He would throw three further interceptions, capping a nightmare return to competitive action.

Manziel’s next outing was not fruitful either, while he was then sidelined with a concussion for two weeks during which time the Alouettes secured two wins in his absence. Head coach Mike Sherman persisted with the quarterback and his play did show signs of improvement against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, throwing two touchdowns. He remains without a win, while starting after suffering another loss last time out against the Calgary Stampeders. The contrast between Mayfield and Manziel is stark. One is on his way to stardom in the NFL, leading a franchise out of the doldrums, while the other is going through the motions with a struggling side in the CFL.

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