First-round pick and backup Johnny Manziel understands that. And that's why he's supporting Hoyer -- who, for much of the season, has been a solid starter.
"I'm still just playing my role what these coaches have for me, so I don't think it's any eagerness or urgency or anything," Manziel said, via the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "If the time down the road comes where it's my time to get in the gameplan, then when that chance is, I think I need to capitalize on those moments."Manziel has seen limited action this season. He took a couple snaps in Week 2 vs. the Saints, and in the next game, he was part of a trick play in which he caught a 39-yard pass from Hoyer though the Browns were penalized for it.
Other than that, we haven't heard much from Manziel, though he's been supportive of Hoyer just about every time he's asked about him.
"I'm just staying in my own lane trying to get better," Manziel said. "... I think there's been enough drama around me and my life for a couple of years now. So for me, I know whenever camp was over and we got into the roles of who was going to play what role, Brian was named the starter and I was named the backup, and now I need to play my role of the backup and that's that."
As for how his coaches feel about Manziel, here's what Cleveland offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan had to say.
"The more time he gets, the better he'll be, especially since he works hard and he takes his reps seriously whether it's on the scout team or whether it's the reps we give him with the ones," said Shanahan. "Johnny has been working hard, working on his technique, studying the game and getting used to NFL coverages more and how NFL defenses play us each week. It's been good for him to watch Brian each week and see how defenses change and how our concepts have to change and how we adjust."
