Johnny Manziel Offered 2 Year Contract

[JohnnyMusso]

Maxlion said:

I will predict the Hamilton will finish last in the league this year.

I disagree. Though June Jones may have made some questionable decisions, their QBs are way better than Montreal's. People thinks the Als will be better this year and compete. While they may be better, they have no QB. Freeman is a rookie and behind him they have Drew Willy who is terrible. Plus they have a rookie US coach who knows little about the CFL and Khari Jones who is a terrible OC. No Montreal will finish dead last and I hate to say it, but our Leos will likely be in the bottom 2. I am not convinced they can be better. They have only 2 players back on defence and with so many new players likely will not be a cohesive unit until it is too late. I can't see them being better than any of the other Western teams or even better than Hamilton. I am not sold on Jennings and despite saying all the right things, still has to prove he is not a 1 year wonder.

[JohnnyMusso]

Also if Hamilton's DC fails, they have Orlando S, who is a great DC and reason Telford had big success in his return to the college ranks.

[maxlion]

I will go out on a limb and pick Montreal for second last. Drew Willy will start and play decent. Their coaching staff is marginally better than Hamilton's and Reed has done a good job at cutting a lot of the deadwood. Hamilton is the more dysfunctional of the two.

[Toppy Vann]

Three things with Manziel stand out here:

1. Signing on the eve of TC shows he's only done this as he has no other choice.

It's like dating where the Ticats (the woman) know that their date (JM) is only asking to be the boy friend as he's out of other options. It's as bad as dating someone on the rebound.

In this case the wily woman ain't stupid and will sit back and let it play out as they're in the mode of 'show me you're the guy for me' versus desperate for the date and bf.

2. If you take a player at his word look at the statements of Manziel - here the for long haul - two years.

On this one I believe if GM Eric Tillman has any input on this he'd pull a Wally Buono on JM if at the end of the first year he wanted to sign with the NFL for the Buono type reason that you don't want a guy in your team who really doesn't want to be here.

3. If he seriously wanted to be successful to prove to the NFL he's the new, improved Johnny Football he'd have been talking to former NFL/CFL QBs and he'd be talking a lot differently than he is this week - signing just as the Cats TC was about to commence.

Upside to the deal for the Ticats is significant if JM shoots the lights out but the downside is the impact on Masoli but given how much they're likely paying him this season and his temperament where he can be a more patient guy than Manziel can be - that might not be an issue.

Do I see an upside for the CFL as of now? Not much as if JM gets an NFL sniff he's outta here fast versus others who would evaluate the situation better and even wait a few years to prove they can win championships.

As noted even Doug Flutie didn't shoot the lights out first year and he's a student of the game! JM is reputed to not be big on knowing the play book well.

[BC 1988]

All I can say is I'm glad I'm not a Ticats fan--what a trainwreck in the making. It depends of course on how long June Jones maintains his absurd infatuation with Manziel. It could be quite short-lived, but they are still wasting valuable time on this joker.

[B.C.FAN]

Jones has done the right thing by naming Masoli as his starter. That should help deflect some of the pressure on the team and Manziel. That's the way Doug Flutie was eased into the CFL. It's now up to Manziel to commit to learning the Canadian game and demonstrating that he deserves a chance to play. If the team can withstand outside pressure to give Manziel a bigger role than he can handle, this could work out well.

[WestCoastJoe]

Three things with Manziel stand out here:

1. Signing on the eve of TC shows he's only done this as he has no other choice.

It's like dating where the Ticats (the woman) know that their date (JM) is only asking to be the boy friend as he's out of other options. It's as bad as dating someone on the rebound.

In this case the wily woman ain't stupid and will sit back and let it play out as they're in the mode of 'show me you're the guy for me' versus desperate for the date and bf.

2. If you take a player at his word look at the statements of Manziel - here the for long haul - two years.

On this one I believe if GM Eric Tillman has any input on this he'd pull a Wally Buono on JM if at the end of the first year he wanted to sign with the NFL for the Buono type reason that you don't want a guy in your team who really doesn't want to be here.

3. If he seriously wanted to be successful to prove to the NFL he's the new, improved Johnny Football he'd have been talking to former NFL/CFL QBs and he'd be talking a lot differently than he is this week - signing just as the Cats TC was about to commence.

Upside to the deal for the Ticats is significant if JM shoots the lights out but the downside is the impact on Masoli but given how much they're likely paying him this season and his temperament where he can be a more patient guy than Manziel can be - that might not be an issue.

Do I see an upside for the CFL as of now? Not much as if JM gets an NFL sniff he's outta here fast versus others who would evaluate the situation better and even wait a few years to prove they can win championships.

As noted even Doug Flutie didn't shoot the lights out first year and he's a student of the game! JM is reputed to not be big on knowing the play book well.

Points well made, Toppy.

JM wants to parachute in, set the league on fire, and helicopter out, to the NFL. That is his ideal scenario.

He may not do well here. He can improvise, but that might not be enough. You have to know the playbook, the defences, et cetera.

He may upset some TiCats. He may have resistance in the locker room.

He fails? No big deal, except maybe egg on the face for the TiCats.

He succeeds to his heart's desire? He stiffs the CFL and moves on.

Dunno if there is a best scenario here? Starter? Who knows? Grey Cup Champion? I don't think so.

[Dusty]

Points well made, Toppy.

JM wants to parachute in, set the league on fire, and helicopter out, to the NFL. That is his ideal scenario.

He may not do well here. He can improvise, but that might not be enough. You have to know the playbook, the defences, et cetera.

He may upset some TiCats. He may have resistance in the locker room.

He fails? No big deal, except maybe egg on the face for the TiCats.

He succeeds to his heart's desire? He stiffs the CFL and moves on.

Dunno if there is a best scenario here? Starter? Who knows? Grey Cup Champion? I don't think so.

I think that Hamilton will ease him in slowly. They have nothing to lose by being patient and everything to lose by quickly giving him playing time over Masoli.

I think his biggest hurdle will be his penchant for improvisation. That will work for a while, but after a few games, the opposing DC's will adjust and, if he is only a one-trick-pony (i.e using his feet all the time to prolong plays) any initial success will diminish.

I remember being dazzled by Casey Printers improvising abilities, but over time, the DB's would just wait him out when he would roll-out instead of moving away from coverage and trying to tackle. Casey could not adjust to being a pocket passes and an improvisor and his success diminished. I wonder if JM will have the same struggle..

[WestCoastJoe]

Points well made, Toppy.

JM wants to parachute in, set the league on fire, and helicopter out, to the NFL. That is his ideal scenario.

He may not do well here. He can improvise, but that might not be enough. You have to know the playbook, the defences, et cetera.

He may upset some TiCats. He may have resistance in the locker room.

He fails? No big deal, except maybe egg on the face for the TiCats.

He succeeds to his heart's desire? He stiffs the CFL and moves on.

Dunno if there is a best scenario here? Starter? Who knows? Grey Cup Champion? I don't think so.

I think that Hamilton will ease him in slowly. They have nothing to lose by being patient and everything to lose by quickly giving him playing time over Masoli.

I think his biggest hurdle will be his penchant for improvisation. That will work for a while, but after a few games, the opposing DC's will adjust and, if he is only a one-trick-pony (i.e using his feet all the time to prolong plays) any initial success will diminish.

I remember being dazzled by Casey Printers improvising abilities, but over time, the DB's would just wait him out when he would roll-out instead of moving away from coverage and trying to tackle. Casey could not adjust to being a pocket passes and an improvisor and his success diminished. I wonder if JM will have the same struggle..

Who knows when it comes to Johnny Manziel, Dusty?

He is an X-factor.

I tend to think he leaves a trail of destruction in his wake. That could be intended tacklers, his career, his health, his relationships or his football organization.

[TheLionKing]

Manziel is going to find out real quick that there are quality players in this league.

[Blitz]

Manziel is going to find out real quick that there are quality players in this league.

He certainly is. He won't be able to get away with not knowing the playbook here in the CFL and they are complex. More difficult to read defenses in the CFL than the NFL too.

I believe there are two sides to Manziel. I think he wants to change. The problem is that he has had a lot of support and advice and guidance and not been able to follow through. He is diagnosed as bipolar as well as haivng alcohol problems in the past.

Very difficult for bipolar indiviiduals to stick to a plan for an extended time but if he continues to take his medications he has a shot of turning his career around.

I have no idea why Hamilton wanted to do this. Masoli was the best quarterback in the CFL in the last third of the 2017 season.

[Blitz]

If you want to read an interesting and informative article on "The Fall of Johnny Football', this Sports Illustrated article is very enlightening.

https://www.si.com/mmqb/2016/03/15/john ... and-browns

[David]

I have no idea why Hamilton wanted to do this. Masoli was the best quarterback in the CFL in the last third of the 2017 season.

Makes no sense to me either. Jeremiah Masoli impressed the hell out of me as the season progressed.

Montreal made a much more logical destination from where I sit. The cost to trade for his rights would not have been steep given the risk he brings (troubled past, desire to get back to NFL etc.). Montreal has a history of signing big name players, and need one now with falling attendance. Perhaps most importantly, they are a bit of desperate franchise now and don't have an established starter. The underwhelming Drew Willy is looking like the favourite among candidates at this point.


DH

[Toppy Vann]

I have no idea why Hamilton wanted to do this. Masoli was the best quarterback in the CFL in the last third of the 2017 season.

Makes no sense to me either. Jeremiah Masoli impressed the hell out of me as the season progressed.

Montreal made a much more logical destination from where I sit. The cost to trade for his rights would not have been steep given the risk he brings (troubled past, desire to get back to NFL etc.). Montreal has a history of signing big name players, and need one now with falling attendance. Perhaps most importantly, they are a bit of desperate franchise now and don't have an established starter. The underwhelming Drew Willy is looking like the favourite among candidates at this point.


DH

You hit on the head here. Montreal would have made more sense and it still might happen.

Drew Willy plays so slow and is totally inconsistent it is shocking to believe Kavis Reed has convinced his owners (active in the biz) and his non CFL experienced HC that this guy can do the job. Willy seems like a class guy but it's an exercise in frustration watching him these past few years.

Ham is no doubt taking advantage of the relationship that their HC was Manziel and the quality of the character of Masoli who had to sit patiently and watch Kent Austin run Zach Collaros into oblivion by refusing to change QBs whereas in other years he'd play all 3 in the same game and defend it as they were doing that to Win.

I think Manziel's comments on the football challenge are starting to show he finally grasps the reality of his situation - something that prior statements seemed oblivious to.

5 starters last season had over 3K yards passing (Reilly, Nichols, Glenn, Mitchell, Ray ) IIRC this correctly. And CFL knockers can say all they want about the quality - there are those who've played QB here and in the NFL and not ONE of them ever understated the quality of the CFL players and teams.

[WestCoastJoe]

Speaking of the Alouettes under Kavis Reed ...

Disarray.

They can't even dredge up the time to put pictures of 6 of the coaching staff on their website.

https://en.montrealalouettes.com/coaching-staff/