The increasing chatter that Cleveland will choose the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel with the fourth overall pick has led to speculation that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam might be pushing for the move. But Browns coach Mike Pettine says Haslam isn’t pushing for Manziel, or for any other draft pick.
Pettine told Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network that Haslam wouldn’t tell the football people what to do during the draft.
“That would never happen,” Pettine said.
Perhaps that’s why, according to Jay Glazer on FOX Sports Radio, the Browns will not draft Manziel. An owner who’s interested in selling tickets would surely love to add Johnny Football, but the football people in the building may have decided that they’re better off taking another player at another position.