Johnny Manziel Expected Back For Offseason Workouts In April

The Cleveland Browns are expecting Johnny Manziel back for offseason workouts in April, according to ESPN’s sources. The world-renowned party animal checked into rehab on Jan.  28 “to be a better family member, friend and teammate,” according to his attorney Brad Beckworth.

Since then, plenty of individuals from the Browns’ organization has commended Manziel on his decision, including team owner Jimmy Haslam: “I applaud him for raising his hand and saying, ‘I need help.’ We’re going to do everything we can to support him. Our primary interest is making sure that he gets well… However long that takes, we’re going to stand beside him.” Even head coach Mike Pettine has visited Manziel at the rehab facility as a show of support, with others, like GM Ray Farmer and various players, contacting him by phone.

However, GM Ray Farmer wants to point out that while they expect Manziel back on April 20, this date is not set in stone. “I don’t think it’s in doubt,” Farmer stated about the date. “Again, I’m not the point person in that. So I would defer to those kind of controlling his care and let them decide what that looks likes.”

Either way, his stint in rehab will not affect his chance at starting in the beginning of 2015, according to the GM: “If he is prepared and he demonstrates the things that he needs to demonstrate, then yeah he should get every opportunity to be the guy.” He will compete for the job with Josh McCown, Connor Shaw and Thad Lewis.