March 30, 2018 By Chris Varney
The NFL free agency period is pretty much done but there are still some players looking for jobs including two quarterbacks that nobody wants. Johnny Manziel, the former Heisman Trophy winner, was seen at the Texas A&M pro day working out for NFL scouts. There is some talk within the industry than Manziel could be signed by a team this off-season. Colin Kaepernick is also looking for work — his name resurfaced recently when Oakland Head Coach Jon Gruden said he was surprised the fromer 49er QB has not been signed.
So it got me thinking, who would you rather have on your team, Manziel or Kaepernick.
Manziel won the Heisman in 2012 and was taken in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Johnny Football was a legend in Texas but it all went to his head. Manziel spent more time partying than quarterbacking. The last straw came in 2015 when Manziel had to sit out the last game of the season with a concussion but was spotted in Las Vegas instead of in Cleveland with his team. The Browns released him in March of 2016 and he has not played for a football team since. The Canadian Football League team Hamilton Tiger Cats has expressed an interest in giving him a chance this year but Manziel is holding out hope of rejoining the NFL.
Kaepernick helped to lead San Francisco to a Super Bowl in 2012 but all his on-the-field accomplishments have been overshadowed by his political statement in 2016. Kaepernick ignited a national controversy when he refused to stand for the national anthem before the start of NFL games that season. Other players followed his lead and athletes across the country did their own form of protest over the treatment of African-Americans. Kaepernick said he “would not stand up and show pride for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” The QB opted out of his contract after the 2016 season becoming a free agent but no team has signed him since then.
Both quarterbacks bring a lot of baggage to the table, most of it self inflicted. It is hard to feel sorry for either of them.
Still, the question remains, which one, Manziel or Kaepernick. Your answer might be neither and you might be right but let us dig deeper.
Kaepernick has been a proven player in the NFL and is only 31 years old. He became the starting QB mid-season in 2012 for the 49ers and directed them to a championship game (they lost to Baltimore). As a full time starter for San Francisco, they went 12-4 and 8-8 the next two years. The Niners have fallen to the back of the pack since then but that can be blamed on front office chaos than to Kaepernick. Jim Harbaugh lost a power struggle with management and went back to the college game while the 49ers went through two different head coaches in Kaepernick’s last two years.
Manziel is the younger of the two QB’s; he’s only 25 years old but has little success in the NFL. He threw for 1500 yards for Cleveland in 2015 but had a meager QB rating of 79.4. His numbers have not been impressive but how much has he really focused on football? Manziel says he has changed his life around and there are signs he is right. He has gotten married. He is being treated for bipolar disorder. And there are reports that he has reconciled with family members.
In my opinion, Manziel deserves a second chance. There are signs that he has turned his life around. Of course there will be strings attached to any contract he does sign. I would be interested to see what Johnny Football could do when he gets down to work and just focuses on the game. He was an explosive talent at Texas A&M who could run around and make play after play after play. I think fans are more likely to forgive Manziel his past and give him another shot.
As for Kaepernick, it is clear that NFL teams are scared of the backlash they would get by signing him. There was tremendous backlash over the national anthem controversy earlier this season and that did not involve Kaepernick. It comes down to money — how many season ticket holders would cancel their tickets if their team signed Kaepernick? How many sponsors would leave if he was signed? Kaepernick is by the far a greater risk. It is highly unlikely that he will ever see the NFL field ever again.