The Browns have yet to make a contract offer to quarterback Brian Hoyer since the spring, according to a league source, despite the 29-year-old leading Cleveland to massive upsets over the rival Steelers and Bengals and holding a 9-3 record dating back to last season.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam was heavily involved in the selection of Johnny Manziel in the first round of the draft this spring. Now, with the team in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt, the Browns have yet to issue Hoyer a starting value deal, and while they have yet to commit to Hoyer as their quarterback of the future, his price has continued to rise.
Hoyer's contract, worth just $1 million this year, expires after the season, and he has continued to be content to play it out if need be as several teams will be in the market for a new passer in 2015. The Cleveland native would love to stay there, all things being equal, but rather than sign a deal for backup money before the season, when he was still coming back from a season-ending ACL injury, he chose to gamble on himself, and it has proven to be sage thus far.
Despite having one of the worst group of skill players in the NFL and with the running game and pass protection hurt massively by the loss of All-Pro center Alex Mack, Hoyer has continued to get results even with the Browns' defensive woes. To this point it has yet to provoke a new contract offer from management, and league sources suggested Hoyer would likely look to Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton as a comparable player in negotiations (coincidentally, Hoyer far outshined Dalton in a victory Thursday night).
Dalton's contract is essentially a series of one-year deals with significant flexibility for the team, but Dalton did land $12 million to sign and $17 million guaranteed, which is far more than what Hoyer could have secured before the season.
Brian Hoyer has 10 touchdowns and four interecptions this season. (USATSI)
The Browns remain very much alive for the AFC North title and face the struggling Texans and Falcons the next two weeks. Victories in those games will only further cement Hoyer's status. It's worth noting that Texans coach Bill O'Brien had interest in acquiring Hoyer in the past -- they worked together in New England -- and the Texans could very much be in the market for a quarterback in 2015. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht was also with Hoyer in New England, and that team has had multiple failures at the quarterback position already this season.
Signing Hoyer to legitimate starter's money would obviously put Manziel's progress on hold -- it remains very much in doubt what kind of pro quarterback Manziel will be, and sources said the coaches have been very firm supporters of Hoyer from the outset. Shelving Manziel is something Haslam would have to be comfortable with, and no decision would be made without his consent. But there could be a backlash as well for a franchise so bereft of a winning quarterback for so long to let a homegrown product leave as a free agent after a career year.
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo practiced for the first time this week Thursday and is getting talked up by owner and general manager Jerry Jones."I'm anticipating him playing,'' Jones said of Romo's chances to play in London Sunday against Jacksonville. "I have no reason to think that he won't. Anytime he can play, we want him to play. We're a better team, to be trite, with him playing. There's no such thing as holding him out and foregoing the potential chance that we win.''Romo missed the team's Week 9 game, a 28-17 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals. QB Brandon Weeden filled in and was less than spectacular in relief, completing just 18 of 33 passes for 183 yards and one touchdown while tossing two interceptions.
For the sake of Cowboys' fans everywhere and fantasy players alike, let's hope Romo plays. After seeing his beloved Cowboys drop two straight in the house that he built, nobody wants to see Romo back under center more than Jones -- well, maybe except for WR Dez Bryant.Jones is spot-on in his assessment of his team with versus without Romo. Weeden looked out of place in Week 9. If Romo plays, all is well with the Cowboys' passing game and you can start guys such as Bryant and WR Terrance Williams with confidence against the Jags. If he doesn't play, you have to lower your expectations of everyone on the team, except for RB DeMarco Murray. He'll have a big day regardless.
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