The Hamilton Tiger-Cats traded Zach Collaros to the Saskatchewan Roughriders Wednesday, which could potentially leave an opening for Johnny Manziel to become a starting CFL quarterback.
Manziel is on Hamilton’s negotiation list and the team has until Jan. 7 to present the former Cleveland Browns pivot a formal contract offer. Ticats vice president of operations Kent Austin joined Arash Madani and John Shannon on Prime Time Sports Wednesday and updated where negotiations currently stand.
“I’ve been in constant communication with his agent, Erik Burkhardt, and in fact we spoke again today and going to speak again tonight,” Austin said. “It’s in process right now, so we’ll see how it plays out but everything is in discussion mode at this point.”
When asked who the Ticats’ starting quarterback would be in 2018, Manziel or Jeremiah Masoli, Austin chuckled and said, “Well, how about asking me in about a week? I’ll give you a better answer.”
Masoli had a 6-4 record as a starter, throwing for 3,177 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions, after replacing Collaros as Hamilton’s starter midway through the 2017 campaign.
Austin had been Hamilton’s coach since 2013 but stepped down back in August and June Jones was named his replacement. Austin said Jones will be the one to make the final call on the team’s starting QB.
Austin said other CFL teams have called to inquire about potentially trading for Manziel’s rights, but would not get into specifics. If Manziel doesn’t receive a contract offer or his rights aren’t traded by Sunday he would become a free agent, however Austin made sure to say letting Manziel walk was not an option.
Manziel was taken 22nd overall in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Browns but never became the star in the pros that many had envisioned him becoming. He went 2-6 in eight starts with Cleveland between 2014-2015, was released in March 2016 and hasn’t played professional football since.
The 25-year-old has dealt with substance abuse issues and faced various legal problems, including allegations of domestic violence. The CFL announced on Dec. 28 it would approve a contract for Manziel if he can come to terms with the Ticats.
If Manziel ends up on a CFL roster, it’s a mystery what he might be able to accomplish on the field.
Austin wasn’t certain about whether or not Manziel is currently in “football shape” but he was impressed with what he saw from the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner when the team worked him out in August.
“He’s stronger [physically] than I thought,” Austin said. “I understand now, when you watched him play, and the tackles that he broke against really good football players and the way he could pull away from guys and extend plays — when you get near him and are around him and you get around him and you watch him work out you realize that he’s sturdier and bigger than people realize and certainly than I was expecting.
“His arm strength is better than I thought as well. I think his arm’s a little bit stronger than people give him credit for, and obviously his improvisational skills are well documented. The guy can make plays that quite frankly other quarterbacks can’t, and in this league with this field and the ability to be very productive on first down to stay out of second-and-long in a three-down league it’s really really important to have the ability to get that big play.”
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