BEREA — Josh McCown played catch during the early portion of his first practice since Oct. 30, a small but significant step as the Browns starting quarterback recovers from a painful rib injury.
McCown tossed passes on the sideline Wednesday with quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell while reporters were allowed to observe Cleveland’s outdoor workout. McCown had a helmet with him, but did not put it on.
Browns coach Mike Pettine said McCown will be limited in practice and could still play Sunday in Pittsburgh.
Pettine said McCown threw some on Tuesday and has made progress from the injury sustained on Nov. 1 against Arizona. McCown did not practice last week and was inactive for a loss at Cincinnati as Johnny Manziel made his fourth career start.
Pettine said the Browns will know more about McCown’s status after he practices Wednesday. Pettine does not have a “drop dead” time to name his starter for the Steelers.
“We’ll just see how he responds,” Pettine said. “Just kind of going through the treatment and just some throwing yesterday, it’s a progression. That’s why we use day to day. We’ll know a lot more after today and see how he responds to the day of work.”
Manziel played well in the first half at Cincinnati, but the Bengals kept him in the pocket after halftime and rolled to a 31-10 win.
It’s assumed Manziel will start if the 36-year-old McCown can’t play, but Pettine said “not many jobs around here are etched in stone.” Austin Davis is Cleveland’s third-string quarterback.
While McCown is back, Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden and safety Donte Whitner remain in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
No punishment expected
While his professional game needs major work, Johnny Manziel believes he’s made personal progress.
“I have changed and adapted my lifestyle incredibly since last year,” the Browns quarterback said.
Following Wednesday’s practice, Manziel, whose every move on and off the field continue to be debated and dissected, said he does not expect to be punished by the NFL for his actions in a recent domestic incident.
The league is investigating whether Manziel violated its personal conduct policy during a roadside argument with his girlfriend on Oct. 12. Manziel, who was questioned but not charged by Avon, Ohio, police, recently met with a league official to discuss his involvement. Manziel could face a fine, suspension or ban if the league feels he broke any rules.
He’s also waiting to learn if he’ll make his second straight start.
Manziel played last week against Cincinnati and may be called upon again Sunday if Josh McCown remains sidelined with injured ribs. McCown, who injured his ribs in a Nov. 1 loss to Arizona, was limited in practice on Wednesday but is optimistic he’ll be back in the lineup against Pittsburgh as the Browns (2-7) attempt to snap a four-game losing streak.
“Each day, I felt like we gained a little ground, maybe not as much as I would like, but I feel like it’s improving and that’s a good thing,” McCown said.
Manziel showed more improvement in his fourth career start, but not as much as he or the Browns would have liked. He threw a touchdown pass in the first half and made several big plays outside the pocket. But once the Bengals stopped his scrambling, Manziel passed for just 40 yards in the second half of a 31-10 loss.
Unlike his rookie year, when he was ill-prepared and admittedly not committed to his craft, Manziel is putting in time to correct his mistakes.
Manziel candidly acknowledged that his physical limitations force him to play differently than other quarterbacks. They can stay in the pocket and read a defense while he has to run.
“I’m not going to be able to sit there like some of these taller quarterbacks in the league and just be able to see everything happen as it plays on,” he said. “I’m going to have to make a faith throw, knowing that, hey, this guy’s here and this guy went there.”
“There’s going to be times where I’m going to not be able to see everything like everyone else and it’s clear as day,” he said. “I’m getting better at it, but I’m nowhere near perfect, that’s for sure.”
Manziel’s life remains an open book — or rather, a Twitter and Instagram diary.
With the Browns off last weekend, Manziel returned to Texas A&M, where the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner served as an honorary captain for the Aggies game against Auburn. Manziel relished the chance to see former teammates and friends, but as always seems to be the case, photos emerged of him having a good time.
Manziel, who spent 70 days in a rehab facility during the offseason, defended his decision to make the trip.
“I probably took 2,000 pictures this weekend and just those are the ones that happened to be blasted out onto social media,” he said. “I can’t really control who does what with those and what people say about them.”
Manziel also understands his behavior will continue to be scrutinized.
“There’s going to continue to always be a cloud over my head from everything that’s happened in the past,” he said. “I’m sure any time anybody sees me in any type of aspect or any type of situation the way that anything would’ve been before, they’re just going to say, ‘Oh, he’s back to doing the same thing over and over again.’ I’m smart enough to have learned a lot over my past year and a half of my life, that’s for sure.”
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
