Should the Minnesota Vikings take a chance on Johnny Manziel?
By Adam Patrick
The Minnesota Vikings reportedly showed interest in the troubled quarterback back in 2014, so should they consider bringing him in as a backup?
Heading into the 2014 NFL Draft, the debate among a good portion of Minnesota Vikings fans was whether or not the team should select polarizing Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. Well Manziel ended up getting drafted by the Cleveland Browns before the Vikings could pick him and Minnesota ended up with Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater instead.
Fast forward to today and Bridgewater’s NFL career is in limbo and Manziel is attempting to make a comeback to the league after his off-the-field antics led to his time with the Browns coming to an end after just two seasons.
The former Cleveland quarterback has spent the past year out of the NFL by partying in mansions, tweeting at Donald Trump, attending the Heisman Trophy ceremony, claiming that he will never drink again, and getting engaged to his girlfriend after just six months of dating.
In regards to the woman he is now engaged to, Manziel wants everyone to know that she is making a very positive impact on his life.
"“When you find a girl as amazing as I did that saved me from where I was in my life, you absolutely put a ring on it.”– Johnny Manziel, former NFL quarterback"
In recent months, he has been making an emphasis to let everyone know about his commitment to get back to throwing passes in the league. He has even gone as far to say that he will volunteer for the NFL to drug test him according to the Sporting News’ Alex Marvez.
So if Manziel is as serious about his comeback as he says he is, should the Vikings consider signing him?
More from Minnesota Vikings News
- Former Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC North
- Bears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take
- 6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023
- Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022
- Vikings have reportedly begun extension talks with T.J. Hockenson
Minnesota’s quarterback situation is not what one would call “amazing” these days. Sam Bradford is in the last year of his contract and is expected to be the team’s starter for 2017, Bridgewater is still continuing to rehab his knee injury, and the unproven Taylor Heinicke is currently the Vikings’ backup.
Manziel is only 24-years-old and still has plenty of time to turn into a successful NFL quarterback. The risk Minnesota would be taking by bringing him in seems very small compared to the reward that it could possibly turn into.
The Vikings would not need to throw Manziel straight into the fire either since they do have Bradford as their starter. But if Bradford has to miss a few games due to injury next season, Minnesota having Manziel on the field for a few games would not be the scariest thought possible.
Next: The Vikings should finally retire Moss' number 84
The bigger picture may be if Bridgewater is never able to return to the football field. With Manziel, the Vikings would still have a quarterback of the same age on their roster and one who still has the potential to blossom into a superstar.