We've seen this before: Johnny Manziel isn't the first ballyhooed player to be a flat-out flop in his first NFL season. In his case, however, Manziel is neither alone nor appreciated.
Word from Cleveland Browns territory this week has veterans players unhappy at Manziel and fellow first-round pick Justin Gilbert as another season fades into obscurity.
Here are two telling quotes from:
— Linebacker Karlos Dansby regarding Manziel, to The Plain Dealer of Cleveland: "When you're a first-round pick, you've got to c'mon, man. They've got to reset their goals and they've got to do it fast."
— Safety Dante Whitner regarding Gilbert, to ESPN: "It's time to grow up and not be a kid anymore. It's a wasted year for him. "There were so many ups, so many downs — a lot of it has been brought on by himself."
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Admittedly, the Browns have made progress. They enter Sunday's season finale against the Baltimore Ravens 7-8. The upside? It's their best record since going 10-6 in 2007. There is potential in a team noted for football mediocrity since its 1999 rebirth.
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Dansby also noted the obvious: Not every first-round pick becomes a winner. History is littered with major disappointments in the first round.
Fans should take this as a positive. Gilbert, No. 8 overall; and Manziel, No. 22 overall, are being called out by veteran Browns players who believe there is more to their team than just paychecks and stink-o records.
"You've got to live up to expectations and you've got to play up to expectations and that's what we expect of him," Dansby told The Plain Dealer in regards to Gilbert. "It's a learning curve for him and we all understand that, but at some point the switch has to turn on and you've got to go for it and we haven't seen him just go for it and do it on a consistent basis."
And here's the downer: Gilbert, cornerback, hasn't responded to teammates' tough-love approach. The guy has talent; but talent without commitment is nothing.
Questions persist about Manziel, whose opportunity to show growth will come next year. His season ended with an injury against the Carolina Panthers. And his rookie performance only raises the level of questions about whether "Johnny Football" will ever be more than a college star and money-making gimmick.
The Browns deserve credit for improvement, especially in players taking charge to get underperforming teammates to meet the challenge. It's up to Gilbert and Manziel to show they are willing to accept.