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Johnny Manziel sounds ready to commit to being better in 2015

Frank Schwab
·NFL writer

Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel wouldn’t be the first NFL rookie to learn that to make it as a professional, it takes a little more effort than you’re used to.

Manziel isn’t the typical rookie in that he has already become the NFL’s next villain to many folks, but he’s going through the normal growing pains. He struggled in his first start. In his second start, on Sunday at the Carolina Panthers, he wasn’t off to a great start before he was knocked out of the game with a hamstring injury. The Browns have ruled him out for Week 17 with the injury.

According to The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s story from the game, Manziel seems to realize that even though he was an all-time great college player, it’s going to take more dedication to replicate that success in the NFL. A taste of starting has seemingly motivated him, and the struggles have too.

"And that's what I want to do and that's what I want to be for this organization so for me, if anything, this has motivated me more to head into this offseason,'' Manziel said, according to the Plain Dealer. "We had a better team than we have had here in years past, and we need to capitalize on these guys that we have coming back next year and the talent that we do have on this roster that our coaching staff and our management has put on this team."

Manziel doesn’t have the absolute support of the Browns going into 2015. After Manziel’s first start, coach Mike Pettine said, “He could hit it out of the park the next two and there'll still be doubts. He could not play very well the next two, there'd be a ton of doubts.” If saying that is a message to Manziel – who is known for enjoying the nightlife – that he needs to fully commit in the offseason to being a good starting quarterback, it might be working.

"So if anything it makes me more hungry to work in this offseason and get with these guys and stay on top of this stuff and come back next year and come out and try to have some success early in the season and sustain that through a season," Manziel said.

It's one thing to say that and an entirely different thing to back it up, but it's a good sign that he understands that a lot of work will be necessary if he wants to improve in 2015.

Manziel also said he thinks his teammates have seen over the last two weeks that “I want to be the guy.”

The Browns don't seem totally sold. A 3-for-8, 32-yard day at Carolina before he was knocked out with a hamstring injury won’t help, and he’ll have a light résumé heading into the offseason. But maybe if his tough first couple games in the NFL have turned the light on and Manziel has learned he'll need to put in a lot of overtime at the facility to realize his potential, perhaps the Browns will gladly reconsider.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!