L.A. Rams Rumors: Johnny Manziel To The Rams? Don’t Count On It

With the 2016 NFL draft only a few weeks away, rumors are heating up regarding the L.A. Rams and what they are going to do with the No. 15 overall pick. With the Rams now back in Los Angeles, the organization is attempting to make a splash for the fans that have remained loyal while the team was in St. Louis. Since the Rams do not have a clear cut starting quarterback, rumors have surfaced regarding the possibility that former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel could be signing with the team.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Rams have been linked to quarterbacks Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch, and Jared Goff. Unless the Rams make a trade in the first round, the odds of Wentz or Goff being available when the Rams select at pick No. 15 are unlikely. The team has been rumored to be interested in trading up to the No. 6 spot, but it is unclear if the organization is willing to give up what it is going to take.

Manziel Speaks on Playing for Rams While on LA Club Tour (Video) https://t.co/7e7OT8vYXO via @jeremyjoemills pic.twitter.com/4Zx4m5XKEb

— Robert Littal BSO (@BSO) April 3, 2016

While there is a chance that Lynch is selected before pick No. 15, many draft analysts believe he will be there for the Rams to take. Regardless, Lynch is viewed as a project quarterback that is unlikely to make an impact in his rookie season. While Rams’ fans will be patient, they still want to see a competitive product on the field. Current Rams’ quarterbacks, Case Keenum and Nick Foles, are average at best, and the team probably will not surpass eight wins if they are the only options.

Johnny Manziel is not exactly a proven commodity in the NFL, but he has shown flashes of brilliance during his time with the Browns. While Manziel is probably not the quarterback that the Rams need right now, many analysts are still throwing around the idea. As The Cheat Sheet noted, Manziel would actually provide an upgrade in the passing game over Keenum and Foles.

“No surprise here. You probably knew that the Rams were pretty bad at passing the ball in 2015 — you may have even guessed, correctly, that they were the worst passing team in the league. To make things even worse, between three quarterbacks (although Sean Mannion threw just seven passes), they have a total of 11 touchdown passes on the season. That’s one more touchdown than the number of interceptions thrown by incumbent starter Nick Foles. The Rams finished off the year 7-9 and could be moving to Los Angeles, but that doesn’t mean they’ll look to spend their draft pick on a quarterback, whether or not they should. Bringing Manziel into town, especially if it just costs them a mid-to-late-round draft pick to land him, could be a nice option for the team, as St. Louis needs someone who can ease the pressure off rookie running back Todd Gurley.”

While the report from The Cheat Sheet says the Rams would have to make a trade to land Manziel, he has since been released by the Browns. If the Rams want to give Manziel a tryout, they will not have to give up anything.

As seen in a recent video on TMZ, Manziel was asked his feelings about the Rams.

“Todd Gurley’s a Beast!”

While he did not exactly elaborate, it is clear that Manziel would sign with the Rams if they were interested. The problem for Manziel is that no teams are currently interested in him. In addition to his alcohol problems, he has also proven to be a distraction in the locker room. Besides missing meetings and showing up to practice intoxicated, as reported by CBS Sports, Manziel’s behavior is not what a winning NFL organization is looking for. Since Manziel is still only 23-years-old, he has a chance to work on his maturity levels.

Even with the Rams in desperate need of a quarterback, Manziel is not the answer right now. If he eventually proves that he understands how an NFL player should act, the Rams could kick the tires on him in the future. Until that day happens, the Los Angeles Rams should stay as far away from Johnny Manziel as they can.

[Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images]