BEREA, Ohio -- Browns coach Mike Pettine tried to muzzle the Johnny Manziel Mania after the rookie quarterback took all the first-team reps in practice Monday, but it's clear that Manziel is bearing down on Brian Hoyer.

"It was just part of the plan that we've had,'' said Pettine after Manziel replaced Hoyer with the starters. "We said we were going to allow the quarterbacks to compete. At some point you've got to mix up the supporting cast a little bit. It's all part of it."

Pettine also threw a new twist into the competition by saying he's not 100 percent sure who will start Saturday in the preseason opener in Detroit. At the start of camp, he gave Hoyer the nod barring unforeseen circumstances.

"I would still say that's true, but I can't say it's 100 percent at this point,'' he said. "But I would still say there's a more than reasonable chance (Hoyer) will be the starter against Detroit. That had been the plan, I just want to confirm with (quarterback coach Dowell Loggains and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan) and see where they are with it.''

Pettine was quick to point out that the No. 22 overall pick hasn't supplanted Hoyer as "the one'' for the time being and that the two will mix it up.

"(They'll) probably (alternate) more day-to-day at this point,'' said Pettine. "I don't think we'll do this for the entire week, and then we'll meet at some point midweek to discuss how we want to handle the reps in the Detroit game.''

Pettine said the coaching staff - with heavy input from Shanahan and Loggains - outlined the plan for the quarterbacks before camp "but didn't really put it in stone.''

He stressed that Monday's seismic shift in the first-team reps "was not a result of anything that happened'' in Saturday's scrimmage at the University of Akron. In that unscripted session, Manziel used his nimble feet to make plays, scrambling for a first down, throwing on the run and fitting the ball into tight windows on rollouts. He completed a beautiful touchdown pass on the run to tight end Gary Barnidge in the back right corner of the end zone, but the officials erroneously ruled the catch out of bounds.

"I think both quarterbacks took steps (in the scrimmage),'' said Pettine. "I thought they both played to their skillset. I thought Johnny did a good job making some plays with his feet, keeping plays alive, and Brian I thought showed some poise in the pocket and stepped into some throws. Let's not forget, that he's a guy coming off of a knee (injury), and that was really the first true live work that he had gotten, so I thought that was good work for him as well.''

The Browns have put heavy emphasis lately on the fact that Hoyer is coming off a torn anterior-cruciate ligament and that he's started only four NFL games -- a sign that they're considering Manziel for the opener in Pittsburgh Sept. 7.

"I wish (the quarterback decision) could be made tomorrow, but like I said earlier, you've got a rookie quarterback and another quarterback who's really only played in three full NFL games,'' Shanahan said last week. "They're both learning offenses. It's early for both of them.

"As small of patience as coaches tend to have, I'm fighting with myself to have more. You know it's going to take time. You don't want to just jump to a conclusion real quick. You've got to give them both a chance to get comfortable and to develop. I really hope we can get it done sooner rather than later, but it's really going to be up to them."

Pettine admitted he doesn't know who will get the first-team reps on Tuesday, the ninth day of camp.

"They wrote it out on their board, I'm not sure how they're planning on doing it,'' he said. "I do know it'll be a mix this week.''

He acknowledged that Johnny Football walking up to the opening team drill of camp Monday sent shockwaves throughout the NFL.

"That's great,'' said Pettine. "That comes with the territory.''

Pettine insisted that Manziel's promotion had nothing to do with Hoyer's performance through the first seven days of practice. Both quarterbacks have been uneven, although Hoyer has looked markedly quicker in making his reads and executing the scheme.

"No, not at all,'' said Pettine. "It's just something we wanted to work them both in, and it's part of our process.

Pettine pointed out all the ways Manziel has improved since the start of camp, when his head was swimming with the new scheme and terminology.

"Just think the playbook stuff, the repetition, calling the plays in the huddle and then not just being able to call the play, but understanding what his reads are, where to go with the ball,'' said Pettine.

Pettine said his decision on the starter for Pittsburgh will be made with much input from Shanahan and Loggains.

"Yeah, absolutely,'' said Pettine said. "That will be a committee decision. We'll meet together. I'm not an expert. but I also feel like I'm in charge of the big picture. We'll formulate a plan, not just with quarterback but with all positions, that we feel gives us the best chance to win.''

A few hours away in Latrobe, Pa., Steelers coach Dick LeBeau told cleveland.com's Tom Reed that he expects the Browns' rookie sensation to start the opener.

Manziel didn't do much on his first day with the starters to prove he deserved the starting job, completing 6 of 17 attempts in 11-on-11s with one interception, two drops, two passes broken up and one batted down at the line of scrimmage.

His first play was a 40-yard strike to speedy Travis Benjamin. But he was picked off in his second set of drills by safety Donte Whitner on a pass tipped by fellow safety Jim Leonhard that was intended for Josh Gordon. In red-zone drills, two of Manziel's passes were dropped, one was batted down at the line of scrimmage by Paul Kruger -- with Gordon running wide open in the right flat -- and one to Andrew Hawkins was broken up Joe Haden at the goal-line.

He managed a nice deep ball to Hawkins down the right side in a regular offensive period, but went three-and-out -- completing one of three passes to Hawkins -- in his only two-minute drill of the morning.

Hoyer completed 11-of-22 attempts in team drills, including a 71-yard catch-and-run by rookie receiver Willie Snead. He had four passes broken up, one dropped and managed a field goal in his two-minute drill, completing passes of 14, 6 and 12 yards.

Pettine said he's not disappointed that neither of the quarterbacks has run away with the job yet.

"No, because they're both competing and they're both doing what they're supposed to be doing,'' he said. "It would be hard for there to be a clear-cut guy ahead anyway, when they're both being efficient in their play when they're in there.''



NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said on the air today it was only a matter of time before Manziel worked with the ones.

"When you trade up from 26 to 22 to take a quarterback in the first round, there is a natural progression,'' said Mayock. "You knew he was going to get some shots with the first team. If you're going to make it a fair fight, he has to get behind that first-team offensive line, he's got to hand off to the starting tailback and he's got to get looks with those starting receivers.

"It's nothing earth-shattering. I think [Browns head coach] Mike Pettine's doing a great job handling a combustible situation, and I think we all just need to calm down and let it all play out."