Johnny Manziel

Johnny Manziel's latest stunt should be enough for the Browns to send him packing.

(AP)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Johnny Manziel picked a great weekend to go to Las Vegas.

Normally, it would have led to huge headlines for the Browns quarterback. He is in "concussion protocol." He's not supposed be on planes or hanging out in bright, noisy places such as Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas.

But Johnny being Johnny, that's exactly where he went and what he did Saturday night, according to USA Today. Manziel's agent has been given chances to refute the story. He has not done so.

That's why it's time for the Browns to fold when it comes to Manziel.

They don't have to do it right now. They are in the midst of a search for a new coach and general manager. It would be shocking if any football man would want to start his Browns construction job with Manziel as part of the foundation.

The new football guys can dump Manziel in whatever fashion they think best.

But he has to go.

Rather than spend the last weekend in town with his team and see the team doctor at 9 a.m. on Sunday as required by the Browns, Manziel flew to Las Vegas.

He's not supposed to be on the sidelines during the game when in concussion protocol. He doesn't have to be at the Stadium. But if he felt well enough to fly to Las Vegas, he could have spent Sunday watching the game on TV from the locker room. He could have at least been a presence with his team.

I'm sure some of the hardcore Manziel fans will find a way to defend and explain his latest actions. But he has to be testing their patience.

Manziel has made some progress as an NFL quarterback, as I've written a few times this season. But his maturity issues loom large.

He remains totally self-absorbed and a bit delusional if he thinks snubbing the Browns this weekend is a way to make himself more attractive to another team.

The 10 weeks in a rehabilitation center early in 2015 followed by the party videos that have since surfaced indicate Manziel is not serious about his recovery. More problems are likely to follow.

Maybe Manziel will find his way to the Dallas Cowboys, where owner Jerry Jones dreams of having No. 2 back in his native state of Texas.

If so, send him to Dallas. Perhaps he will pull himself together with the Cowboys. But Manziel is a mess in Cleveland, and his problems ooze all over the franchise.

The clash between general manager Ray Farmer and coach Mike Pettine forced owner Jimmy Haslam to fire both men. As I wrote Sunday, it was very difficult to make a case to keep either one.

The Browns need to start fresh, and not just with the general manager and coach. It's also true when it comes to any thought of Manziel at quarterback in 2016 for the Browns.

THE 53-MAN ROSTER

I may be one of the few members of the media who actually believe new vice president of football operation Sahsi Brown doesn't intend to have a heavy hand when it comes to major football decisions involving players.

I think Brown is smart enough to know what he doesn't know -- and he doesn't know the draft, free agency, and talent evaluation. The expertise of the Harvard trained lawyer is negotiation, the salary cap and legal matters.

I'm told that Brown has a gift of helping people to work together, something the Browns desperately need. There was a real split between some of the coaches and the front office.

But I still can't figure out why Haslam decided authority over the 53-man roster goes to Brown.

Let's assume my premise is correct. And let's assume Sashi Brown sticks with the Big Picture stuff and doesn't suddenly wake up one morning thinking he's the next Paul Brown.

Here's the problem: This is one more thing the Browns have to explain to candidates for the jobs of head coach and general manager.

As I wrote Sunday, the Browns could have said, "We'll assign someone to be in charge of the 53-man roster once we are done with the hiring process."

In fact, having authority over the 53-man roster could have helped the team attract better candidates for coach and general manager. Football people always want control.

From the outside, this set up looks confusing. It didn't need to be that way.

HIRING THE COACH FIRST

The Browns have brought in Jed Hughes to help with the search process.

Hughes is a former Browns assistant coach. He is with Korn/Ferry, a search firm. Hughes has an extensive football background in terms of helping franchises find people for key jobs.

Hughes was guiding Seattle when the Seahawks first hired coach Pete Carroll. Then they brought in John Schneider as general manager. That appears the be the road the Browns are traveling as Haslam announced he first planned to hire a coach.

Here's what the Seahawks media guide says about Schneider: "In his role, he manages all aspects of the Seahawks roster and draft process while working collaboratively with Pete Carroll in all facets of the football operations department."

That is how it works in Seattle, although Carroll has the final say on the 53-man roster.

Other coaches with the final say on the 53-man roster are Bill Belichick (New England), Jeff Fisher (St. Louis), Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati), Dan Quinn (Atlanta), Lovie Smith (Tampa Bay) and Sean Payton (New Orleans).

I know there are others, but I was able to confirm this list.

The ideal setup with the coach in control is how Carroll and Schneider work together in Seattle. Or Lewis and VP Dick Tobin in Cincinnati. Or Belichick and VP Nick Caserio in New England.

So it can work.

But the Browns setup seems too complicated. That's especially true when Haslam said the coach will report directly to him, the general manager to Brown. Why the split?

The pressure will be on Haslam and Brown to convince their top candidates that they can put together a front office/coach relationship that is viable.

THE FAN ANGER

I received an email from a Browns fan who said: "This was Haslam's last chance."

He talked about how fans should boycott the games if things go wrong again.

I sent him this reply: "Browns fans get so mad at their team, they stop going to Tribe games."

WHAT A STAT!



CBS Sports reports that since Baltimore fired coach Brian Billick after the 2007 season, all the coaching changes in the AFC North have been the Browns.

Say goodbye to Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur, Rob Cudzinski and Pettine.

That's right, the last five coaching changes in the AFC North have all been Browns coaches.