Mike Pettine: Johnny Manziel has improved understanding of game

Browns coach Mike Pettine had praise for quarterback Johnny Manziel.

After Thursday's practice, Browns coach Mike Pettine praised Johnny Manziel's development.

Manziel, the mercurial 22-year-old quarterback and 2014 first-round selection, has been working behind veteran Josh McCown in Cleveland's QB hierarchy. Pettine was feeling positive about the improvements the former Texas A&M star has made as part of the team.

“Some of it's physical, but I would say the majority of it is the mental part of it, understanding protections,” Pettine said, according to Browns.com's Kevin Jones. “The one play he made where defense was a heavy blitz look, he walked up, changed the protection, stepped up in the pocket and threw a touchdown pass. That was probably, start to finish, his best play of camp. But it just typified his – it was more preparation than anything else. I just think he has so much more of an intimate knowledge of what we're doing.”

According to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, Pettine said Manziel will receive first-team reps during the Browns' scrimmage Friday, but that McCown has a “firm” hold on the job.

“I'm definitely not getting caught up or enamored with the whole starter-backup role,” Manziel said, according to Cabot. “When it comes down to the preseason, if I can go out and do what I need to do and show that I'm improving, I want to do that. I want to show that I can really go out and play and that I'm making improvements, that I'm making strides to get better. And then from there on, Coach Pett, everybody else, they make that call.”

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- Jeremy Woo