Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin may be the biggest beneficiary from Johnny Manziel’s ascension to the starting quarterback job since Josh McCown’s concussion early in Week One.
Benjamin has caught three touchdowns from Manziel already this season and the shortest one was a 50-yarder that helped put the Titans away in last Sunday’s 28-14 Browns victory. Manziel’s overall efforts have been a step forward from his appearances as a rookie and Benjamin explained what he thought the biggest difference in the quarterback is this year during a Tuesday appearance on PFT Live.
“Maturity. Johnny is ready to go,” Benjamin said. “He’s in the film room. He’s on the practice field before and after. He’s just one of those guys who loves football so much that he knew that he had to change and be mature about the situation.”
McCown may be cleared from the concussion protocol this week, leaving the Browns with a decision to make about who will be their quarterback in Week Three. It will likely come down to whether they believe Manziel’s flashes of the playmaking that made him a star in college will become more frequent with more time running the offense. If they do roll the dice in that direction, Manziel will have Benjamin to thank for helping to make his case.