Johnny Manziel, Arian Foster Among Players Needing to be Cut in 2016
Ah, the offseason. The best-worst part of the year. Some fans will welcome in the next face of their respective franchises while others will say goodbye to the very same men. With a number of aging stars, off-field issues, and teams on the move, free agency this season could be quite interesting.
For starters, dealing with quarterback Johnny Manziel is pretty high on the To-Do list for the Cleveland Browns. The Heisman Trophy winner just hasn’t been able to stay out of trouble, and with a new head coach in town, the Browns don’t seem even remotely interested in attempting to ride out the wave.
Although Manziel may be the cheapest QB option for them right now (aside from drafting one outside of the first round), the Browns are expected to release him and give both sides a fresh start. Getting drafted to Cleveland usually isn’t the best way to start off your career anyways (with one obvious basketball exception).
Aside from combating negative publicity, other teams will be looking to X their aging stars to make some cap room for the next wave of NFL legends. Among those in this category would be Houston Texans running back Arian Foster.
The undrafted rookie quickly emerged as one of the top rushers in the game of football; however, having only suited up for 23 games over the last three seasons, including missing a significant portion of 2015 with a torn Achilles, Father Time seems to have caught up to the 30-year-old.
Foster is a great player and has shown an ability to lead both on and off the field. Unfortunately, the next jersey he puts on will more than likely not be red, navy, and white. Due around $7 million total this coming season, Foster is a likely target for the team as they try to make space.
This offseason could see quite a few more big names on the move such as Mario Williams, Ryan Clady, and even potentially Brent Grimes or Cameron Wake. Nothing is set in stone yet, but buckle up for an exciting (or devastating) free agency.