Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine told reporters earlier this week he can "sense"Johnny Manziel has grown frustrated in his role as a backup behind Brian Hoyer.
Manziel said Friday that Pettine's characterization is not quite accurate.
"I don't necessarily think that's the right word," said Manziel, according to the Northeast Ohio Media Group. "Obviously coming from the situation I've been in the past couple years of every rep, every snap, every down of every game, coming into the situation that I'm in now is going to be a lot different for me. So I'm sure there are signs of this being a different situation for me, but I don't feel frustrated. Obviously, being a competitor I want to play, but there is a difference."
Manziel believes the backup job matches up with where he should be at this stage of his development.
"I feel like I'm in the role that I need to be at this time," he said. "And, for me, obviously, I wasn't where I needed to be throughout the earlier stages of being here, and now is my time to play catch-up and throughout this year has been my time to play catch-up and make sure I'm on top of my things, continuing to get better where I want to be and what's up to my level and also the coaches' level of where I need to perform."
Manziel added that he's "still extremely hungry" and added that he was disappointed by his play coming out of the preseason. Manziel knows he had a chance to win the job out of camp, and he let the opportunity pass him by.
Give the rookie credit for understanding he has to be patient until the next opportunity comes. And it will.
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