Johnny Manziel traded to new CFL team for package including two first-round draft picks

Eight years after his recruitment to Texas A&M, it appears Johnny Manziel could play under Mike Sherman. (Getty Images)
Eight years after his recruitment to Texas A&M, it appears Johnny Manziel could play under Mike Sherman. (Getty Images)

The Johnny Manziel era of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats is reportedly over. The final stats: zero passing yards, zero rushing yards and five games spent firmly on the bench.

Manziel’s time in Hamilton, Ontario came to an end Sunday when the former NFL first-rounder was traded to the Montreal Alouettes. The deal involves four other players, as well as two first-round draft picks going to the Tiger-Cats. The Alouettes did not hesitate to use their new most notable player for ticket sales.

The trade will reunite Manziel with Alouettes head coach Mike Sherman, who recruited Manziel to Texas A&M in 2011 when Sherman was the head coach of the Aggies.

Could Johnny Manziel see playing time?

Given the large price the Alouettes are paying for Manziel and his two teammates, it’s likely that Manziel is going to be seeing a lot more time on the field than he did in Hamilton. Even though Hamilton has opened the CFL season with a 2-3 record, starting quarterback Jeremy Masoli ranks second in the CFL with 1,562 passing yards and hasn’t opened much room for Manziel to get a shot. That’s despite the Tiger-Cats’ head coach saying Manziel should reach the NFL within two years.

Meanwhile, the Alouettes are 1-4 and rank last in the CFL in points scored and have already tried out three different quarterbacks under center, with none showing much in the way of efficiency. Between a team desperate for offense and a coach who is already familiar with him, it appears Manziel might have a path to legitimate playing time in the CFL.

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