Johnny Manziel, the 22nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, might be done as an NFL quarterback after his extensive off-the-field issues -- including a domestic violence case in which he allegedly ruptured his ex-girlfriend's ear drum -- derailed his career. Meanwhile, Derek Carr, the 36th overall pick in that same draft, might win MVP and lead the Raiders deep into the postseason.
So, the two quarterbacks have been on two completely different trajectories since draft night.
Last week, Carr spoke to The Monday Morning Quarterback's Peter King about Manziel and offered his support like Ryan Leaf once did:
"What's crazy," Carr said as we drove in the predawn toward Oakland, "is, you know, I spent a lot of time around him. He's such a good dude. I obviously wish him the best, you know I hope that ... hopefully one day he'll reach out, [I'd] be able to talk to him and be a friend to him."
"You'd love the chance to help him?" I said.
"Absolutely, man," Carr said. "Because he's so talented, so I understand why he was drafted where he was. He could throw, could run, a dynamic athlete, dynamic player. Obviously he just had a little trouble. He's still young though, so hopefully he'll get another chance someday and he'll be alright."
On Monday, which is when King's article was published, Manziel reached out to Carr and accepted his offer.
@JManziel2 absolutely bro! I'll be in touch for sure.
— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) December 12, 2016
Even if Carr helps him, the likelihood of Manziel, who is a free agent, returning to the NFL seems slim, even after putting aside his issues away from the field. To be frank, he just wasn't any good on the field.
In his career, Manziel went 147 of 258 (57 percent) for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns, seven picks, and a 74.4 passer rating. He definitely appeared to improve in his second season, but that improvement probably wasn't substantial enough to warrant a team taking a chance on him.
If he does return, he could be forced to serve a suspension due to the league's domestic violence policy. Earlier this month, Manziel reached an agreement with prosecutors to dismiss his domestic-violence case.
