National Football League

Johnny Manziel very nearly wasn't a Cleveland Brown

Published Jul. 28, 2014 12:03 p.m. ET

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Connor Kiesel

Despite the presence of Tony Romo, some speculation surrounding where Johnny Manziel would be selected in the NFL Drafted pointed toward the direction of the Dallas Cowboys as stories leaked that owner Jerry Jones was infatuated with the Texas A&M quarterback.

When the 16th pick of the first round came, Dallas went with an offensive lineman, guard Zack Martin. But in an interview at Cowboys camp Sunday, Jones articulated just how close the Cowboys came to bringing Manziel to "Big D."

"As I was handing in the card, it was that close to put that Manziel card in. It was that close," Jones said.

Manziel was the top player on the Cowboys' board at the time of their selection, according to Jones, but the role of Romo ultimately dictated the decision that was made.

"The question was, could we make it work with Tony Romo during the period of time that we're gonna have Tony," Jones said.

With Romo in the fold, Jones has every expectation he will be Dallas' quarterback for years to come. But he also expects big things from Manziel in Cleveland.

"Manziel is special. I know that he's gonna be a success in the NFL," Jones said. "It was a hard decision."

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