NFL Player News

The 49ers signed quarterback Josh Johnson to his second go-round with the team, the official website reported Wednesday. Johnson was Jim Harbaugh's quarterback back when the coach worked at the University of San Diego. Johnson will battle for a spot on the quarterback depth chart in training camp. 

The Ravens announced deals with three of their draft picks: third-round tight end end Crockett Gillmore, fifth-round offensive lineman John Urschel and sixth-round quarterback Keith Wenning.

Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel doesn't need an outstanding preseason to win the starting job over Brian Hoyer, reports CBS Sports Insider Jason La Canfora.

"The most exciting player in college football, who you moved all over the draft board to land, isn't there to hold a clipboard," La Canfora wrote. "I don't see this developing as a true quarterback controversy, because as long as Manziel looks quasi-competent in the preseason I am handing him this job."

Appearing on CBS This Morning, NFL on CBS play-by-play man Jim Nantz and analyst Phil Simms both believe Johnny Manziel will begin the year as the Browns' starting quarterback. 

"The last nine quarterbacks who were taken in the first round in NFL drafts have been the opening day starter," Nantz said. "Brian Hoyer is the starter going into camp, but we shall see. ... I'd be shocked if Johnny Manziel's not the Cleveland Browns' starter."

"How do you think the fans and the media are going to take it if he's not the starter?" Simms added. "So Brian Hoyer's on the field, he throws one incompletion, they're going to go crazy. If you're a quarterback and [the team] drafts a first-round quarterback on your football team, you better play well and win, and usually that's not enough to keep your job." 

When asked how they think Manziel will do in the pros, Simms noted that Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan did a great job bringing Robert Griffin III along as a rookie and expects something similar for Manziel.

"I expect [Shanahan] to create a new kind of offense," Simms said. "I think [Manziel] got very fortunate going to the Cleveland Browns. He's probably in the best situation he could have found for himself in Cleveland."

The Bengals cut backup quarterback Josh Johnson. They'll go with Jason Campbell and rookie AJ McCarron behind Andy Dalton.

With pick No. 194 in the NFL Draft, the Ravens selected quarterback Keith Wenning from Kent State.

Wenning will enter the season at No. 3 on the depth chart at best behind Joe Flacco and Tyrod Taylor. He has long-term potential, but he's not expected to play any time soon.

In 2013, Wenning became the first Ball State quarterback to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season after going 319 of 498 for 4,148 yards with 35 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 13 starts. He set school career records for completions (1,035), attempts (1,642), passing yards (11,402) and touchdowns (92). 

With pick No. 178 in the NFL Draft, the Titans selected quarterback Zach Mettenberger from LSU.

Mettenberger has the chance to challenge Charlie Whitehurst as the No. 2 quarterback for the Titans behind starter Jake Locker. He could be limited in training camp coming off last year's torn ACL.

Chances are Mettenberger would have gone a little bit higher had he not suffered a torn ACL last season. That injury compounded a problem he's had over his career where he has been slow to move around and out of the pocket. But he's close to healed and still has a heck of an arm -- some believe he had the strongest arm in the draft. The numbers back it up as he threw for 5,691 yards and 35 touchdowns in 25 games. 

With pick No. 164 in the NFL Draft, the Bengals selected quarterback A.J. McCarron from Alabama. McCarron will compete with Jason Campbell to be the No. 2 quarterback behind starter Andy Dalton.

Even though Dalton is entering the final year of his contract, McCarron is not in line to start any time soon unless Dalton leaves as a free agent, which isn't likely. McCarron had a standout senior campaign in 2013, winning the Maxwell Award (college football player of the year), the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting.

He set the Alabama record for passing yards after throwing for 3,063 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 13 starts. He had a 36-4 record in 40 career starts with all four losses coming to opponents ranked in the Top 15. 

With the No. 135 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans selected quarterback Tom Savage from Pittsburgh.

The 6-foot-4, 228-pound pocket passer has the strong arm that head coach Bill O'Brien wanted in the draft. He completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,958 yards with 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2013 for the Panthers.

Savage will join a group that has Case Keenum, Ryan Fitzpatrick and T.J. Yates currently at quarterback.

With the No. 62 pick in the NFL Draft, the Patriots selected quarterback <player idref= from Eastern Illinois.

Garoppolo will be No. 3 on the depth chart for the Patriots behind Tom Brady and Ryan Mallett. He could be the eventual replacement for Brady if Mallett isn't with the Patriots beyond 2014 when he's a free agent.

A four-year starter, Garoppolo ran a unique offense that combined an up-tempo approach with a pure read philosophy at Eastern Illinois. The end result was a slew of plays week after week -- and the stats to match. Garoppolo threw for 13,156 passing yards and 118 touchdowns over four seasons and impressively had just nine interceptions over 568 pass attempts.

He's considered a smart, big enough quarterback with a good arm and a very fast release, but questions about his experience playing in the FCS rather than the FBS cloud his future. The Patriots have time to find out with Brady not going anywhere any time soon.