Johnny Manziel might be No. 1 in NFL jersey sales, but he’s No. 3 on the Browns’ quarterback depth chart.
Cleveland has ramped up its puzzlingly harsh treatment of the sensational rookie this week, listing Manziel behind incumbent Brian Hoyer and even Chiefs washout Tyler Thigpen in organized team workouts.
It was just the latest curious insult by Browns management toward Manziel since they traded up to take the former Heisman Trophy winner from Texas A&M in the first round and electrified their downtrodden fanbase in the process.
The bullying started last week, when GM Ray Farmer told Manziel he needed to know his place as a backup while owner Jimmy Haslam made it clear to the celebrated passer that Cleveland “isn’t Hollywood.”
The Browns then banned The Post and all other national media from attending Manziel’s rookie-camp debut last weekend because new coach Mike Pettine — a former Rex Ryan assistant with the Jets — didn’t want a repeat of the circus-like treatment Tim Tebow received after being acquired by Gang Green two years ago.
All media were allowed back in Wednesday when the entire Browns roster resumed on-field workouts, but Manziel didn’t speak after the only session this week open to reporters.
Pettine said after Wednesday’s practice that Manziel has “flashed some things” in practice this week, but said he was like any other NFL newcomer overall.
“I just think it’s like any other rookie, that he’s just inconsistent,” Pettine told reporters. “A lot of it’s the mental part of it. Being good mechanically takes a back seat to learning the system first. Once all that stuff becomes second nature, that he’ll be a lot more comfortable.”
Hoyer, a former Patriots backup who played well for Cleveland in three starts last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 5, doesn’t exactly welcome the competition from Manziel but isn’t running from it.
“It was almost a sense of relief when he was drafted,” Hoyer told reporters Wednesday after his second practice with Manziel. “Because I knew exactly right then and there what it was going to be.”
Pettine said this week he doesn’t want the quarterback competition to be “warm and fuzzy,” and Hoyer all but guaranteed Wednesday his coach’s wish would come true.
“I was thinking about sending him a birthday card,” Hoyer joked to reporters. “No, I totally get it. I don’t think we’re in there not being friendly. But when you’re gunning for the same job, there is a little bit of an edge to it.”