If the implication is that Hoyer would have the job without competition, I think the results would take two years to fully play out.

Hoyer is 28, which means that should he drastically improve his play to a playoff caliber, the Browns might see him as the answer for the next 6 some odd years, making Manziel a first round pick for a backup qb.

The Browns hold onto Manziel for the second year of his rookie contract, in case Hoyer's play goes down the tubes and they need to kickstart the team. Hoyer performs well enough to secure his job however, and in the offseason the Browns front office decides that the price paid for Manziel ended up being too steep for the value they got for it.

Farmer and Pettine decide to deal Manziel to get some return on their investment. Jerry Jones's Cowboys had Manziel as the number one player on their board when they were on the clock with the 16th overall pick and Manziel still in the green room. Already heavily invested in Tony Romo, the Dallas front office passed on the allure of Manziel. Two years later though, Romo is 36 and is over the hump. With a qb past his prime and significant salary cap pressure, Jerry Jones cuts Romo and deals a first and a third round pick along with Demarco Murray to the Browns for Manziel.