Browns' Karlos Dansby on Johnny Manziel: 'He's grown up right before our eyes'

Having rejoined his Cleveland Browns teammates after a two-month rehab stint, all indications are that Johnny Manziel is making some much-needed changes to his life off the field.

As a guest on "The Jim Rome Show" on Tuesday, veteran linebacker Karlos Dansby explained that the polarizing young quarterback has managed to grow up quite a bit since his disastrous rookie campaign.

"He's focused. He’s in here working, grinding every day," Dansby said. "And we're right along with him, like I said, we have his back, we never did turn our back on him.

"He just had to go through that learning curve, and he understands now what it takes, and I think he’s putting forth the effort. He's grown up right before our eyes."

Though Manziel still has plenty to prove if he's to win the starting job over veteran Josh McCown in training camp, Dansby's comments on the quarterback's apparent maturation are consistent with that of several other teammates in recent weeks.

If Manziel can indeed eliminate the off-field distractions that plagued him throughout his rookie year, he should have every opportunity to make the most of the potential that made him a first-round draft selection just one year ago, potentially providing a solution to the Browns' long-standing issues at the most important position on the field.