Browns veterans defend Johnny Manziel

Johnny Manziel has been the target of endless criticism after putting together a disappointing debut season, but some within the Cleveland Browns' locker room aren't prepared to write off the polarizing quarterback just yet.

Speaking at this week's Super Bowl events, defensive leaders Joe Haden and Karlos Dansby responded to reports of an unnamed Browns player calling Manziel a "100 percent joke."

"Johnny is definitely not a joke,'' Haden said, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot. "It's not true at all that Johnny's teammates think he's a 100 percent joke.''

Taking exception to the fact that a fellow Browns player would anonymously criticize Manziel, Haden said that the ones he interacts with are in support of the young quarterback.

"Oh for sure. Everybody. Me, Phil Taylor loves him. Travis (Benjamin) loves him. There's a lot of players on the team that do so I don't really know. You'd have to find that person who said that. For most of the season, he was the backup. He was doing what he was supposed to do. (Brian) Hoyer was out there balling, he was the starting quarterback. What do you want him to do? He was the backup.''

Although it didn't translate to the field in his limited game action, Dansby was impressed with the way Manziel performed in the team's practices throughout the year.

"Johnny gave us some great looks," he said. "I can't lie. He was giving us that every day. He was making us better as a defense every day. Like I said, it's a different level when you get on the field and you get thrown into the action like that. It's a tough situation for him, not having any reps throughout the whole season and then getting thrown into the fire.''

Manziel's talent and first-round draft status will continue to give him opportunities to win the starting job, but despite support from veteran teammates, the Browns would have to prepare for another quarterback search if he can't improve on and off the field in relatively short order.