HAMILTON, Ontario -- It's so easy to see from here: The most creative quarterback in the recent history of college football, let loose on a bigger field against lesser athletes. He's buying time for receivers to get open, toying with defenders trying to sack him, taking off downfield when needed and recovering his reputation as an elite-level playmaker.
On the surface, it makes all kinds of sense to envision Johnny Manziel beginning a comeback north of the border in the CFL -- if he pulls himself from the depths of his personal spiral. His NFL opportunities for 2016 have dwindled, given his public behavior and reported physical condition, and he might need a more recent template of success to earn his next chance.