The Sports Xchange

Cleveland Browns backup quarterback Johnny Manziel will sit out Monday’s practice because of a sore elbow.

Tuesday is an off day and the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports Manziel will rest that day also, and then be re-evaluated on Wednesday.

His status for Saturday night’s game in Tampa is in limbo.

Manziel left the practice field early Sunday after completing a deep pass to wide receiver Josh Lenz during 11-on-11 drills. He pointed to his elbow — he was wearing a compression sleeve — and spoke to quarterback coach Kevin O’Connell, which marked the end of his day.

“Yeah, he started to get a little sore (Saturday),” coach Mike Pettine said Sunday afternoon. Pettine added that the team did not think this would be a serious, long-term setback for the second-year quarterback.

Manziel also was bothered earlier in camp with soreness in his right elbow.

“We’re not anticipating it being a long-term thing, hopefully, because it will be two days’ rest (with) having Tuesday off,” Pettine said, adding he will be concerned if the trainer tells him to be worried.

Manziel has made huge strides during the offseason and this preseason since his disastrous rookie year. He played the entire second half of Thursday night’s 11-10 loss to the Bills, exciting the home crowd as he led the Browns to their only touchdown of the game on an 11-play, 96-yard drive.

On that drive, Manziel connected on a 37-yard strike to a wide receiver while bootlegging to his left. And on a 21-yard touchdown pass, Manziel showed patience and deft footwork that left his coaches and teammates buzzing.