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Report: Tiger-Cats worked out Manziel, but saw 'too many red flags'

Timothy T. Ludwig / USA TODAY Sports

At 0-8 on the season, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are looking everywhere for solutions, and that apparently included former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel.

According to TSN's Dave Naylor and Farhan Lalji, the last-place club worked out the 24-year-old in Buffalo last week, but are not interested in signing the former Heisman Trophy winner at this time.

Sources told Naylor and Lalji that the team wasn't convinced Manziel "is in game shape or that his off-field regimen is consistent with that of someone dedicated to professional football."

"Too many red flags," one source added.

Manziel was drafted 22nd overall in 2014 after a storied collegiate career at Texas A&M. He was released by the Browns after just two seasons that were full of distractions due to partying and drinking. Manziel would eventually spend time in rehab and has been out of football since the end of the 2015 season.

The Texas native is on the Tiger-Cats' negotiation list, and new head coach June Jones' history with Manziel was likely the reason for the workout. Jones recruited the prolific high-school quarterback while at SMU and has been fascinated with his CFL potential since joining the club at the beginning of August.

Jones recently named backup Jeremiah Masoli as the starter for the Tiger-Cats' game against the Toronto Argonauts in the Labour Day Classic, and with the club sitting last in almost every offensive category in the league, it appears it's looking everywhere for answers.

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