The Browns have shocked the NFL world by trading for Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler. Here are five reasons this is a good deal.
At the opening of 2017 NFL free agency, the Cleveland shook up the NFL world in a shocking deal with Houston. The Browns agreed to eat the 2018 salary of Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler as long as they got the Texans’ 2018 second-round pick.
Osweiler signed a ridiculous four-year, $72 million contract with the Texans during free agency last year. They never interviewed him and Houston head coach Bill O’Brien was forced to start him. It was a bad move all the way around and Houston probably regretted it immediately.
However, Cleveland might have actually made Houston out for a fool again in this one-sided trade. Though it doesn’t look to be a home-run deal for the Browns, here are five reasons the Osweiler trade was a great one for the Cleveland organization.
5. Can’t be worse than 1-15
Look. For as much flak as Osweiler took last year with the Texans, he still was the starting quarterback for a playoff team. Frankly, if he didn’t play well during the 2015 regular season against the New England Patriots, maybe the Denver Broncos don’t win Super Bowl 50.
Basically, Cleveland is getting a quarterback that has been part of five AFC Playoff teams. Cleveland hasn’t made the AFC Playoffs since 2002, so the Browns can’t be too proud to bring aboard a quarterback that has made the playoffs every year for half a decade.
In all honesty, Cleveland doesn’t have to feel the pressure of starting Osweiler if they don’t feel like it. The Browns really wanted that 2018 second-round pick from the Texans. They just got a high-priced quarterback to go with that selection.
Even if Osweiler is a complete failure at quarterback in 2017 for the Browns, it’s not like they are going to be worse than they were last year in 2016 at 1-15. If they are that bad, the Osweiler played a huge part in the Browns getting the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft to draft some guy from USC named Sam Darnold.