The NFL saw a ton of movement on Thursday, with Brock Osweiler moving on to Cleveland for a couple of draft picks.
The biggest free agent signing of last year was arguably Brock Osweiler, who agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract with the Houston Texans prior to the 2016 NFL season. Well, that did not work out, and on Thursday, the Texans dealt him and a 2018 second-round draft pick to the Cleveland Browns. The Browns and Texans also swapped late picks in the 2018 NFL Draft, and the Browns will now take on the remaining $16 million guaranteed on Osweiler’s contract.
In related news, the Browns may actually trade Osweiler, hoping to get another team to pick up half of his salary. An $8 million investment in Osweiler sounds much better than $16 million, and there are certain to be teams who will take a look. The Texans are now a favorite to land Tony Romo, who is expected to be traded instead of released by the Dallas Cowboys.
Romo to the Texans was a big story on Thursday, as was Romo to the Denver Broncos. The Broncos are looking for a veteran quarterback to bridge the gap until Paxton Lynch is ready, and it looks like Trevor Siemian may be out the door. Siemian did a nice job with the Broncos last season, and he could wind up with a team like the New York Jets for the 2017 NFL season.
Staying with the Houston Texans, they said goodbye to a good, young cornerback on Thursday. A.J. Bouye signed a monster deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, inking a five-year, $67.5 million contract. In the first three years, Bouye will make $44 million, and at 25 years old, he should have a ton of good football left in him. Bouye burst onto the scene during the NFL playoffs, where he had an interception in both of the Texans’ games.
The Los Angeles Chargers are bringing in some bulk to protect quarterback Philip Rivers next season. After a disappointing season with the Denver Broncos, Russell Okung signed a deal with their division rival on Thursday. The Bolts signed Okung to a four-year contract, with $13.25 of the $53 million being guaranteed. The Chargers will be playing for a city other than San Diego for the first time in over 50 years in 2017.
Jay Cutler’s tenure in Chicago is finally over, as the team cut him after eight mediocre seasons in the Windy City. In a corresponding move, the Bears signed Mike Glennon to a three-year deal to be the team’s new starting quarterback, giving the former Tampa Bay backup a $45 million contract. Glennon will receive $18.5 million in guaranteed money, and will join a talented, young group in Chicago who is hungry to get back to being relevant.
While Glennon will be joining the Bears, a former star wide receiver for the team has found a new home for the 2017 NFL season. Alshon Jeffery signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, and will serve as the top option for Carson Wentz next season. Jeffery was suspended for four games last season, but if he is back in top form, he should be quite the weapons for the Birds next season.
There is a new richest nose tackle in the NFL after all of Thursday’s moves. Brandon Williams signed a five-year deal to remain with the Baltimore Ravens, inking a deal worth $54 million. Of that money, $27.5 is guaranteed, as he moves past “Snacks” Harrison as the highest-paid nose tackle in the league. The Ravens will be looking to build up their defense this offseason, in hopes of returning to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.
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Finally, the Washington Redskins did what everybody was expecting them to do on Thursday. The team relieved Scot McCloughan of his duties as the team’s general manager, ending the speculation of where he has been for the past few weeks. McCloughan was not at the NFL Scouting Combine, and after not being seen at Redskins Park this week, rumors were flying that his time with the team had come to an end.