Until further notice, Brock Osweiler is a Cleveland Brown. Coach Hue Jackson made that pretty clear when he was asked recently about the status of the newly acquired 26-year-old quarterback.
Osweiler, touted as one of the future NFL stars at quarterback, was traded to the Browns by the Houston Texans. The move comes a year after the Arizona State University standout was plucked from the ranks of the Denver Broncos. Apparently, Osweiler failed to live up to expectations despite his lucrative pact.
Osweiler will be a Brown for now
When the trade between the Browns and the Texans was finalized, most believed it will not be Osweiler’s last stop.
Seeing how he carries a hefty $16 million contract, another NFL trade is expected to follow.
For now, it may still be too early to contemplate on what the Browns intend to do. A lot could hinge on the NFL Draft where the Browns are scheduled to select first. This is the assumption that they do not make last-minute trades for that privilege and opt for a tested player.
If so, a veteran quarterback is a possibility. This is where the complications tied up to Osweiler comes in. If that happens, the 26-year-old could be packaged or dealt somewhere in exchange for other assets. But right now, it seems Jackson is not even close to considering it.
Jackson playing it by ear
With the Browns’ next move unknown, Jackson envisions Osweiler as part of the team.
He will play the quarterback position, something he shares with Cody Kessler and Kevin Hogan.
Cleveland is expected to work out young hopefuls such as Mitchell Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer and Patrick Mahomes, candidates for the Browns with the 12th pick. The first pick is expected to be used on Myles Garrett, the best player looming in the 2017 NFL Draft.
If not through the draft, the Browns can still dip their hands in free agency. Colin Kaepernick is still available though they could also make a play for New England Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo.
Osweiler has no clue on what the future holds. For now, he will have to sit it out and go with the flow over in Cleveland.
