Browns

Browns Looking For 3rd-Rd Pick For Brock Osweiler & 5th-Rd Pick, Will Cut Him If No Deal

March 11, 2017

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Browns have been trying to trade QB Brock Osweiler from almost the minute they acquired him in a deal with the Texans on Thursday.

Multiple league sources tell Cabot that the Browns have been looking for something close to a third-round pick in return for Osweiler and a fifth-round selection. Cleveland is, however, willing to eat as much as half of Osweiler’s $16 million contract to facilitate a trade.

The Browns made this trade to pick up a 2018 second-round pick from the Texans. If they can somehow move Osweiler to another team for their reported asking price, they would come out of this with a second-round pick for $8 million. Otherwise, they would have essentially paid $16 million for that draft pick.

Unfortunately, several NFL personnel executives have told Cabot they doubt the Browns will be able to find a team willing to part with a third-round pick for Osweiler, even with the salary reduction and draft pick the Browns are offering.

According to Cabot, the more likely scenario is that Cleveland will cut Osweiler and he signs with another team, which would reduce the price for the Browns to $12 million, due to the offset language included in his contract.

Adam Schefter reported that NFL teams have already reached out to the Browns to inquire about Osweiler just minutes after the news broke that the Browns had acquired him.

Osweiler, 26, is a former second-round pick of the Broncos in 2012. He played out his rookie contract with the Broncos before signing a four-year, $72 million contract with the Texans that included $37 million guaranteed back in March of last year.

Osweiler stands to make base salaries of $16 million (2017), $18 million (2018), and $13 million (2019) over the remainder of the contract. Although, a team can move on from him next with limited repercussions.

In 2016, Osweiler appeared in 15 games and threw for 2,957 yards while completing 59 percent of his passes to go along with 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 32 quarterback out of 34 qualifying players.