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Almost three weeks after the Cleveland Browns acquired Brock Osweiler in a surprise trade with the Houston Texans, the quarterback remains in limbo. All signs still point that Osweiler will either be traded again or released before the 2017 season, but Browns head coach Hue Jackson said he is preparing for the upcoming NFL draft and season as if Osweiler is staying on his roster.
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The Browns, who were 1-15 last season, have the No. 1 pick in the April 27-29 draft.
Jackson was asked by NFL Network's Steve Wyche in an interview that will air Monday if Osweiler was going to be a part of the Browns this year.
"He is," the coach said. "Obviously, he's a player on our team and we're going to treat him just like we do all of our other quarterbacks until he's not.
"He's a guy that's gonna come in and compete. We haven't had an opportunity to meet with him from a football standpoint because of the rules. But once we start our offseason program, phase one, we'll get a chance to know him and he'll get to know us."
Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported shortly after the March 9 trade that Osweiler was not in the Browns' plans. The Browns are willing to send Osweiler and a fifth-round pick for a third-round pick, according to the newspaper.
The Browns would be willing to absorb a portion of the 26-year-old Osweiler's $16 million guaranteed contract, as much as half, sources told the newspaper.
The Browns acquired Osweiler along with the Texans' 2018 second-round pick and a 2017 sixth-rounder (188). In exchange, the Browns gave up their fourth-round compensatory pick in this year's draft (No. 142 overall) and took Osweiler's guaranteed contract off the Texans' books.
"I think you always are (in the market for a QB)," Jackson told NFL Network during the interview. "I think you're always looking to improve that room because I think we all know that that's the driver of your football team. I think we'll continue to look for ways to improve the room as much as we can. But I just think, as we go through it, we'll continue to coach the guys that are there and give them the best opportunity and continue to find ways to get better."
Browns general manager Sashi Brown spoke highly of the second-round pick the team landed in the trade with the Texans but gave just a passing mention to Osweiler.
"We're really excited to acquire a second-round draft choice in this trade," Brown said in a statement March 9. "Draft picks are extremely important to our approach in building a championship caliber football team. We are intent on adding competition to every position on our roster and look forward to having Brock come in and compete."
Houston signed Osweiler to a four-year contract worth $72 million with $37 million guaranteed last year, but he was benched and replaced by Tom Savage during the season only to get his job back when Savage was injured.
For the season, Osweiler completed just 59 percent of his passes, for 2,957 yards, 15 touchdowns, 16 interceptions and a passer rating of 72.2.
Osweiler's guaranteed salary for 2017 now belongs to the Browns, and Houston will take a $9 million cap hit for the remainder of his prorated signing bonus for a net cap savings of $7 million.
