Texans Didn’t ‘Know’ Osweiler Before Giving Him $37 Million Guaranteed
Houston Texans owner Bob McNair spoke about Brock Osweiler for the first time since his one-time prized free agent was shipped to the Cleveland Browns.
The Houston Chronicle’s John McClain wrote that Texans owner Bob McNair has since spoken to the Browns about Brock Osweiler, and stated that Brock may just need a change of scenery.
"“I think it gives him an opportunity,” McNair said. “I’ve talked to the people at Cleveland, and I’ve told them a new environment for him and maybe a new perspective and he could be productive for them.”"
McNair then went on, contrasting the differences between the NFL Draft and free agency.
The owner’s point was that through the draft process, a team can really get to know a player, but in free agency, that’s not the case. Houston was competing against Denver for Osweiler, and the Texans landed their guy by throwing $72 million ($37 million) guaranteed at him.
"“We didn’t now Brock well enough,” McNair said. “Coach (Bill O’Brien) didn’t have a chance to get to know him.“That’s one of the problems with free agency. In the draft, we’re able to bring them to Houston, sit down with them, watch them interviewed by a bunch of coaches, and you have time to check them out.“You can’t talk to them before they become a free agent. You can’t work them out. We didn’t know him that well.”"
McNair’s tone in the article seemed to indicate praise for his GM, Rick Smith. And why not? He did the impossible and moved Osweiler’s $16 million to Cleveland.
But McNair’s comments don’t make his franchise look any better. Wasn’t there an old teammate, coach or scout who could offer up some information? His comments make it seem as though Houston threw money at Osweiler because he won more than he lost in seven starts as a Bronco (5-2).
McNair’s comments pique even more interest considering what was reported to have gone down between Osweiler and O’Brien during a halftime altercation.
As for Osweiler, the company line has changed in Cleveland. Brock was thought to be a pawn in the “Look How Smart We Are” game of chess the Browns front office playing. The team went out of its way following the trade to make it unknown Osweiler wouldn’t be around for the long haul.
But he’s still here. I wonder if all the talk about outright releasing him kept teams from making Cleveland an offer. Hmmm…I digress.
Today’s a new day, and Brock’s worked his way up the ladder from reject, to a subject of classic coach speak, via The News-Herald’s Jeff Schudel.
"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,” Coach Hue Jackson told Steve Wyche of NFL Network during taping of “Path to the Draft,” a show set to air March 27. “He’s a guy that’s going to come in and compete."
At least the Browns are “going to get to know him,” which is more than the Texans can say.
Next: Browns Considering Switch To Plain White Helmet
And if it doesn’t work out, at least there’s always that 2018 second-round pick the Browns picked up in the trade.