Hue Jackson sounds less than sold on Brock Osweiler
By Joel W. Cade
The Cleveland Browns have Brock Osweiler until they don’t. In an interview with The NFL Network, Hue Jackson sounds less than excited about his new QB.
When a Cleveland Browns head coach states that someone is “their quarterback until they are not,” it is generally not a good sign. The last time a similar phrase was used, it was in reference to Robert Griffin III, who has since been released by the Browns.
In an interview that will air on Monday’s edition of Path to the Draft, NFL Network’s Steve Wyche asked head coach Hue Jackson about the team’s plans for quarterback Brock Osweiler. Jackson stuck to the party line in his response:
"“He is. 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.”"
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That is not exactly a ringing endorsement for a guy the Browns are currently on the hook for $16 million next season. The Browns were essentially given a 2018 second-round draft pick to take Osweiler and his salary off the Houston Texans’ hands at the beginning of the free agency period.
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At the time of the trade, it was rumored that the Browns would be looking to quickly trade or release Osweiler. Nothing has happened so far on that front – and Osweiler even reportedly visited team headquarters last week – so for now it seems the Browns are willing to make do with Osweiler until something else comes their way.
Jackson also pointed out that he hasn’t had the opportunity yet to get to know Osweiler, but with nothing happening right now he will have a chance to “compete” with the likes of Cody Kessler and Kevin Hogan:
"“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.”"
For now, Osweiler is a quarterback on the Browns roster and will be treated like a quarterback on the Browns roster “until he’s not.”
The moniker “until he’s not” is Jackson’s way of saying that Osweiler is not viewed as a longterm option in Cleveland and will be with the team only as long as he needs to be. But since this has reportedly been the plan all along, the only real question that remains is how much time will pass before Osweiler is traded or released.
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All of this is to say that nothing has changed with the Browns and their quarterback situation. For the new era Browns, no quarterback is safe. They are not safe in the pocket. They are not safe running outside of the pocket. But at least their roster spot is (relatively) safe.
That is, their roster spot is safe “until it’s not.”