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If the Texans were feigning interest in Brock Osweiler simply to make the Broncos nervous enough to overpay him out of desperation, it may have just worked. According to Mike Klis of NBC 9 News in Colorado, John Elway will reenter talks with Osweiler’s representation today after several days of mutual silence from both parties.
The Broncos and Jimmy Sexton, Osweiler’s agent, re-established talks Tuesday afternoon and there will be serious negotiations today.
The Houston Texans are also expected to make Osweiler an offer. The Broncos know the Texans are in on their quarterback. Their quarterback.
The Broncos are expected to sweeten their initial offer that -- with incentives -- was worth more than $45 million over three years.
Some might say that’s a strong opening offer for a quarterback with seven career starts. Others may say if injury-prone Sam Bradford with his 18-30-1 career record just got a deal worth $18 million a year without incentives, the Broncos need to understand they have a ways to go.
Klis makes a very valid point regarding Osweiler’s current market value. Sam Bradford, who has been the very definition of an average quarterback for the last several seasons, just somehow got paid like a franchise quarterback. If the Eagles are willing to pay that kind of cash for a quarterback who is firmly in the "just okay" category, surely Denver will have to cough up more than $15 million a year for the man who kept their Super Bowl hopes alive through the turmoil of last season. People forget that Osweiler was John Elway’s hand-picked heir to Peyton Manning four years ago. It was always the plan to have him take over this franchise when Manning inevitably retired. Now that Manning has finally ridden off into the sunset, I am supposed to believe that Elway will let that plan fail?
Osweiler’s agent wants more money. When push comes to shove, he will probably get it. The Broncos really have no other viable options here despite the hard ball façade they have put on so far. Osweiler might not be a top tier quarterback, but he is certainly a hell of a lot better than the alternative options of Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, and 33-year old Ryan Fitzpatrick. If I was a betting man, I would expect to see a heavily incentive-laden deal worth somewhere in the range of $17-18 million per year to be announced by the end of the day. If Osweiler does happen to slip away from Denver in some improbable disaster for the Broncos' front office, then whatever happens next is their own damn fault.
UPDATE: Charles Robinson says the Broncos are making progress in their efforts to keep Osweiler, which necessarily bodes poorly for Houston's chances of signing the free agent to be.