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Brock Osweiler is no longer the quarterback of the future for the Houston Texans. Texans GM Rick Smith couldn’t wait to make move, sending him to the Browns along with two draft picks (2018 2nd round and 2017 6th round pick) for the Browns’ 2017 4th round pick.
Of course, this trade is perfect fodder for the many media outlets to spew their hot takes. Overall, the media was positive overall toward the Texans, but the grade hinged on if the Texans landing current Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.
Here are the grades for your reaction...
Texans-Browns Brock Osweiler trade grades
| Teams | SBNation | Pro Football Focus | ESPN | CBS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | SBNation | Pro Football Focus | ESPN | CBS |
| Texans | A (B without Romo) | D | B | Incomplete |
| Browns | A | A | B- | B |
SBNation’s Ryan Van Bibber said of the move:
Give both teams an A for creativity. If Houston can’t land Romo for some reason, I’d drop them to a B, because at least they made Osweiler someone else’s problem.
Van Bibber also noted that the Browns were a perfect landing spot to take on Osweiler (even if he is cut) because the Browns had over $100 million in cap space in 2017.
PFF’s Sam Monson brought up the idea of the Browns even further winning the trade by restructuring Osweiler's deal and flipping him for further profit:
This deal becomes even worse for Houston if the Browns convert some of that contract to a roster bonus and successfully flip Osweiler for a profit in draft picks, something the Texans had the room to do themselves.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell brings up the question of what the value of a second round pick really is:
If the math seems off to you, you aren't crazy: A second-rounder is worth more than a fourth-rounder. The debate over how much a second-round pick is worth in a vacuum might be what ends up deciding whether this trade was a good idea.
And Barnwell called his shot months ago:
In December, I suggested the Browns make this exact sort of trade with the Texans in what essentially amounted to buying a draft pick. I won't pretend that I expected it to actually happen. While this sort of salary dump is common in other sports, there has never really been an NFL deal that was as nakedly about getting rid of a contractual albatross as this one.
CBS’ Pete Prisco’s grade completely depends on the Texans adding Romo:
Incomplete. It’s too early to grade. The Romo situation will decide this grade. They better get him.
Grades, especially this quickly, are often absurd, but feel free to give your grade or thoughts on the deal below.