The Browns pulled off a stunning trade Thursday to essentially buy a 2018 second-round draft pick from the Houston Texans for the $16 million guaranteed on quarterback Brock Osweiler’s contract as free agency officially opened.
Now the Browns have even more ammunition they could throw at the New England Patriots in an attempt to trade for backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Browns also agreed to deals with three unrestricted free agents who are projected starters: right guard Kevin Zeitler, center J.C. Tretter and wide receiver Kenny Britt.
They secured starting left guard Joel Bitonio through the 2022 season with a five-year contract extension.
Wide receiver Terrelle Pryor became a free agent and has a visit scheduled with Washington, according to reports. The Browns haven’t ruled out re-signing Pryor but consider it unlikely.
The flurry of activity was quite a change of pace for the Browns, who were quiet last year in free agency and went 1-15 with head of football operations Sashi Brown, chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta and coach Hue Jackson new in their roles. This time around, the team entered free agency with an NFL-record $102 million in salary-cap space and became a big spender.
But no move the Browns made at the start of the NFL’s new year was as intriguing as their trade with the Texans.
Although the Browns have a pressing need at quarterback and they acquired Osweiler, the deal, from their perspective, was all about adding a second-round pick in 2018.
They also shipped their fourth-round compensatory pick (No. 142 overall) to the Texans in exchange for a sixth-round choice (No. 188).
Now their stockpile includes five of the top-65 picks in April’s draft — first round (Nos. 1 and 12 overall), second (Nos. 33 and 52) and third (No. 65) — plus a first-round and three second-round selections next year. That’s eight picks in the first two rounds of the 2017 and 2018 drafts.
The Patriots remain intent on keeping Garoppolo, a league source said Thursday.
But the Browns are expected to try to trade for him, another source said. They have more than enough draft picks to take their best shot at changing the mind of Patriots coach Bill Belichick. It could take a first-round choice this year and a first-round pick next year.
The Browns might not be done adding to their war chest of selections, either.
They’re not committed to keeping Osweiler and could trade or release him. Of course, they would prefer to get something for him, and CBSSports.com reported they want to deal him and a late-round pick for a third-round choice in 2018.
The Texans traded Osweiler to save $16 million in cash and $10 million in cap room presumably in hopes of luring former Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback Tony Romo.
Osweiler, 26, signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Texans last year. He went 8-6 as a starter before being benched late in the regular season. Then he started two playoff games, defeating the Oakland Raiders 27-14 and throwing three interceptions in a 34-16 loss to the Patriots.
The Browns view the addition of Osweiler as being independent from quarterback Robert Griffin III’s situation. The organization hasn’t made a final decision about whether it’ll keep Griffin, though he’ll likely be cut at some point this offseason. He’ll be due a $750,000 roster bonus Saturday if he remains with the team. Griffin missed 11 games last season with a broken shoulder and went 1-4 as a starter.
Although the Browns could change their plans, they don’t intend to sign an older free-agent quarterback like Jay Cutler, 33, whom the Chicago Bears released Thursday.
The Browns remain focused on finding their next starting quarterback but don’t envision Osweiler being a factor for them, either.
They have long been expected to pursue Garoppolo and they could also target a top-rated quarterback in April’s draft.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.