Here’s the stat of the week. Quarterback Brock Osweiler will start for the Broncos on Sunday at Philadelphia. The Broncos will pay him $48,437 for his efforts. And the Browns will pay him $895,588.
Of course, that’s what the Browns have been paying him every week, under the $16 million guaranteed salary that Cleveland inherited when accepting Osweiler and a second-round pick from the Texans. After the Browns cut Osweiler, the Broncos signed him to a one-year deal for the six-year minimum salary of $775,000, leaving the Browns on the hook for $15.225 million.
The ascension of Osweiler, who was cut by the Browns after starting multiple preseason games, comes at a time when Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz has been named the NFC offensive player of the month and Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has been named the AFC offensive player of the month. Which means that someone needs to make a Browns jersey that lists on the back the names of all of the quarterbacks who either were or could have been on the Browns roster, and who went on to thrive elsewhere.
With a big game on Sunday, Osweiler will be added to the list. Either way, the Browns will keep adding $895,588 per week to his bank account.