TERRY COLUMN: Brock Osweiler heads to Texas - was it the right move?

Everything’s bigger in Texas.

Now the state has a quarterback to match.

Kalispell quarterback Brock Osweiler will reportedly sign a deal to be the signal caller for the Houston Texans for four years and $37 million worth of guaranteed money, leaving the Denver Broncos after spending four years with the franchise.

It’s a bold move by the big guy, leaving the defending Super Bowl champions for an unknown.

It’s also probably the best move he could’ve made.

For the Denver Broncos fans out there preparing the hate mail: first, my email address is at the bottom of the column; second, you have a right to be angry.

The Broncos are your team. Osweiler is your guy.

If you don’t like the move, that’s fine. John Elway himself, the Broncos legend and general manager, was still salty enough about the move on Wednesday night to issue a parting shot, saying he was going to build the Broncos with, “players who want to be there.”

To be fair to Brock, an extra $7 million is a lot of sway when choosing where you want to be.

And it’s not just the money. But, the money is a big factor.

The Texans sealed the deal with a contract reportedly worth four years and $72 million with $37 million guaranteed. Denver opened its negotiations with three years and significantly less money and eventually only went up to four years and $30 million guaranteed.

That’s a big gap, even when you’re talking about millions.

And here’s the thing to remember: If you think Brock is going to be a great quarterback, it’s the first of a few large contracts he’ll likely sign.

If he’s just average, or if for any reason gets hurt or loses his ability to play at a high level, this is the biggest contract he’ll ever sign. There’s no opportunity to make that missing $7 million back in the future.

It’s just an added bonus that his new home state doesn’t have an income tax.

Money aside, the football situation Brock will be stepping into in Houston isn’t all that much worse off than the one in Denver.

That may sound like heresy after the Broncos demolished their way to a Super Bowl championship just two months ago, but it is actually pretty close.

The Texans, AFC South champions, finished the season 9-7 with a mixture of career backups Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates and Brandon Weeden starting at quarterback.

With that menagerie of signal callers the Texans hosted a playoff game. Osweiler, even at his worst, is better than every one of those players. A full offseason with the starting gig in hand should also help, not to mention the stability of 16 games under center.

What about that menacing Broncos defense Osweiler will be leaving behind? The one that tortured Tom Brady and NFL MVP Cam Newton in its final two games to lift the Lombardi Trophy?

That’s looking less menacing after the last few days, with defensive end Malik Jackson headed to Jacksonville and linebacker Danny Trevathian to Chicago. There are still a handful of other players from the defense that are currently free agents and one, Super Bowl MVP Von Miller, seeking a long-term deal.

Houston, meanwhile, wasn’t that far behind the Denver defense last season, finishing seventh in points allowed and third in yards allowed. Denver finished fourth and first in those areas. The advanced stats also match up well, and look to be even better with the Texans keeping nearly every important piece of that unit.

Most importantly, the Texans have the three-time defensive player of the year in J.J. Watt locked up through 2021.

Looking deeper, Houston has a true No. 1 receiver in DeAndre Hopkins and a potential breakout star at running back in fellow free agent signee Lamar Miller. Texans head coach Bill O’Brien also has a reputation as a quarterback specialist, which should help a young player still learning how to be a full-time starter.

What’s missing from Houston is the specter of Peyton Manning and the shadow of Elway.

Replacing a legend is difficult enough when the legend didn’t set nearly every standing record in the NFL. Add the memory of Manning hoisting up a Super Bowl trophy for eternity and competing against that ghost is nearly impossible, even for a really good replacement. Add in the presence of Elway at every game, and his iconic No. 7 still dotting the stands, and it would be hard for Brock to make a lasting mark.

Nothing short of being a Hall of Famer would be enough, as in the cases of Steve Young or Aaron Rodgers, who replaced Joe Montana and Brett Favre, respectively. Even those two legends may never surpass their predecessors in the minds of some fans.

In Houston, Osweiler is competing against the memories of Hoyer, Matt Schaub and David Carr. He may already be the best quarterback in team history having never thrown a pass for the franchise.

Leaving the Super Bowl champions and a proven winner is a tough call, but there are plenty of upsides in Texas.

If everything is bigger in Texas, including money and expectations, that also includes potential. It may not be entirely popular in Broncos country, but the Kalispell Kid made the smart move.

Joseph Terry has been a sports reporter and columnist for The Daily Inter Lake since 2012. He can be reached by email at jterry@dailyinterlake.com or by phone at 406-758-4463.