QB Rumors: Cutler, Browns, Lynch, Texans

The Dolphins‘ quarterback situation has surged to the NFL news forefront this week, and on Saturday, the latest coming out of the possible Jay Cutler/Adam Gase reunion indicates the quarterback is leaning toward staying in the broadcast booth. One of the key elements in Cutler’s decision-making process will be his family, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reporting the 34-year-old passer is having a hard time making a commitment that would keep him away from them throughout this season.

ESPN’s James Walker adds a Ryan Tannehill surgery could shift Gase into a more aggressive recruiting mode for Cutler, with whom the Dolphins HC worked on the 2015 Bears. Cutler threw 25 touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions for an injury-depleted Chicago offense that year. Matt Moore remains the Miami backup. Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III and Shaun Hill are among the top options in free agency if the Dolphins and Cutler don’t end up making an emergency-circumstance contract work.

But there are other fluid quarterback situations, some on teams expected to be contenders. Here’s the latest on the league’s signal-caller battles.

• The Broncos held a scrimmage on Saturday, and they exited the workout with Trevor Siemian in a better place on his quest to hold off first-round pick Paxton Lynch. Siemian remained consistent, per Troy Renck of Denver7, who adds Lynch continued to struggle in that department. Renck notes Lynch has shown the kind of promise associated with a first-round talent at times during camp but has encountered noticeable lapses. Vance Joseph called Lynch’s outing Saturday “very solid” outside of an interception.
• Hue Jackson will collaborate with second-year Browns power-structure heads Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta, seeking input on which quarterback he chooses to start the season, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. “I’d love to have their input,” Jackson said. “I want to see what they’ve seen and how they feel about it and we’ll kind of go from there.” Unlike last season, this quarterback competition is between players chosen by the new-era Browns front office. Cabot also suggests Jackson provided more signals he will tab DeShone Kizer for first-string work. Despite Kizer struggling in a Saturday scrimmage, Cabot expects the second-round pick to earn the start in the Browns’ preseason opener against the Saints next week. Jackson added “it’s fair to assume” he will have his starter in place by the Browns’ third preseason game.
• Brock Osweiler, though, performed better than Kizer on Saturday, and ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi notes indications point to the trade acquisition being given elevated to starting status against the Saints. This would be a rather startling development considering Osweiler was acquired as a trade chip the Browns attempted to subsequently unload. Cody Kessler, Cleveland’s first-unit passer throughout the offseason, has struggled during camp, per Grossi. PFR’s readers voted Osweiler as the player the Browns should go with this season.
• Equipped with a dominant defense, the Texans are expected to make a strong push to win a third straight AFC South title. They aren’t 100 percent decided on their quarterback, but John McClain of the Houston Chronicle notes (on Twitter) Tom Savage has been “clearly No. 1” ahead of Deshaun Watson. DeAndre Hopkins also threw his support behind the fourth-year player, whom the fifth-year receiver said “does everything well.” Bill O’Brien and, to a lesser degree, Rick Smith said before camp Savage will be the Texans’ Week 1 starter.