How big of a day was Thursday for the Browns as NFL free agency kicked off?

 

So much so that the failure to re-sign wide receiver Terrelle Pryor – at least for now, and probably for good – didn’t even make it onto the marquee after being the headliner – by far – for several days.

 

The Browns bought a $16 million second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft for taking underwhelming and grossly overpaid quarterback Brock Osweiler off the hands of the oh-so-grateful Houston Texans.

 

The thought of Osweiler, who is as bad as he is tall, being the long-awaited franchise quarterback for the Browns is enough to make you physically ill. The belief – and the fervent hope – is that the additional asset will be used as more ammunition to dislodge quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the New England Patriots in a trade.

 

That has to be the impetus for the trade with Houston, doesn’t it?  Well, doesn’t it?!

 

If not, then the deal could be – rather, would be — a disaster.

 

What wasn’t a disaster – we can make that determination right now — was the Browns’ excellent moves to improve their horrific offensive line.

 

They signed the best guard in free agency in Kevin Zeitler, who played for Browns head coach Hue Jackson when they were both with the Cincinnati Bengals. They solved their gaping hole at center by signing JC Tretter from the Green Bay Packers.

 

And in addition, the Browns retained one of their own in re-signing guard Joel Bitonio to a five-year contract.

 

Also, the Browns used the money they would given to Pryor to sign wide receiver Kenny Britt. But he replaces not Pryor, but Andrew Hawkins, who was released by the Browns. I still would much rather have had Pryor, but you can’t get everything you want.

 

Anyway, just like that, the Browns are better. They made definite steps forward.

 

We’ll see what they do from here – especially at quarterback – to determine just how much better.