Osweiler cut; Bell, Bryant back to Pitt
CLEVELAND — Brock Osweiler’s days with the Browns were numbered when the quarterback arrived in a trade. They’re now over.
Osweiler is being released by Cleveland, which will have to pay his $16 million guaranteed contract not to have him on their roster, a person familiar with the team’s moves told The Associated Press on Friday.
Osweiler will be officially cut on Saturday along with veteran guard John Greco, kicker Cody Parkey and defensive lineman Xavier Cooper when the team trims its roster to 53 on Saturday, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is still finalizing its roster decisions.
The 26-year-old Osweiler was acquired by the Browns on March 9 from Houston for a 2018 second-round draft pick. The team did not have any long-term plans for Osweiler, who went 8-6 as a starter for the Texans last season.
Osweiler was beaten out by rookie DeShone Kizer, who will be the 27th starting QB for Cleveland since 1999 when the team opens against Pittsburgh on Sept. 10.
BELL, BRYANT RETURN
Martavis Bryant’s long journey back to the NFL is over. So is Le’Veon Bell’s extended vacation.
Two of the most dynamic components of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ high-powered offense are good to go as the season opener approaches. The NFL on Friday granted Bryant permission to play when the Steelers travel to Cleveland on Sept. 10, nearly 18 months after he was suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Bryant was conditionally reinstated in April, though his return hit a snag at the start of training camp when he was forced to sit for the first two weeks of practice due to procedural issues. Bryant caught seven passes for 43 yards during the preseason and is expected to start opposite Antonio Brown.
The Steelers placed the franchise tag on Bell in February. The two-time Pro Bowler responded by skipping Pittsburgh’s offseason program and stayed away during training camp after failing to reach agreement on a long-term deal.
Bell tweeted last week that he planned on returning on Sept. 1, and he was at the team’s facility hours after the Steelers finished the preseason with a win in Carolina.
CARDS CUT RB JOHNSON
The Arizona Cardinals have released running back Chris Johnson.
The 31-year-old running back played two injury-plagued seasons with the Cardinals and did not play in Thursday night’s preseason finale at Denver.
His release apparently means Andre Ellington and Elijhaa Penny will join David Johnson and kick/punt returner Kerwynn Williams as running backs on Arizona’s 53man roster.
Chris Johnson is just 463 yards shy of 10,000 yards rushing for his nine-year pro career. At one point, with the Tennessee Titans, he was among the league’s most outstanding backs.
In 2009, he was the NFL’s leading rusher with 2,006 yards, one of only seven NFL players to top 2,000 yards rushing in a season.
VIKES AND HAWKS DEAL
The Seattle Seahawks have traded cornerback Tramaine Brock to the Minnesota Vikings.
Seattle is reportedly receiving a seventhround pick in exchange for Brock, who signed with Seattle on Aug. 16 and was immediately thrown into the competition at cornerback.
He started 31 of 32 games over the past two seasons for San Francisco, but was released during the offseason after he was arrested and accused of hitting a woman he was dating.
TITANS-CHIEFS TRADE
The Tennessee Titans have acquired defensive end David King from the Kansas City Chiefs for a conditional seventhround draft pick. The teams announced the trade Friday night.
The 6-foot-4, 281-pound King has played 10 career NFL games with four starts in stints with Seattle and Kansas City, and he has 1.5 career sacks. —AP