Owner: After Brock Osweiler's struggles, Texans likely to draft a QB

Bob McNair acknowledges that his $72 million quarterback has to play better

It has been 11 months since the Texans signed Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72 million contract. Osweiler's first season in Houston can kindly be described as forgettable -- he threw 15 touchdowns against 16 interceptions, completed just 59 percent of his throws, and was benched in December. According to Football Outsiders' metrics, Osweiler was the NFL's second-worst starting quarterback behind only Rams rookie Jared Goff.

So despite the franchise-quarterback contract, Osweiler isn't guaranteed anything. In fact, owner Bob McNair said this week that competition for the job will include Tom Savage, who replaced Osweiler in the lineup in Weeks 16 and 17, and and perhaps a quarterback taken in the 2017 NFL Draft.

"The challenge is what can we do with what we got," McNair said, via the Houston Chronicle's John McClain. "We'll still probably look at a young quarterback as we go into the draft. It's a question of what's available."

McClain reports that the Texans are expected to take a passer in the first two rounds if they find one they like. And while McNair concedes that Osweiler has to play better, he also expects him to play better in 2017.

"It's up to him to meet the challenge," the owner said. "He has to step up. We need better performance out of the position."

It's certainly understandable why the Texans gambled on Osweiler -- a season of Brandon Weeden and Brian Hoyer brought home the fact that a team without a franchise quarterback doesn't have a chance. But Osweiler was worse than his predecessors the season before, and that futility came with an $18 million-a-year price tag.

McNair was so desperate, in fact, that the first time coach Bill O'Brien met Osweiler was when the quarterback showed up in Houston for his introductory press conference in March 2016.

In case you're wondering, neither Rob Rang nor Dane Brugler have the Texans taking a quarterback in the first round of their latest CBSSports.com mock drafts. Rang has Alabama offensive lineman Cam Robinson going to Houston with the 25th pick while Brugler likes Michigan safety Jabrill Peppers.