Kurt Warner impressed with Brock Osweiler's leadership, says 'verdict is still out'
Kurt Warner has known Brock Osweiler for a long time, going back to the Texans' newly-minted starting quarterback's time at Arizona State.
Osweiler used to attend Warner's charity events while he was in college and the NFL and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player was starring for the Arizona Cardinals.
"I got a chance to know him and know the type of kid he is," Warner said. "I know how much he wants to be great at this and is willing to put in the time. That's the first thing I love about him. You can tell from Day One."
Now an NFL Network analyst who attended the Texans' opening day of training camp, Warner observed some things Osweiler can still refine in his game. Overall, though, Warner is upbeat about Osweiler's outlook despite a limited body of work of seven starts last season and a 5-2 record for the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos as he passed for 1,967 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions.
"I think the verdict is still out," Warner said. "A lot of people are pulling for him obviously in Houston. Myself, I want to see him succeed. We still have to remember it's only seven games. Although there were a lot of good things in those seven games, we still don't know who Brock is as an NFL quarterback. It's all a process. Now, you're going to a new system, to a new home with new receivers."
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt plays catch with Jeston Adams during Texans training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center on Sunday, July 31, 2016, in Houston. Watt is unable to practice as he is recovering from back surgery.
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Now an NFL Network analyst who attended the Texans' opening day of training camp, Kurt Warner observed some things Brock Osweiler can still refine in his game.
Warner observed some inconsistencies from Osweiler, but noted that there's a learning curve involved for the strong-armed 6-8, 240-pound former Broncos second-round draft pick. Osweiler was signed to a four-year, $72 million contract in March.
"You saw some ups and downs, which you kind of expect," Warner said. "You don't have your best offensive player, DeAndre Hopkins. You have a lot of young guys around you. The one thing I continue to hear is the great leadership he's brought, the stability at the position, which is so important. You don't have to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns every week if you can bring stability and make good decisions and lead the guys around you.
"That goes a long way, especially on a team that has a lot of complimentary pieces, a great defense, good running game, some good players on the outside. There's still some ups and downs on the field, but the leadership has been worth every bit the contract they gave him."