Tom Pelissero

USA TODAY Sports

Some snap reactions from the early hours of NFL free agency.

While the Browns load up on draft picks in apparent preparation for a run at Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, consider one reason New England is reluctant to trade him away. Tom Brady is the rarest of the rare, but there is no precedent for a quarterback to sustain his level of play beyond age 40, which he’ll turn in August. Things can change quickly over a year or two at this stage. Garoppolo, 25, is viewed as every bit worthy of being Brady’s successor, so what’s the rush? Yes, Garoppolo’s rookie contract expires after this season, but they could always franchise tag him (and perhaps trade him) in 2018. Keeping him buys time, on top of giving the Patriots a reliable backup on a team built to keep winning Super Bowls now. Even if the Browns gave up two first-round picks, what happens if Brady falls off? Jacoby Brissett’s development notwithstanding, the Patriots might have to use one of those picks or deal a similar haul and hope to find another Garoppolo. Tough proposition.

How little thought have the Browns given to Brock Osweiler actually playing a down for them? Within hours of swinging Thursday’s wildest trade — acquiring a second-round pick in 2018 plus Osweiler from the Texans in exchange for cap/cash relief and a swap of Day 3 picks — the Browns were making calls offering to deal Osweiler on the cheap and eat a chunk of his salary. It’s overly simplistic to say the Browns bought a pick for $16 million (Osweiler’s fully guaranteed salary this season). They may have bought multiple picks for perhaps half that, depending on what becomes of Osweiler from here. Worst case, the Browns release him and eat the money and cap space, but it’s not crazy to think they find a taker.

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Final cost of what can now be safely called the Texans’ failed Osweiler experiment: $21 million in cash for one season in which he got benched, a second-round pick to get him out of town and a $9 million rock on this year’s cap. Not a killer, but still gross.

The Cowboys never stopped trying to trade quarterback Tony Romo, even amidst reports Wednesday the team would release him shortly after the start of free agency Thursday. The problems all along have been compensation and Romo’s contract, which he might rework for a team he likes. The Texans cleared a starting job and $10 million in cap space with the Osweiler trade. They’ve gone 9-7 three straight years without consistently competent QB play. They have a lot to sell. So do the Broncos. Will anyone actually pony up something worthwhile in a trade? Only Romo and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones truly know where things stand.

Mike Glennon’s three-year contract with the Bears hadn’t been filed as of late Thursday night. But it’s safe to say the deal — worth nearly $45 million, including what ESPN says is $19 million guaranteed — won’t preclude the Bears from using a high draft pick on another quarterback. It’s a bridge deal (and a lucrative one) for Glennon, 27, who has one year, maybe two, to show he can be an NFL starter after four years with the Buccaneers. That’s a guy you want to develop a young QB behind, and the Bears don’t necessarily have to get one with the No. 3 overall pick. None of the top four QB prospects in this class is regarded as an immediate starter in 2017. One or more plausibly may not go in the first round, and the Browns, 49ers, Jaguars and Bears sit atop Round 2.

How does the quarterback the Bears released, Jay Cutler, fit into all this? Cutler’s agent, Bus Cook, told me at the scouting combine he believes Cutler wants to play, and wants to win, which may be a tough combination to find. So, don’t overlook Cutler’s relationship with Jets quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates, who was with Cutler in Denver and Chicago. The Jets drafted project QBs the past two years in Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg. If they want a veteran to ease the plunge into rebuilding mode, anything’s possible.

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The Browns shelled out over $65 million in guarantees Thursday to free-agent guard Kevin Zeitler and center J.C. Tretter, plus guard Joel Bitonio on an extension. Not sexy, but the offensive line is a good place to focus in a rebuild, especially when your QB group became Final Destination a year ago.

A bunch of players signed already (Pierre Garcon and Malcolm Smith in San Francisco, Torrey Smith in Philadelphia, Bryan Walters in Jacksonville, Chris Conte in Tampa Bay) have option years built into their contracts. Some mutual benefit: Teams can decline the options (rather than releasing the players) to have them factor in the compensatory pick formula, and in turn players might find out before free agency if they’re out of work.

The final deal will be worth examining, but left tackle Russell Okung’s self-negotiated pact with the Chargers is said to include $25 million fully guaranteed at signing — which is $25 million more than he got guaranteed from the Broncos a year ago. Denver turned down his four-year, $48 million option after the season. Early word on the new deal: four years, $53 million. Good timing in a weak offensive line market where top guys got big bucks.

No market is slower out of the gate than halfback. The only known deal of note as of late Thursday night was the Ravens signing Danny Woodhead. The Seahawks alone have Eddie Lacy, Latavius Murray and Jamaal Charles coming in for visits. No rush.

Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero.