**Houston Texans Offseason Debate Thread**

With the Texans officially starting their off-season what moves need to be made to help get them the the next level?

 

New Coaching?

New QB?

Get healthy?

Stay the course?

 

Tell us your thoughts on the subject....

Don't let Kubiak call plays

Hire an OC.

Don't draft a QB this year, wait till next year when there are better options

Get players healthy on defense.

 

PRACTICE A 2 MINUTE DRILL!

Yeah....They actually had too good of a season to warrant any changes. They need to go after a #1 or #2 receiver, and sure up that secondary with some real killers out there.

I think they have the pieces in place. Cushing coming back will help at the LB position. Always can use another pass rusher. Need to draft a WR since Posey will be out for a while. Maybe go after a Free Agent Safety to help the secondary out. Schaub and Johnson will be a year older but can still produce at a high level. As long as they don't lose anyone to free agency, I don't see why this team can't go 10-6 or 11-5 next season.

Yeah....They actually had too good of a season to warrant any changes. They need to go after a #1 or #2 receiver, and sure up that secondary with some real killers out there.

 

Andre isnt a spring chicken either. Just sayin.

It's hard to say. Today's game was impacted by a couple of plays, or non plays, by TE John Casey. On the Texans first drive he flat dropped a sure TD and then a ball caromed off his hands that was picked off by NE. Guys just need to make plays and they are not. Schaub has looked anything but stellar in his two playoff games. In fact he hasn't looked all that good for over a month now.

 

You know that Kubiak isn't going anywhere. The owner has a man-crush on him. I am not a big fan of GM Rick Smith especially since he allowed the right side of the O-line to leave. Well, actually he let RG Mike Brisel test free agency and he signed with the Raiders and he flat cut right tackle Eric Winston. Do you think Matt Schaub could have used those two in the playoffs?

 

You gotta scratch your head but they did play the Patriots and they are not chopped liver. Nice season but here is some thoughts from NFL.com about the Texans that I agree with.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000126212/article/houston-texans-a-good-team-still-far-from-being-great

I think if Cushing doesn't get hurt this year it would have been a different outcome all around. His play isbsecond to none on that side of the ball. He is the q.b. of that defense. He is the Ray Lewis of that defense. I would however promoters Vance Joseph to co-d.c. before you lose him. Kubiak needs to step aside and bring in some new blodd in play calling. They need to draft a big time w.r. this year. Other than that i think they are solid all the way around.

The biggest shame of all in this game was the loss of Devier Posey. The guy is fast and was just coming into his own as an NFL player. Posey torn his Achilles tendon and was carted off the field in the 4th quarter. Damn shame.

The Texans need to get more athletic both offensively and defensively. Here are some guys to target and most won't cost you a great deal.

 

QB: Colin Klien, EJ Manuel, Matt Barkley, Denard Robinson. All have upside and all are winners and Shoelace would be a great last pick.

 

RB: Kenyon Barner, Geovani Benard, Andre Ellington. Benard will go a little too early but Barner's lack of size would make him an attractive mid round selection.

 

WR: Tavon Austin, Terrance Williams, DeAndre Hopkins, Robert Woods, Marquees Wilson, Bernard Reedy,

 

Defense in a bit.

 

Mitch-- u see Klein as a NFL guy?

Five years ago I wouldn't have but the rules have changed the game. I think he could be a great project.

His throwing motion may be the only major QB's who's rivals Tebows. You could be right but I'm not sold on Klein at QB in the NFL. I agree he'd be a big project.

They must get a quarter back that can throw and run the dang ball. Kubiak's previous quaterbacks all have been able to run. Elway, Young, Plummer. Slobs great stats come when the games are out of control. He cant get a rythm going when he throws the ball 20-30 times. He has big stats when he is throwing 305-45 and defenses are playing soft. He's got to go

Good ole Gary Kubiak is liable to stick with Matt Schaub until they both retire together. That said, on Mike and Mike the other day ESPN's Ron Jaworski said that Matt Schaub is NOT and elite level QB. He has issues of consistancy and he has not performed up to his potential in big games. I sort of agree with Jaws.

 

Do you all think Houston should persue a guy like West Virginia's Geno Smith would be a guy Houston should try to target in this year's draft? I totally disagree about Colin Klein for Houston. He's a good college QB but I don't think he'll make it as an NFL QB. I wonder if Houston actually needs a RB per mitchhardt's post. Maybe they will if the Texans can't hold on to Ben Tate and Justin Forsette to work behind Arian Foster. I agree with MH about the need for a wide receiver and the candidates he lists are all good candidates. Houston is hoping LeStar Jean will develop but I think it would be a push to expect DeVier Posey back before 2014 with that torn Achilles. I will be very interested in who MH targets for the defensive side of the draft. Do the Texans need LB help? Or anyone on the D-line? You got to think they would use some help at DB position.

An ariticle from NFL.com features an interview with Texans safety Jonathan Joseph. Joseph has one opinion about his Texans and NFL.com's writer has another. The article sort of ticked me off.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000127200/article/johnathan-joseph-texans-not-far-away-from-patriots

Houston seemed like all it was going to do was lose players when free agency began two weeks ago. Glover Quin, James Casey, Connor Barwin. It was making me sick seeing these good players go. I have a voodoo doll of Texans GM Rick Smith that I began sticking pins in last year because it seems like he's a guy who can't take success. The Texans are finally good and he seems to be facilitating their trip back to mediocrity by letting some of the best players go. I'll give him the Mario Williams deal--$100mm was not a sum Houston could pay for a guy who never really lived up to the first pick in the draft expectations. Williams was solid and he was a better pick than Vince Young or Reggie Bush would have been but.......But now I am a little happier. I even took a few of the pins out of the voodoo doll. Why? You know the main reason why, he signed All Everything NFL safety Ed Reed. Even though Reed is late in his career and he won't have the longevity Quin has I like the signing. Reed has struggled with injury issues the last couple of years but he's the standard by which ALL safeties are judged. Nice pick up and for 5 mil a year Houston and Rick Smith got a real bargain. But this is fairly old news.

Now, yesterday, Houston signed a guy who many call the best punter of his generation, Texas A&M's own Shane Lechler. A few years ago he signed the richest deal ever accorded a punter but Houston got him fairly cheap. Three years for $5.5 mm with a million dollar signing bonus. Not bad for a guy who has been in the NFL 13 years earning 7 Pro Bowl nods as well as 9 All Pro selections and lead the NFL in punting average 5 times. At 36 the three year deal he got should be about right as punters and kickers can be effective into their late thirties and Lechler is 36. So, I took a couple more pins out of the voodoo doll this morning. Despite an off year in 2012 many people feel Lechler will bounce back and again, like the Ed Reed deal, three years is about the right length of contract considering their relative ages.

JJ Watt was in Afghanistan earlier this week with other NFL players on a USO tour. It is an NFL sponsored tour which is touring the Middle East this spring. Watt describes the tour as an honor to do and a very humbling experience. He said that all he hears are our troops thanking them for being there and for their support. Here's a link to the Texans podcast page with video of the Ed Reed signing and Watt speaking from Afghanistan among other videos as well.

 

http://old.houstontexans.com/news/PodcastCentral2.asp?AUTO=Y&EID=2788

The Texans have signed FB Greg Jones to be the lead blocker for Arian Foster. Jones is a nine year vet who has been with Jacksonville his entire career. Here's an article from Texans.com that gives fans a little look at Jones and why he was signed.

 

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-sign-FB-Greg-Jones/7a0a7646-9d26-402d-903d-41ec2df00513

Here's the official Texans 2013 schedule which was released yesterday.

 

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Houston-Texans-2013-schedule-announced/05619b8f-11ed-4cb5-9ea0-39423094b1b1

I like the Texans pick. They've really needed a guy who isn't a project at WR. We had hopes with Keshawn Martin and Devier Posey and it looked like Posey was really coming around when he torn his Achilles tendon. With the pick of DeAndre Hopkins from Clemson you have a guy who is a polished route runner and is terrific after the catch. His 4.49 combine 40 is a little iffy but when you look at tape on this guy you see a player with great hands. He doesn't trap the ball against his body he snatches it with his hands. I really like that. And as I said before he makes plays after the catch. A much better pick at this point than Corderelle Patterson.

Now Houston needs to address needs at linebacker and cornerback.

The Texans addressed some needs tonight in the 2 and 3 rounds of the draft. In the 2nd round they picked SS D J Swearinger from S Carolina and in the 3rd they got OT Brennan Williams from N Carolina (I guess they have the Carolinas covered) and with their compensatory pick at the end of the 3rd round they took LSU DE Sam Montgomery who was actually ranked as a second round pick who has some off field issues so player-wise they got real good value for him. The Texans still need help at linebacker and cornerback but not a bad day especially if Montgomery turns out to be as good as projected.

Here's a recap of the Texans 9 draft picks selected this weekend. GM Rick Smith is elated with how well the Texans did in the draft beginning with first round pick WR DeAndre Hopkins from Clemson. For the record, I think Houston did a great job of drafting. This team is going to a lot better this season which is saying a lot! Who hates Kubiak now?

 

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-add-nine-players-in-2013-NFL-Draft/507a52b8-5ca3-4012-90d4-3196799341b3

 

No word as yet on the Texans web site about any UDFA's they have or will sign. Will get back on this ASAP.

Houston went absolutely nuts with signings of undrafted free agents on Sunday! The Texans signed a whopping 24 UFA's. 14 of the UFA's were on offense including Heisman candidate from Kansas State, QB Collin Klein. A Heisman candidate? A UFA? Yep and Houston got him. Here a whole list of UFA signings from Texans.com.

 

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Report-Texans-agree-to-terms-with-24-undrafted-FAs/7141a0f2-ee8b-4b3f-850f-c8a3b47f0002

I get so tired of the drivel on ESPN radio's afternoon show "The Drive" with AJ Hoffman and Fred Fauer. All they ever seem to talk about is betting on stuff and their favorite TV shows. Since Carl Dukes, Dave Tepper and Julie Takahashi left the show it has been little more than a waste of my time. Yesterday they actually answered a sports question from a fan who wanted to know if Collin Klein had a shot at playing this year. It's a fair question considering Klein was a Heisman Trophy finalist and a guy Mitch Hardt said was a sleeper player to watch in 2013. It seems that the boys on "The Drive" don't think much of Klein or last year's UFA QB Case Keenum. Matt Schaub has two more years at least as Houston's starting QB just because of his contract but it doesn't mean either Klein, Keenum or current backup TJ Yates can't step up. Hoffman and Fauer are so busy being dicks that they don't offer any entertainment value or foster any desire to join the show. I can't, for the life of me, understand why they are so popular in Houston.

Collin Klein was not an undrafted free agent signee by the Texans even though that was what was first reported. Klein came in as an invitee on a tryout basis. Imagine that, a Heisman Trophy finalist not even drafted. Earlier this year BRI's Mitch Hardt listed Klein as a player to watch in fantasy football and the fact that he wasn't drafted or even signed as an UFA was amazing to me. But, it seems Mr Klein has not pouted or taken his football and gone home. He reported to Texans rookie mini camp and shined. In his press conference following the last mini camp practice head coach Gary Kubiak gushed over how well Klein did. Admitting that Klein had some mechanical issues to iron out he said that Klein was impressive and his improvement from Friday's first practice to the final practice on Sunday was eye opening. Kubiak said that Klein had likely earned a roster spot going into off season OTA's and mini camps and training camp. There are currently 4 QB's on the Texans roster Matt Schaub, T J Yates, Case Keenum and former Cowboys backup Stephen McGee. It's very likely Klein will replace one of these guys on the roster. My guess would be McGee. We'll see how things shake out but for a guy everyone has sort of written off it makes you sort of root for the guy to succeed. Sort of like how I rooted for and continue to root for Case Keenum. T J Yates may need to watch his back with these two over achievers nipping at his heels.