One of the biggest, if not the biggest issue facing the Texans this off-season will be the offensive line. Once universally considered one of the worst units in the league, 2007 so far has gone a long way to proving that a lot of the blame for past problems falls on the shoulders of David Carr. This season through 13 weeks the Texans are 10th best in the league having allowed only 18 sacks, compared to 34 at the same point last year. The total for last season ended up being 41. Gary Kubiak’s goal for the offensive line this year was to keep the sack total under 30, and with four games left the chances of achieving that goal are looking strong.

Getting hit is a part of the QB’s job description
Even with the improved numbers, Matt Schaub has been banged up this season as a result of some hits he’s taken. One thing you could never accuse Carr of was being fragile. Schaub hasn’t shown nearly the same durability or physical toughness as Carr did, but the way David’s play has continued to regress, Texans fans would rather see a one-legged, headless Schaub out there than a 100% healthy white-gloved David Carr.

Schaub is still a young, relatively unexperienced quarterback. He can continue to condition his body and improve his fitness in the off-season, but how much can a quarterback strength-train before it starts to affect the way he throws a football? The Texans need to go into this off-season assuming that with Schaub, they are going to have an efficient and still potentially excellent quarterback who is prone to injury when he takes a hard hit. In a division with such tough defenses, the coaches have to assume that Schaub is going to continue to take hits no matter how well the Texans offensive line plays in the future. It’s just the nature of football. Teams compete, and tough defenses are going to get their shots in even against great offensive lines.

Making the line ‘better’ isn’t good enough
The line is already better. If the Texans are seriously going to contend in the AFC in the next several years, they’ve already taken great strides in building a strong, young defense. They have their future quarterback, and now it’s time to protect him. Though the aforementioned 18 sacks are a dramatic improvement in this team’s history of giving up sacks - the organization should be poised to take it to the upper-echelon of offensive lines in the off-season. Of course, this is easier said than done, and there are a lot of needs on the roster after a season of such terrible injuries. Facing the reality that Schaub has proven to be tough, but not necessarily durable - the organization needs to strive to have an elite offensive line, not just a strong one.

The Charles Spencer issue
The Spencer issue is perhaps the biggest when it comes to the offensive line… one that could shape the future of this franchise. We’ve been waiting on him to return from a leg injury for a long time now, and everyone seems to think that it’s a foregone conclusion that IF he is able to come back - he’ll somehow be an anchor at left tackle for years to come. What exactly is this based on? How many games did he play before the injury? Two? Three? It’s a huge gamble for the Texans to not draft a stud LT in the next draft (if one’s on the board) when it’s still not clear whether or not he’s going to come back. The sample of his play year before last was pretty small, far too small to mortgage the future of that position on the following assumptions:

1. That he will return from the injury in the first place.
2. That if he does return, he won’t be injury prone afterwards.
3. That if he does return, and he’s not injury prone - he will turn out to be as good as he was in the small sampling we saw him.
4. That the short sampling of his career was actually an indication of his ability, and not a fluke.

That is a HECK of a lot to assume for the most vital position on the line, and arguably the most important position on the offense aside from quarterback. Can this franchise really afford to gamble on all those factors and not make it a priority position in the draft? They may have no choice because of all the injuries this year.

2007 injuries will severely impact the Texans 2008 draft strategy
After a season of such awful injuries, the Texans draft needs have shifted. Cornerback Dunta Robinson’s injury against Oakland was so horrific, that he probably won’t return until well into the 2008 season. Rookie corner Fred Bennett has played very well considering his youth and the shoes he’s had to fill, but the Texans will have to address Robinson’s injury by free agency or the draft.

Ahman Green’s signing has turned out to be a complete and total bust without question, and even if he is back next season he’ll be injured and miss the majority of the games. You can quote me on that. Carve it in stone. The cap hit would be pretty big if the Texans released him this coming off-season, so there’s a decent chance he’ll be here again next year. Chris Taylor was inured in the pre-season and at this point it can’t be assumed that he will be durable even in what will only be his third year. Ron Dayne has done well as a spot starter, but he clearly isn’t the long-term answer, so expect the Texans to also address the running back question in the draft.

Smith and Kubiak’s drafts have been strong
With all the injuries and needs the Texans have, the lack of a 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft is going to be a considerable problem. No matter what their draft position, it looks like the best thing to do will be to trade down and pick up an extra pick or two. GM Rick Smith and coach Kubiak have shown that they are skilled evaluators of talent in the draft and free agency. Several young draftees have turned out to be starters during their short time with the franchise, and there’s no reason to expect anything less from them in the next draft.

The subject of the offensive line will have to be re-visited after the end of the season, but they have an opportunity to take this line to the next level. With a solid foundation of young talent on the line, they’re not as far away as it may seem. We’ll certainly revisit this question after the season, and leading up to the April draft.

Please visit www.HoustonDiehards.com for much more Texans commentary, and the 2006 Draft Tracker!

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