If you were the Texans How would you prioritize this off-season ???

Just for fun:


How you would handle this off-season if you were a member of the Texans F.O ?

From Free agents, to cuts, to the draft ?

I'll start...


Free Agents: I'm not going to name specific players, but If I were the Texans I would try to get a Good Veteran DB...whether it be Safety or Corner....We don't have a veteran leader in the secondary, and that is hurting us....Next I'd have to go LB....I think this is another area where we are missing a strong veteran presence....IMO, one of our OLB's has to go....collectively they aren't doing enough....

The draft: TRADE BACK....The first position I'd be looking to fill would be DB...Depending on whether I had gotten a Safety or Corner in free agency.... I would trade back and take the best CB or FS that falls to me...following rds. RB,OL,OL,DB,DL,K or P....


Cuts: Without any cap info, and strictly going off of "dead weight"....I would start by cutting both Kris Brown, and Chad Stanley....Next I would want to cut one or two of the Older OL guys....Bruener....and maybe an OLB....



Really the point of this isn't to name specific players but rather to prioritize what "must" be done this off-season in order for us to be competitive in '07....

[yourfavoritetexan42]

Free Agency
In free agency I would love the texans to pickup a veteran defensive tackle to play alongside with Travis Johnson. I think that is a pretty glaring problem with our defense right now, is our interior line. I would love to see us get Terdell Sands, he is a backup on oakland, playing behind two veteran greats, but he has big size (6'7 340) and in college I remember him being a force out of chatanooga. That would apply more pressure on the inside that way teams can't afford doubling mario. If you watch the games Mario is getting doubled 60% of the time, and when he isn't doubled, they run away from him. Opposing NFL offenses treat Mario as an already dominant end, they gameplan for him, already, and that why he doens't seem to be as effective as people hoped.

Also in free agencty I would love to see the texans pickup Asante Samuel out of New England or Michael Lewis out of philadephia to play alongside Glenn Earl. We have a missing piece back there... and I think a quickfix out of free agency is the answer.

Another guy I'd love to see the Texans pursue to provide veteran leadership, and it would be highly likely considering his old head coach is on our staff, is running back Ahman Green. Texans kind of need a Running back by commitee deal because each of our running backs have weaknesses. Davis falls to injuries, Dayne doesn't have great speed, Lundy is young an inexperienced, and Ahman Green cannot carry the load. If we used Dayne in short yardage situations, and then rotated Davis/Green, I think that would really boost our running game, plus Green is a great receiving threat out of the backfield. Lundy in my opinion, still needs some time to grow.

Matt Starks out of Pitt and Leonard Davis out of Arizona, if they become available, do everything in your power to pick them up kubes... but that is a major if...i see both resigning with their respective teams.

Cato June, Lance Briggs, Diggs, Thomas, or Fletcher, to help out our trio along with demeco. Texans... you can land one of them...and any of the 5 would be awesome. Love to see Lance Briggs out of all of them...knows how to play the 4-3 well and he has been part of a very dominant defense.


The Draft
1st Round: Joe Thomas (if he is available). If not Levi Jones Penn State.
2nd Round: Offensive Guard. Do not reach for talent however, only if the talent is there, which usually it is, Guards dont usually go until late 1st round early 2nd. Adding one more player to the fight for a spot at guard would surely help.
3rd Round: Corner. Have someone challenge Faggins for that 2nd corner spot...competition brings the best out of any player. Plus at worse we have a solid nickel back.
4th Round: Tom Zbikowski out of Notre Dame. Could be a real threat at punt returner and could come in if needed to play safety, and boy does he lay the wood in that defensive backfield. Also finds the ball well and he would become a leader and give our defense some attitude.
5th Round: An Outside Linebacker. Add some depth and competition to the outside spot.
6th Round: Punter. lol....I dont think i need to explain...
7th Round: Center, another practice squad player... let him develop and maybe he can fight for a position in the future.




Cuts
Kicker Kris Brown
Punter Chad Stanley
Tackle Ephraim Salaam
Linebacker Wali Rainer
Fullback Jameel Cook

[slamdunc]

1. Send a blank check to Lance Briggs
2. Michael Lewis in FA

Too early for me to spec on draft or cuts - Will Spencer make it back? If so, would love to see a LT picked up somehow and move Spencer to right tackle

Originally Posted by yourfavoritetexan42

Free Agency
...

I pretty much agree with your free agency take....I never even really thought about Ahman Green....That would be a pretty good pick-up depending on his asking price....

And your draft.....If we pick two lineman in the first two rds I think I'd be sick....I wouldn't mind Joe Thomas in the 1st, but If we follwed your offseason plan up to that point I think I'd be hard pressed not to take an OLB there...

Free agency......dito....Is Wali Rainer still on this team ?

[HeartofHouston]

First Off..

Free Agency
I'm Looking for a CB and LB.. Briggs and Clements would be amazing additions.. Briggs is a smart heavy hitter and Clements is a big storng corner that can hit you like a LB as well.

Then I'd also be looking to add some depth to the O-Line. Maybe some competetive Guards.

DRAFT
I would love to see us go after Troy Smith or Adrian Peterson. I'm leaning a lot toward The Heisman the guy has what it takes. In MY personal opinion Troy Smith is a betetr QB than Vince Young (that's a whole different issue).

1 - QB Troy Smith (OSU)
2 - S Brandon Merriweather (The U)
3 - OT Joe Staley

Day 2
Depth At O-Line and D-Line

[hollywood_texan]

Very simple:

If you keep Carr, put all attention towards a big free agent lineman and draft early and strong for the same. If they are going to keep talking about that the talent on the line is the problem, then fix it. For the past 3 or 4 years we have consistently heard that there isn't enough talent on the line for Carr to succeed, fix it or move on with Carr now.

If they get rid of Carr, get a cheap vet to manage the game at QB, focus on the interior lines and defensive secondary.

[dbspi]

Good CB is the hardest position to find and normally speaking rookies get abused allot the first few years so I suggest to send blank check to Nate Clements and sign him.

Free Agency - Nate Clements, Sands, Briggs or A.Thomas

Draft -

Round 1 - AD
Round 2 - FS - Hughes
Round 3 - Ben Grubbs (RG)
Round 4 - OC (Young - he has struggled this year so he might be available on 2nd day.

[Bubbajwp]

Originally Posted by yourfavoritetexan42

Free Agency
In free agency I would love the texans to pickup a veteran defensive tackle to play alongside with Travis Johnson. I think that is a pretty glaring problem with our defense right now, is our interior line. I would love to see us get Terdell Sands, he is a backup on oakland, playing behind two veteran greats, but he has big size (6'7 340) and in college I remember him being a force out of chatanooga. That would apply more pressure on the inside that way teams can't afford doubling mario. If you watch the games Mario is getting doubled 60% of the time, and when he isn't doubled, they run away from him. Opposing NFL offenses treat Mario as an already dominant end, they gameplan for him, already, and that why he doens't seem to be as effective as people hoped.

Also in free agencty I would love to see the texans pickup Asante Samuel out of New England or Michael Lewis out of philadephia to play alongside Glenn Earl. We have a missing piece back there... and I think a quickfix out of free agency is the answer.

Another guy I'd love to see the Texans pursue to provide veteran leadership, and it would be highly likely considering his old head coach is on our staff, is running back Ahman Green. Texans kind of need a Running back by commitee deal because each of our running backs have weaknesses. Davis falls to injuries, Dayne doesn't have great speed, Lundy is young an inexperienced, and Ahman Green cannot carry the load. If we used Dayne in short yardage situations, and then rotated Davis/Green, I think that would really boost our running game, plus Green is a great receiving threat out of the backfield. Lundy in my opinion, still needs some time to grow.

Matt Starks out of Pitt and Leonard Davis out of Arizona, if they become available, do everything in your power to pick them up kubes... but that is a major if...i see both resigning with their respective teams.

Cato June, Lance Briggs, Diggs, Thomas, or Fletcher, to help out our trio along with demeco. Texans... you can land one of them...and any of the 5 would be awesome. Love to see Lance Briggs out of all of them...knows how to play the 4-3 well and he has been part of a very dominant defense.


The Draft
1st Round: Joe Thomas (if he is available). If not Levi Jones Penn State.
2nd Round: Offensive Guard. Do not reach for talent however, only if the talent is there, which usually it is, Guards dont usually go until late 1st round early 2nd. Adding one more player to the fight for a spot at guard would surely help.
3rd Round: Corner. Have someone challenge Faggins for that 2nd corner spot...competition brings the best out of any player. Plus at worse we have a solid nickel back.
4th Round: Tom Zbikowski out of Notre Dame. Could be a real threat at punt returner and could come in if needed to play safety, and boy does he lay the wood in that defensive backfield. Also finds the ball well and he would become a leader and give our defense some attitude.
5th Round: An Outside Linebacker. Add some depth and competition to the outside spot.
6th Round: Punter. lol....I dont think i need to explain...
7th Round: Center, another practice squad player... let him develop and maybe he can fight for a position in the future.




Cuts
Kicker Kris Brown
Punter Chad Stanley
Tackle Ephraim Salaam
Linebacker Wali Rainer
Fullback Jameel Cook

His name is Levi Brown!

[prostock101]

Trade Carr for whatever you can get. A draft pick, an Off. Lineman, a DB, or even something shiny, I don't care. Sign Plummer to a one year deal. Draft Adrian Peterson first round and Kolb or Brohm second round. After that, the best available.

Cut Stanley, Cook, keep Kris Brown but bring in a bunch of kickers to camp.

[Goldeagle]

Free Agents:

(I dont see us signing all of these guys, but eh)

Steinbach (guard): from Cinncy (solid and durable)
Clements (CB): He made AJ look like Bradford, I was IMPRESSED
Dockery: (guard) From Washington (and from Texas)
L. Briggs: (OLB) from Da Bears (gives us a legit OLB to help Demeco)
Pashos: (OT) from Baltimore (big guy, adds depth)
Brown: (RB) from Tennesse (fast runner fit in well with Zone Blocking)
Grant: (S) From Jacksonville (not a bad player a bonus for us)

DRAFT:


1st round: If Joe Thomas, AP, or Calvin Johnson are not on the board trade down (I'll say we get a 3rd round this year)
OT: sam baker if he comes out early from USC

2nd round:
S: eric Weddle from Utah

3rd round:
DT: Justin Harrell from Tennesse
QB: Kevin Kolb from UH

4th Round to 7th Round
Best player available (fullback, Kicker, Punter, DT, O-line, and so on)


Cuts:

Chad Stanley
Kris Brown
Steve McKinney
Efraam Salaam
Jameel Cook
Mark Bruener
Kevin Walter

[kcwilson]

This off season ought to be our highest Priority. Previous off-seasons should not be on the priority list, and all future offseason should be of lesser priority than this season sequentially year after year.

[humbleone]

Originally Posted by xtruroyaltyx

Just for fun:


How you would handle this off-season if you were a member of the Texans F.O ?

From Free agents, to cuts, to the draft ?

I'll start...


Free Agents: I'm not going to name specific players, but If I were the Texans I would try to get a Good Veteran DB...whether it be Safety or Corner....We don't have a veteran leader in the secondary, and that is hurting us....Next I'd have to go LB....I think this is another area where we are missing a strong veteran presence....IMO, one of our OLB's has to go....collectively they aren't doing enough....

The draft: TRADE BACK....The first position I'd be looking to fill would be DB...Depending on whether I had gotten a Safety or Corner in free agency.... I would trade back and take the best CB or FS that falls to me...following rds. RB,OL,OL,DB,DL,K or P....


Cuts: Without any cap info, and strictly going off of "dead weight"....I would start by cutting both Kris Brown, and Chad Stanley....Next I would want to cut one or two of the Older OL guys....Bruener....and maybe an OLB....



Really the point of this isn't to name specific players but rather to prioritize what "must" be done this off-season in order for us to be competitive in '07....

I like your FA ideas (CB and LB) and suggested the same thing (including some names btw) in a post yesterday. I also agree with your cut ideas.

I don't like the draft moves however. I hope we stay where we will be and take either the #1 rated OT or if he is not there then the #1RB. If both are gone or the RB I am referring to does not grade out that high during combine, workouts etc... then we take the #1 rated FS in the draft. Once again, happy to spit out the names that go with this but I am trying to stay within the context of the "position" discussion vs the "players" themselves that you suggested.

Go Texans!

[DatTexBoy]

I will go with secondary and interior line on both sides and then running back

[Bearfan Blue and Orange]

Originally Posted by Goldeagle

Free Agents:

(I dont see us signing all of these guys, but eh)

Steinbach (guard): from Cinncy (solid and durable)
Clements (CB): He made AJ look like Bradford, I was IMPRESSED
Dockery: (guard) From Washington (and from Texas)
L. Briggs: (OLB) from Da Bears (gives us a legit OLB to help Demeco)
Pashos: (OT) from Baltimore (big guy, adds depth)
Brown: (RB) from Tennesse (fast runner fit in well with Zone Blocking)
Grant: (S) From Jacksonville (not a bad player a bonus for us)

DRAFT:


1st round: If Joe Thomas, AP, or Calvin Johnson are not on the board trade down (I'll say we get a 3rd round this year)
OT: sam baker if he comes out early from USC

2nd round:
S: eric Weddle from Utah

3rd round:
DT: Justin Harrell from Tennesse
QB: Kevin Kolb from UH

4th Round to 7th Round
Best player available (fullback, Kicker, Punter, DT, O-line, and so on)


Cuts:

Chad Stanley
Kris Brown
Steve McKinney
Efraam Salaam
Jameel Cook
Mark Bruener
Kevin Walter

And why in the world do you cut Kevin Walter???

That is just plain DUMB. If he sucked this year and dropped everything, didn't run routes correctly, etc then I would agree (MAYBE), but he has been solid whenever called upon. He was brought here to be a WR and when in the game he moved the chains, but moreso he is a TEAMPLAYER and also was great on Special Teams as well. Many WRs would have been complaining about not getting the ball or complaining I am a WR not a Special Teams player. But you hear nothing of this from Kevin Walter, only consistent hard work and hard play and tyring to do anything necessary to win when "ON THE FIELD"

You cannot blame the guy if the offense was turned around and not use 3 WR sets and having to keep extra players in there to protect Carr.

Oh ya, he won't be cut.

[Wharton]

Since we wasted a year evaluating Carr, which should have been done before we signed him to a massive extension, we are still 3-4 years away from competing with the best in the AFC.

Free Agents: Don't waste your money or your cap. Build through the draft.

Trades: Trade anyone you can to get picks. AJ is the most likely candidate with only one year left on his contract.

Draft: Trade down for more picks. Defensive back or o-line first, a QB in the second or third.

[Big J]

Originally Posted by Goldeagle

Free Agents:

(I dont see us signing all of these guys, but eh)

Steinbach (guard): from Cinncy (solid and durable)
Clements (CB): He made AJ look like Bradford, I was IMPRESSED
Dockery: (guard) From Washington (and from Texas)
L. Briggs: (OLB) from Da Bears (gives us a legit OLB to help Demeco)
Pashos: (OT) from Baltimore (big guy, adds depth)
Brown: (RB) from Tennesse (fast runner fit in well with Zone Blocking)
Grant: (S) From Jacksonville (not a bad player a bonus for us)

DRAFT:


1st round: If Joe Thomas, AP, or Calvin Johnson are not on the board trade down (I'll say we get a 3rd round this year)
OT: sam baker if he comes out early from USC

2nd round:
S: eric Weddle from Utah

3rd round:
DT: Justin Harrell from Tennesse
QB: Kevin Kolb from UH

4th Round to 7th Round
Best player available (fullback, Kicker, Punter, DT, O-line, and so on)


Cuts:

Chad Stanley
Kris Brown
Steve McKinney
Efraam Salaam
Jameel Cook
Mark Bruener
Kevin Walter

Sam Baker already said he is staying at college as is the quarterback. The more and more I look at our season the more I want Joe Thomas. If he isnt available I would draft the best safety. Both Glaring needs.

[Goldeagle]

Originally Posted by Big J

Sam Baker already said he is staying at college as is the quarterback. The more and more I look at our season the more I want Joe Thomas. If he isnt available I would draft the best safety. Both Glaring needs.

I was not sure on Baker, if not him then Levi would be decent.


And for the guy who did not like me cutting Kevin Walter, I just do not think he has perfomed well as a 3rd WR and cost to much for a 3rd WR (though I admit I have no clue what he costs compared to Mathis and the other white guy who caught the ball and ran like a madman in the N.E. game).

[Texan_Bill]

DEFENSE!

We have a couple of guys that can anchor this defense, they just need some serious help in the secondary, an OLB and some more depth at D-line. They are further along than the O is and with another strong draft and a FA or two, they could be a pretty good unit - fast.

[Insideop]

Originally Posted by Big J

Sam Baker already said he is staying at college as is the quarterback. The more and more I look at our season the more I want Joe Thomas. If he isnt available I would draft the best safety. Both Glaring needs.

Unfortunately, I heard the same thing (sorry, don't know the source) about Baker. That could be a problem because the more I look at it the more I think Joe Thomas will be long gone by the time the Texans pick, and I don't think the rest of the LT's coming out would be worth the pick, whatever position we pick in the 1st round. So, I have to agree with you, if we can't get Thomas maybe we need to pick a DB in the 1st and get the line help in the 2nd. JMHO!

[hot pickle]

Originally Posted by slamdunc

1. Send a blank check to Lance Briggs
2. Michael Lewis in FA

Too early for me to spec on draft or cuts - Will Spencer make it back? If so, would love to see a LT picked up somehow and move Spencer to right tackle

haha i like that idea