How I would approach FA and Draft

[GTFan]

Barring any trade down, I used to be a DE fan with us taking Jamaal Anderson or Gaines Adams at #8, but I think I'm now officially on the AP bandwagon. The reason: say either of the above DEs have a monster season and get 10-11 sacks in the NFL. Compare that to our own DE: Babin got us 5 sacks last year; Peek an underachieving 1 sack and I believe Kalu 2 sacks. So, a 1st round DE may only get us say 3-4 more sacks than we're already getting from our lousy DE by committee. AP's impact would certainly be more than the equivalent of 3-4 sacks compared to the likes of Ron Dayne.

So, I would go:

1st Round: AP if available
2nd Round: DB Hughes/Cal or Houston/Ark
3rd Round: FS Merriweather (this could be a stretch but I read some posters saying he might fall to the 4th round)

In FA: I would try to sign Cory Redding and Adalius Thomas. There's another thread in the Texans forum on salary cap, but I do believe we could sign both these players as well as all our draft picks and our own team's paultry FAs such as the all world Ron Dayne, Glenn Earl and Ephrem Salaam.

This would give us:

Defense

DL Babin/Kalu Weaver/T Johnson Redding/Maddux Williams
LB Greenwood Ryans Thomas
CB Houston or Hughes Robinson
S Earl/Brown Merriweather

Offense

OL Spencer Pitts Flanagan/McKinney Weary Winston
WR Johnson Walters Moulds
QB Carr
FB Leach
RB Petersen Dayne Taylor/Lundy

In a word, that defense would be STOUT. I mean, on running downs, imagine: Williams Maddux Redding Weaver (that would be sick). There wouldnt be a single weakness: safety, dbs, lbs, DT would all be strengths. The only remaining weak link would be Babin at DE and I believe he could become a strength if the coaches let him be a 3 down DE.

On offense, AP could dominate a game more than Bush and more than any 1st round FS ever could. The weak link would of course be the OL. 2008 is the draft for OL and we could get a franchise OLT 1st round, followed by say a sleeper DE in the 2nd round if Babin doesn't pan out, along with a 3rd round C, and dare I say, I believe the Texans are PLAYOFF BOUND in '08. Thoughts?

[threetoedpete]

And what do you do there Rick Smith if Spencer's cartlidge doesn't begin to heal proprely at the start of summer camp ? See what I'm saying. Flip that one domino and they all start to fall don't they ? Who is you back up OLT on the '07 sqaud ? IMHO, Winston can not play there.

Agreed on your free agents. And is the reason why I'm not banging for a second teired QB in the second. If they don't take one in FA because they are priced out of the market because of previous poor personel moves, they gotta hit one in the draft. All three of your DB canidates are likely to be off the board by the 39th pick. See beerlover's latest mock. Merriweather proved this week he is more than just a safty. That makes his value like gold in the NFL.

[edo783]

Try this on for size.

In FA get - Hamlin @ FA and Thomas @ OLB then draft and if possible Stienbeck at OG (should be able to afford the first two, not sure we can swing the OG)

1-Brown - LT or Thomas if by chance he falls
2- Kallil - OC
3- Merriweather - CB/S

The fly in this ointment is that it really doesn't match up with the clubs stated goal of getting "Playmakers". However, in my mind, as feeble as it is, these guys allow our current playmakers to actually be that...playmakers.

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by GTFan

So, I would go:

1st Round: AP if available
2nd Round: DB Hughes/Cal or Houston/Ark
3rd Round: FS Merriweather (this could be a stretch but I read some posters saying he might fall to the 4th round)
Thoughts?

AP if available would be fine with me unless we have a chance @ one of the elite LT's. this draft is not deep @ the top but for system backs I have confidence Smith/Kubiak can find some good values 3rd/4th even the 5th rd.

Both CB's should be gone 1st rd. thats a reason to target FA Nate Clements.

3rd rd. is a stretch for Meriweather'

DE class is a deep one will find good value in 2nd rd.

[K.D.]

Meriwether will not last to 3rd rnd. This guy stock is on the rise since the senior bowl. He definately will be picked in 2nd rnd. AP will not last til #8 pick, he will be gone and so will J. Thomas. This is why i'm hoping that we trade down & get good value & also recieve an extra pick.

[TexanAddict]

Originally Posted by edo783

Try this on for size.

In FA get - Hamlin @ FA and Thomas @ OLB then draft and if possible Stienbeck at OG (should be able to afford the first two, not sure we can swing the OG)

1-Brown - LT or Thomas if by chance he falls
2- Kallil - OC
3- Merriweather - CB/S

The fly in this ointment is that it really doesn't match up with the clubs stated goal of getting "Playmakers". However, in my mind, as feeble as it is, these guys allow our current playmakers to actually be that...playmakers.

I would be happy with this scenario, except I would still take AP if he is there at 8, and I also don't believe Meriweather will last until the 3rd after his showing at the senior bowl. I'm going to cross my fingers for Spencer and hope the FO can get us some depth on the OL, but next years draft will be deep at OT so I don't want to reach in this draft. If we could get Kalil that would help the interior of our line.

[Toro]

1- HB Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma)
2- OT Joe Staley (Central Michigan)
3- QB Trent Edwards (Stanford
4 - WR Johnnie Lee Higgins (UTEP)
5 - OG Manuel Ramirez (Texas Tech)
6- S Michael Johnson (Arizona)
7- DT Jay Alford (Penn State)

Free Agency

Ken Hamlin (S, Seattle)
David Macklin (CB, Arizona)
Justin Smith (DE, Cincinnati)

Not quite the big splashes everyone was hoping for, but I tried to take realistic possibilities of re-signings by teams (I think Briggs re-signs with Chicago; Clemens with Buffalo Samuel with New England), while also taking Houston's salary cap in to question. Hamlin is a very underrated Safety who will immensely improve Houston's secondary and Smith will form a very dangerous DE duo with Mario. Macklin's very underrated, and will be a solid, cheap and under the radar pickup.

[Ole Miss Texan]

Originally Posted by Toro

1- HB Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma)
2- OT Joe Staley (Central Michigan)
3- QB Trent Edwards (Stanford
4 - WR Johnnie Lee Higgins (UTEP)
5 - OG Manuel Ramirez (Texas Tech)
6- S Michael Johnson (Arizona)
7- DT Jay Alford (Penn State)

Free Agency

Ken Hamlin (S, Seattle)
David Macklin (CB, Arizona)
Justin Smith (DE, Cincinnati)

Not quite the big splashes everyone was hoping for, but I tried to take realistic possibilities of re-signings by teams (I think Briggs re-signs with Chicago; Clemens with Buffalo Samuel with New England), while also taking Houston's salary cap in to question. Hamlin is a very underrated Safety who will immensely improve Houston's secondary and Smith will form a very dangerous DE duo with Mario. Macklin's very underrated, and will be a solid, cheap and under the radar pickup.

Won't hear a peep out of me if AP is selected. Dare I say that I think we are worse off at C than LT?! I think we should go with Ryan Kalil best C in the draft in the 2nd....i also like michael johnson but he may go more towards the 4th. i've been trying to look at him cuz he could be a good selection but why if we get hamlin and macklin in free agency?

I also don't really want to see us pick a quarterback unless kubiak guarantees he's going to be incredible. dare i say i think we have bigger needs for starters than at QB..!!! don't shoot.

[Toro]

Originally Posted by Ole Miss Texan

Won't hear a peep out of me if AP is selected. Dare I say that I think we are worse off at C than LT?! I think we should go with Ryan Kalil best C in the draft in the 2nd....

I wouldn't mind Kalil in the least. However, with Charles Spencer's future in doubt, I think the LT position needs to be addressed at some point in the draft.

I also like michael johnson but he may go more towards the 4th. i've been trying to look at him cuz he could be a good selection but why if we get hamlin and macklin in free agency?

Worst case scenario-- Johnson develops right away, Macklin shifts to the nickleback position and they've got a very solid secondary with depth.

I also don't really want to see us pick a quarterback unless kubiak guarantees he's going to be incredible. dare i say i think we have bigger needs for starters than at QB..!!! don't shoot.

Hey, I'm the last person to shoot anyone for having an opinion. I think that, although Carr hasn't been nearly as inadequate as some have made him out to be, his days here in Houston are likely numbered.

As for Edwards, I actually think he's going to be one of those under-the-radar QBs who makes someone a happy camper for picking him.

[Meloy]

Originally Posted by threetoedpete

And what do you do there Rick Smith if Spencer's cartlidge doesn't begin to heal proprely at the start of summer camp ? See what I'm saying. Flip that one domino and they all start to fall don't they ? Who is you back up OLT on the '07 sqaud ? IMHO, Winston can not play there.

Agreed on your free agents. And is the reason why I'm not banging for a second teired QB in the second. If they don't take one in FA because they are priced out of the market because of previous poor personel moves, they gotta hit one in the draft. All three of your DB canidates are likely to be off the board by the 39th pick. See beerlover's latest mock. Merriweather proved this week he is more than just a safty. That makes his value like gold in the NFL.

Think you can convince Kubes to take a safety in first or second? I don't. When he thought PBuch was the answer opposite DR he said the young guys (CC & Glenn) would do fine. So I see Houston going strong for a quality corner in F/A. This solidifies the defense in so many ways, I think it should be the #1 concern over all. If the linebackers do not have to worry as much about pass coverage, they can attack the oline on blitz and also shut down the run even more.

[Meloy]

Originally Posted by K.D.

Meriwether will not last to 3rd rnd. This guy stock is on the rise since the senior bowl. He definately will be picked in 2nd rnd. AP will not last til #8 pick, he will be gone and so will J. Thomas. This is why i'm hoping that we trade down & get good value & also recieve an extra pick.

It has been shown that it is quite possible that AP will fall to 8th especially if Jamarcus & Quinn are taken in first five selections.