Rivals.com:Texan needs

[Wolf]

Houston Texans (8-8 in 2007)
Head Coach: Gary Kubiak (Third Year)
Key needs: 1. Running back 2. Cornerback 3. Defensive end
1. Running back: The Texans will look to add a top feature back and draft into the deep running back class. They should have a chance at one of the top three RBs at pick No. 18.
2. Cornerback: Their emerging defense needs to add another top cover man. Houston will explore the free agent market and the draft to add a blue-chip player.
3. Defensive end: The front four could be one of the best in the game with a pass rusher opposite Mario Williams. The Texans will consider one fairly early in the draft.

http://nfldraft.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=774631

not sure about number 3.. and going early in draft.. unless we plan on something to do with Weaver

[WesmanTexanfan]

Originally Posted by Wolf

http://nfldraft.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=774631

not sure about number 3.. and going early in draft.. unless we plan on something to do with Weaver

Rivals needs to stick to highschool to college moves.....

edit(no way our BIG #1 need is RB)

[bah007]

Originally Posted by WesmanTexanfan

no way our BIG #1 need is RB

Agreed. Has to be DB, IMO.

[kiwitexansfan]

CB and DE are priorities in my mind if we want an identity as a defensive team.

BPA of those two positions is my preference, maybe a RB in the 3rd though because we don't have a premier back.

[Texans_Chick]

Originally Posted by Wolf

http://nfldraft.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=774631

not sure about number 3.. and going early in draft.. unless we plan on something to do with Weaver

Given his production and injuries, on the other side of Mario he has function like this:



His struggles weren't as obvious to outsiders as much as Ahman Green's, but other than mentoring, he has been mostly a disappointment.

Personally, I think it is difficult to limit your list of key needs to just three.

These are things that would be lovely to have not necessarily in this order:

1. Cornerback
2. Free safety
3. Outsider linebacker
4. Defensive end
5. Space-eating DT
6. Running back
7. Left tackle
8. Functioning center
9. Right guard
10. Real #2 wide receiver. (not just try hard guys)

Lots of opportunities for best player available.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

Given his production and injuries, on the other side of Mario he has function like this:



His struggles weren't as obvious to outsiders as much as Ahman Green's, but other than mentoring, he has been mostly a disappointment.

Personally, I think it is difficult to limit your list of key needs to just three.

These are things that would be lovely to have not necessarily in this order:

1. Cornerback
2. Free safety
3. Outsider linebacker
4. Defensive end
5. Space-eating DT
6. Running back
7. Left tackle
8. Functioning center
9. Right guard
10. Real #2 wide receiver. (not just try hard guys)

Lots of opportunities for best player available.

It seems as if you are not satisfied with Walter as #2? I was against him until this past season and he won me over. Please amplify your thoughts in this area.

[threetoedpete]

Originally Posted by badboy

It seems as if you are not satisfied with Walter as #2? I was against him until this past season and he won me over. Please amplify your thoughts in this area.

Well either we waisted the FA money on Walter or we didn't. I thought two through 6 proved themselves admirably while A.J. was down. Will agree with the corner wish.

FS, I dunno about that one. They have a system, a type of player they want and I believe they believe he is already on the roster.

I believe there is enough tallent on the board they will endulge themselves on a RB & WR on the second day.There is enough WR tallent they can have any type they want. Any round, all draft long.

[Texans_Chick]

Originally Posted by badboy

It seems as if you are not satisfied with Walter as #2? I was against him until this past season and he won me over. Please amplify your thoughts in this area.

I'm not really against him. The backup receivers did a nice job of not looking absolutely horrible when Andre Johnson went out.

He's a possession receiver. He caught a lot of balls in AJ's absence. Not necessarily for huge plays, but he's moving the chains.

But the way I look at a lot of this need stuff is like this: How many teams in the league would trade their #2 receiver for yours straight up?

Trade their #2 for Walters, Jones or Davis?

Number 2 WR is not a total and complete cluster like the secondary is or near the bottom of the league pass rush, it sure would be nice to have a bookend to AJ like fans are hoping that Williams gets a complementary player on the other side of the line.

The other concern is that the knee that kept AJ out in 2007 is the same area of the knee that kept him out for a part of 2005. It's not a surgical fix, just something he has to strengthen. Nobody trains harder than AJ as it is, so we just have to hope that this doesn't happen again.

Two years, same knee. Having a strong, non-developmental #2 would be a good thing to have given those circumstances, but given the other needs, probably isn't going to happen.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

I'm not really against him. The backup receivers did a nice job of not looking absolutely horrible when Andre Johnson went out.

He's a possession receiver. He caught a lot of balls in AJ's absence. Not necessarily for huge plays, but he's moving the chains.

But the way I look at a lot of this need stuff is like this: How many teams in the league would trade their #2 receiver for yours straight up?

Trade their #2 for Walters, Jones or Davis?

Number 2 WR is not a total and complete cluster like the secondary is or near the bottom of the league pass rush, it sure would be nice to have a bookend to AJ like fans are hoping that Williams gets a complementary player on the other side of the line.

The other concern is that the knee that kept AJ out in 2007 is the same area of the knee that kept him out for a part of 2005. It's not a surgical fix, just something he has to strengthen. Nobody trains harder than AJ as it is, so we just have to hope that this doesn't happen again.

Two years, same knee. Having a strong, non-developmental #2 would be a good thing to have given those circumstances, but given the other needs, probably isn't going to happen.

Do you think we are at the place in time that we can say what team will trade any positional player for ours? What Mario and Demeco and AJ and.......?

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by badboy

Do you think we are at the place in time that we can say what team will trade any positional player for ours? What Mario and Demeco and AJ and.......?

You don't see many player for player trades in this league due to cap acceleration penalties. I think our WR corp is totally upgradeable also. I think they are ok if JJ plays well next year and AD comes back, but that's the high end - OK.

[Texans_Chick]

Originally Posted by Vinny

You don't see many player for player trades in this league due to cap acceleration penalties. I think our WR corp is totally upgradeable also. I think they are ok if JJ plays well next year and AD comes back, but that's the high end - OK.

Yeah, I'm not saying anyone would actually do straight up trades.

I'm just doing asking that question as a thought experiment. What quarter of the league are your positional players relative to other teams?

Top quarter, second quarter, third quarter, bottom?

The Texans starters are not top half at a lot of positions. Much less their backups. Kubiak has done a nice job of getting everyone to try to play together as a team, but if you look to where our starters are old or injured or just not that good, you have a bunch of starters that you would love to upgrade.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

Yeah, I'm not saying anyone would actually do straight up trades.

I'm just doing asking that question as a thought experiment. What quarter of the league are your positional players relative to other teams?

Top quarter, second quarter, third quarter, bottom?

The Texans starters are not top half at a lot of positions. Much less their backups. Kubiak has done a nice job of getting everyone to try to play together as a team, but if you look to where our starters are old or injured or just not that good, you have a bunch of starters that you would love to upgrade.

agreed...remember me telling you were were two years away last season? We have gotten from a team with a bad roster to a team with a mediocre roster. We still have another two drafts to go before we will be able to fill most all of our holes.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

Number 2 WR is not a total and complete cluster like the secondary is or near the bottom of the league pass rush, it sure would be nice to have a bookend to AJ like fans are hoping that Williams gets a complementary player on the other side of the line.

But, how many teams really have that great #2? 5 or 6? And I can think of a few teams (Cincy, Arizona, Detroit) where having 2 top WRs didn't really provide much impact in the win column, last season. Having a great compliment to AJ would be the icing on the cake. Right now, that Texans cake hasn't made it into the oven.

And who knows if the Texans don't have that special #2 WR in house? Jacoby Jones has shown flashes. Really, the #2 receiver on the Texans is Owen Daniels. He's the only guy whose numbers don't drop considerably with Johnson on the field.

[bah007]

Originally Posted by Lucky

But, how many teams really have that great #2? 5 or 6? And I can think of a few teams (Cincy, Arizona, Detroit) where having 2 top WRs didn't really provide much impact in the win column, last season. Having a great compliment to AJ would be the icing on the cake. Right now, that Texans cake hasn't made it into the oven.

And who knows if the Texans don't have that special #2 WR in house? Jacoby Jones has shown flashes. Really, the #2 receiver on the Texans is Owen Daniels. He's the only guy whose numbers don't drop considerably with Johnson on the field.

Correct. Your TE CAN be your #1 or #2 WR.

Just ask Dallas & Jason Witten or San Diego & Gates.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by Vinny

agreed...remember me telling you were were two years away last season? We have gotten from a team with a bad roster to a team with a mediocre roster. We still have another two drafts to go before we will be able to fill most all of our holes.

Vinny don't tell the masses the truth they are not ready for the truth. They think we are going to the playoffs.

[threetoedpete]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

I'm not really against him. The backup receivers did a nice job of not looking absolutely horrible when Andre Johnson went out.

He's a possession receiver. He caught a lot of balls in AJ's absence. Not necessarily for huge plays, but he's moving the chains.

But the way I look at a lot of this need stuff is like this: How many teams in the league would trade their #2 receiver for yours straight up?

Trade their #2 for Walters, Jones or Davis?

Number 2 WR is not a total and complete cluster like the secondary is or near the bottom of the league pass rush, it sure would be nice to have a bookend to AJ like fans are hoping that Williams gets a complementary player on the other side of the line.

The other concern is that the knee that kept AJ out in 2007 is the same area of the knee that kept him out for a part of 2005. It's not a surgical fix, just something he has to strengthen. Nobody trains harder than AJ as it is, so we just have to hope that this doesn't happen again.

Two years, same knee. Having a strong, non-developmental #2 would be a good thing to have given those circumstances, but given the other needs, probably isn't going to happen.

Well, they have he to decide are they going to use the guy to move the chains or are they going to use A.J. as the TD rain maker. The reason they send him on the digs is to soften up the safties and open up the running game. Now if we had a more tallented line, they wouldn't need to do that. If they continue to send A.J. into the safties, then there is an increased risk of injuries. Football 101.

There's a couple of hundred recievers on the board this year. They may invite some free agents to compete this summer. What they are not going to do is get into cap hell by paying two guys #1 money. I think that should be very obvious at this point in their history. So either you continue to groom Walter, or you go after a resonably priced FA or a low draft pick. Same deal as with J.J....they could get Donnie Avery in the fourth or fifth round....but he will suck targets away from the TEs, J.J. and Davis. So do you take the smurf with all world speed or do you keep tracking to give your young guys the targets they need to become elite players?

I mean you tell me TC every time I post improving the o-line with upgraded tallent and a high pick I get blasted. But all of these things are intertwined. Sending A.J. on the digs to keep the chains moving... rushing game dissapearing at the critical jucture in a game....A.J. being exposed to injuries.

They are all symbiotic relationships. Can't run the GD ball they must send A.J. on the digs. Kubes has no choice if he wants to win the games.

[The1ApplePie]

Originally Posted by WesmanTexanfan

Rivals needs to stick to highschool to college moves.....

edit(no way our BIG #1 need is RB)

The Texans have no running back, so I'd say its the biggest need.

[threetoedpete]

Originally Posted by The1ApplePie

The Texans have no Elite running back, so I'd say its the biggest need.

there I fixed it for ya big guy.

[Ole Miss Texan]

Originally Posted by The1ApplePie

The Texans have no ELITE running back, so I'd say its ONE OF OUR BIG needs.

I'll help too!