With the delayed F/A period, do the Texans have to be more aggressive in the draft?

[Rey]

With free agency likely coming closer to the start of the season I think the Texans need to be aggressive in this draft. I think they need to make sure they get an impact player. Preferably one that plays a position of need...Preferably a player that plays probably the easiest position to play and have lots of success as a rookie? Preferably a guy that presents a win win situation for almost all involved?

I'm talking about Von Miller.

OLB is a position of need for us. A potential impact player at that position could be huge for us and would help make our transition to the 3-4 that much easier. I think Bob McNair would like it because it would bring more viewers to the game. It would draw more interest from fans in Texas. He could grow his audience.

Maybe Prince drops to us at our pick (who would be good value there), but do we really want to rely on another rookie corner in a secondary that might get even younger? And that doesn't have anything to do with Prince's skills because if we stayed put and he fell that'd be good for us...I think we'd either be able to get a sweet trade down or just take him for ourselves.

I also think that the fans would become re-energized. I know I would. It'd be a bold move and those haven't really been frequent occurrences around here.

Of course Gary would be OK with the obvious connection. And I think we need a player on the edge with the skill set that he has.

Win win for everyone.


But what would you do??

Trade a player(s) or pick(s) to trade up for Von or one of the other top prospects (a DT maybe)? Or wait to see who falls and then make a decision?

[Rey]

Can a Mod please change "Does" to "With" in the thread title?

[beerlover]

Texans have multiple defensive needs to address. Without free agency before the draft it puts more premium on positions of need.

Once CBA is in place they can formulate game plan that makes best sense for them to address these needs. The more flexibility Texans have better off they'll be, opening up more potential players on wish list. Not to mention this draft is probably the last where players coming out still get big rookie contracts which adds prohibitive expense to salary cap equation.

[Rey]

Originally Posted by beerlover

Texans have multiple defensive needs to address. Without free agency before the draft it puts more premium on positions of need.

Once CBA is in place they can formulate game plan that makes best sense for them to address these needs. The more flexibility Texans have better off they'll be, opening up more potential players on wish list. Not to mention this draft is probably the last where players coming out still get big rookie contracts which adds prohibitive expense to salary cap equation.

Will not disagree with anything you are saying.

But without Free agency wouldn't the Texans need to do their best to find a player that has the most potential to significantly upgrade this defense?

If we stat at 11 it is probable that the best player available will be an offensive player. If we trade down into the twenties are we really getting a guy that we think is going to make an impact from day 1?

That's what we need. An impact player over there. A player that can make a significant impact to our level of play. We can use free agency (when it comes) to get guys that we are confident can step in and start from day 1.

Trading down for a 20 something pick and selecting a D-lineman just doesn't appeal to me. Drafting a bunch 2nd and 3rd rounders and giving them significant/starting roles appeals to me less and less.

Even if trading back landed a Vince Wilfork, I'd rather trade up for a Clay Matthews...Just my preference...

[Wolf6151]

I like the idea of the Texans trading up and getting an impact player but I doubt Bob McNair does. Players in the top 10 are much more expensive to sign and I doubt Bob wants to shell out the money.

More than anything I think it really doesn't matter if we trade up or down so long as we get our picks right by evaluating the talent properly. No more reaches for 3rd round small school CB's who never make it to the field when you have obvious holes on the O-line, 2nd round DE's who only see the field about 10% of the time, when healthy, especially after we just signed our biggest FA at the DE. No more picking 6th and 7th string TE's to sit on the practice squad or bench when we lack starter level players elsewhere. No more stupid picks, no more wasting picks. I think it's most important that we get good quality players regardless of what round we pick them in and be aggressive with the trades. Use those 5th, 6th, and 7th round picks to trade up in the 2nd or 3rd rounds if there's a player they really like. We need 3-4 quality players, not 7-8 mediocre ones.

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by Rey

Will not disagree with anything you are saying.

But without Free agency wouldn't the Texans need to do their best to find a player that has the most potential to significantly upgrade this defense?

If we stat at 11 it is probable that the best player available will be an offensive player. If we trade down into the twenties are we really getting a guy that we think is going to make an impact from day 1?

That's what we need. An impact player over there. A player that can make a significant impact to our level of play. We can use free agency (when it comes) to get guys that we are confident can step in and start from day 1.

Trading down for a 20 something pick and selecting a D-lineman just doesn't appeal to me. Drafting a bunch 2nd and 3rd rounders and giving them significant/starting roles appeals to me less and less.

Even if trading back landed a Vince Wilfork, I'd rather trade up for a Clay Matthews...Just my preference...

Clay Matthews was drafted #26

so he qualifies as a 20 something pick doesn't he?

yet you would rather trade up to get him?

[m5kwatts]

Stay put and take the best player available. There is enough talent on the defensive side of the ball in this draft. We'll get a good one at #11. Don't drain an asset if you don't have to.

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by m5kwatts

Stay put and take the best player available. There is enough talent on the defensive side of the ball in this draft. We'll get a good one at #11. Don't drain an asset if you don't have to.

The only player I would trade up for would be Peterson.

Also taking BPA at #11 and trading back into the bottom of the 1st rd. If there's sombody that Gary and Rick like should also be an option.

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

The only player I would trade up for would be Peterson.

Also taking BPA at #11 and trading back into the bottom of the 1st rd. If there's sombody that Gary and Rick like should also be an option.

Without a collective bargaining agreement in place, I don't see teams being eager to jump into the top 5 or 6 picks of the draft. There's no way to know the financial ramifications of it. Also, without knowing what will constitute a free agent or what the dynamics of the new agreement are going to be, it makes a lot more sense to be conservative.

Though unlikely, there is even the possibility of the union decertifying and making every player in the league a free agent.

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

Without a collective bargaining agreement in place, I don't see teams being eager to jump into the top 5 or 6 picks of the draft. There's no way to know the financial ramifications of it. Also, without knowing what will constitute a free agent or what the dynamics of the new agreement are going to be, it makes a lot more sense to be conservative

Good point

But as bad as the defense was last yr they need to add aleast 3/4 starters in the draft and FA.

Since nobody knows when/if there will be a FA period. I could see taking Amakamura at 11 and then trading up to 25 and taking somebody like J.Houston.

Bottom line is the Texans are behind the 8 ball this offseason and have to take some chances. Although I could see what you said above as one of the many excuses they would use for not being agressive.

Another yr another round of excuses seems to be the motto of BoB,Gary and Rick.

[Wolf6151]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

Since nobody knows when/if there will be a FA period. I could see taking Amakamura at 11 and then trading up to 25 and taking somebody like J.Houston.

I love that idea. Steelbtexan for GM? We need quality not quantity of players so use those late round picks as fuel to move up in the 2nd and 3rd and get the good players. Maybe even trade some of our current roster fodder for some extra 4th or 5th round picks.

[Rey]

Originally Posted by beerlover

Clay Matthews was drafted #26

so he qualifies as a 20 something pick doesn't he?

yet you would rather trade up to get him?

You really missed the point of what I said didn't you...

I'm talking about talent level between Von Miller and any DT we could pick in the twenty range.

Arian Foster was undrafted so I guess it's OK for us to just pick up those guys and expect them to come in and start.

[Rey]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

Without a collective bargaining agreement in place, I don't see teams being eager to jump into the top 5 or 6 picks of the draft. There's no way to know the financial ramifications of it. Also, without knowing what will constitute a free agent or what the dynamics of the new agreement are going to be, it makes a lot more sense to be conservative.

Though unlikely, there is even the possibility of the union decertifying and making every player in the league a free agent.

I thought that the draft and rookie contracts this year would fall under the previous rules.

I thought it was next years draft that would be affected.

[drs23]

Originally Posted by Wolf6151

I love that idea. Steelbtexan for GM? We need quality not quantity of players so use those late round picks as fuel to move up in the 2nd and 3rd and get the good players. Maybe even trade some of our current roster fodder for some extra 4th or 5th round picks.

Can't happen before a new CBA is reached.

[Rey]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

Also taking BPA at #11 and trading back into the bottom of the 1st rd. If there's sombody that Gary and Rick like should also be an option.

I'm starting to see a scenario where we don't significantly upgrade the talent on defense.

I really don't think that adding average talent is going to make this a good defense next year...We need to add at least one guy that can be an impact player.

I really don't care where that player comes from (draft or FA). It's just that with free agency being delayed I wouldn't want to put all my eggs in that basket.

Our defense has some tremendous holes. We have players that are coming off major injury that will likely take a while to get back into form. We have key players that have underperformed. We are switching to a brand new defense. Our starters at SS and FS last year are currently not on the team. Our starting corners aren't all that and we don't have quality depth there.

Even with all those holes and question marks I don't think trading up to get a potential impact player will preclude us from getting good players later in the draft and in FA that can be role players.


We need play makers something serious.

[ArlingtonTexan]

A team can't make up its mind to be more aggressive in the draft, before the draft occurs. A team needs to have multiple plans of action based on what ACTUALLY happens versus what people SPECULATE will happen. In late April, the best move maybe to stay where you are or trade down versus being aggressive. IMO, the best team are able to analyze the ovaral situation, not just in the first round and figure out the course of action while the draft is occuring.

That said, if the CBA isn't resolved before the draft with some version of FA, I think teams will draft more for need and that draft picks will be worth more..i.e. trading up will cost the aggressive team more meaning that they better darn sure of who they are trading to get.

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by Rey

You really missed the point of what I said didn't you...

I'm talking about talent level between Von Miller and any DT we could pick in the twenty range.

Arian Foster was undrafted so I guess it's OK for us to just pick up those guys and expect them to come in and start.

yeah I get it since Texans have such poor talent record in evaluation skills department, they need to trade up so they don't miss an impact player.

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by beerlover

yeah I get it since Texans have such poor talent record in evaluation skills department, they need to trade up so they don't miss an impact player.

Yep

It increases your odds of getting an impact player and decreases the % of bust factor. Rick and Gary are such poor drafters. So anything that lowers bust potential would be a good thing.

[IDEXAN]

So far, Kubiak seems to be set on the notion that one of the players on the current roster might be suited for the nose.

"If you look at our football (team) now, we have Earl Mitchell, who's a young guy who played well for us last year," Kubiak said. "And Shaun Cody - we think they both give us an excellent chance to play well at the nose position. We'll be a little small there as we get started."
&&
So with the first draft selection likely to be used to improve the Texans defense, you might think nose tackle would be important enough to address with the pick. Or perhaps the need at the nose tackle position will be the most emphasized during free agency. Nope. Kubiak says otherwise.

"We know where our holes are as we get started with our defensive football team," Kubiak said. "It starts with our corner and our outside linebacker. We've got to fix those things." http://blogs.chron.com/fanzone/2011/...ds_at_olb.html
&&
For people who are almost always very reticent, this is really a surprising statement by Kubiak in terms of how specific he is in stating the Texans needs/top priorities with the transition to their new 3-4 under Wade.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

Yep

It increases your odds of getting an impact player and decreases the % of bust factor. Rick and Gary are such poor drafters. So anything that lowers bust potential would be a good thing.

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

So far, Kubiak seems to be set on the notion that one of the players on the current roster might be suited for the nose.

"If you look at our football (team) now, we have Earl Mitchell, who's a young guy who played well for us last year," Kubiak said. "And Shaun Cody - we think they both give us an excellent chance to play well at the nose position. We'll be a little small there as we get started."
&&
So with the first draft selection likely to be used to improve the Texans defense, you might think nose tackle would be important enough to address with the pick. Or perhaps the need at the nose tackle position will be the most emphasized during free agency. Nope. Kubiak says otherwise.

"We know where our holes are as we get started with our defensive football team," Kubiak said. "It starts with our corner and our outside linebacker. We've got to fix those things." http://blogs.chron.com/fanzone/2011/...ds_at_olb.html
&&
For people who are almost always very reticent, this is really a surprising statement by Kubiak in terms of how specific he is in stating the Texans needs/top priorities with the transition to their new 3-4 under Wade.

The problem as I see it is that even if the poor scouting skills with the accompanying consequences we have endured over the years is corrected, we are still left with another variable with just as much of a concern.........one of evaluation of skills and realistic potential of those already on the team. If the latter problem........establishing true NEED...... can't be corrected, how do you end up with the proper players in the draft OR FA that will actually help you?

So far the Texans have had difficulties (especially on the D) in all THREE facets necessary to build a successful team.............1) evaluation of existing players and, therefore, team needs; 2) evaluation of the skills and field readiness and potential of draft candidates and FAs; and 3) effective development of all aforementioned players. ALL will have to change SIMULTANEOUSLY for this next season not to turn into much of the SOS.