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Rick Smith-Top 5 GM?

B

Big Lou

Hall of Fame
OK, so I already think Rick Smith is a great GM. Here is what needs to be done in the next year, and I would put him in the Top 5 in the NFL.

1. Resign Dunta to a fair yet Cap Friendly Contract.
2. Resign Demeco Ryans to a fair yet Cap Friendly Contract.
3. Resign Owen Daniels to a fair yet Cap Friendly Contract.
4. Have a 2009 draft equal to the 2006 Draft (Yes I know he wasn't here yet), or I'll settle for something just above the 2008 Draft.
5. Helps Kubiak find a strong DC.
6. Finds (Draft/Trade/FA) a playmaking Safety to replace the guys he's been picking up off the street that have played well all things considered.

Also if the following happens, it will add to his greatness:
1. If Deljuan Robinson continues to play at the level he has been playing and ends up bieng one of the answers on the D-Line with bieng a first rounder. If he's not just a flash in the pan.


One last silly thing, but I'm just thinking during this posting that either Dunta, Demeco, or Deljuan need to be nick named the "DR." like Dr. Destruction, or Dr. Defense, since all thier initials are DR.
 
greatness isn't churning out .500 clubs...I'd wait a bit before crowning him with the genius title.
 
Vinny said:
greatness isn't churning out .500 clubs...I'd wait a bit before crowning him with the genius title.
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Agreed. There is no disputing that Smith has done a great job here. Others have and are doing the same thing. Look at what Miami and Atlanta have done in just one season.
 
I don't even know how authority and responsibility are split between Smith and Kubiak, to say nothing of the rest of the staff. That makes it tough for me to form an opinion.
 
He is a top 5 GM when it comes to the draft. However he is bottom dweller in FA aqusitions. He really needs to find at least one IMPACT player in FA this year.
 
mussop said:
He is a top 5 GM when it comes to the draft. However he is bottom dweller in FA aqusitions. He really needs to find at least one IMPACT player in FA this year.
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He was hamstrung on big FA acquisitions with dead money from Casserly/Capers. They had $13.9 mil in dead money this year. I'd say his non-high dollar FA signings have been pretty good.
 
infantrycak said:
He was hamstrung on big FA acquisitions with dead money from Casserly/Capers. They had $13.9 mil in dead money this year. I'd say his non-high dollar FA signings have been pretty good.
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Agreed. I'm diggin what SmithGM and Kubiak are doing. Building through the draft and signing FA's on the cheap. I like the FA's he's picked up each season. I was skeptical of the Reeves signing, but I think he's getting better. I just wish I had a remote that controlled his head so I can turn that sucker around when the ball's in mid-air.

Maybe he'll be more aggressive in FA with more dough, who knows? If not, I'm ok with it.
 
mussop said:
He is a top 5 GM when it comes to the draft. However he is bottom dweller in FA aqusitions. He really needs to find at least one IMPACT player in FA this year.
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The high-end free agent market is a bad deal for bad teams. It requires mucho guaranteed money to land the elite FA's, so the worry is whether the player is just going to pack it in once he gets the long money. What you want are the guys who have a competitive fire regardless of their financial position, but those guys usually gravitate towards good teams: that internal fire just won't freely decide to jump into someone else's rebuilding project.

So the guys that end up getting big deals with bad teams are more disposed towards mailing things in once it is time to play. So our lack of success in the high-end FA market is absolutely unsurprising (IMO). Until this past month, we've been thought of as just an expansion team struggling towards mediocrity.

Now, if we win these last two, we'll go into the offseason as a media darling. That's what happens to long-struggling teams who end a season on a winning streak. We'll probably be at or near the top of just about every "team on the rise" list. So we might start getting the more desirable kind of free agents: the ones who value winning more than money. Those are the types of free agents that can push a team over the top, but we have yet to be in a position to be in that market.
 
Vinny said:
greatness isn't churning out .500 clubs...I'd wait a bit before crowning him with the genius title.
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I feel the same way. I have to see how Amobi turns out, as well. That was a reach for a first round pick, IMO, simply because we need impact players and not project players. We don't have the depth to develop first round picks.
 
Double Barrel said:
I feel the same way. I have to see how Amobi turns out, as well. That was a reach for a first round pick, IMO, simply because we need impact players and not project players. We don't have the depth to develop first round picks.
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He may not have worked out as hoped so far, but I don't see the reach. Lot's of mock drafts had him going that high. In fact, the first one I pulled up had him going to us--Link
 
infantrycak said:
He may not have worked out as hoped so far, but I don't see the reach. Lot's of mock drafts had him going that high. In fact, the first one I pulled up had him going to us--Link
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Fair enough, but a lot of scouting reports indicated that he would take a couple of years to develop. This is the perspective that I'm coming from. We are a team that needs our no. 1 picks to step into their roles pretty quickly, and in year two, I'm not seeing anything that indicates Amobi is going to live up to being a no. 1 pick.

I'm not saying that he won't develop into a good player, and I'm certainly not suggesting the B-word. All I'm saying is that there are a few players that could have helped us the past two seasons that could have been picked instead of him. And in light of a GM discussion, this is one of the talent evaluations that the position requires.

I'm not giving Rick Smith a grade on this pick just yet, but he certainly did not earn an A with it at this point.

p.s looking at a lot of 2007 mock drafts, and he didn't even make the first round in many of them, FWIW
 
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Amobi will be 22 years old this coming June. Time to step up on a consistent basis from start to finish, no more passes.
 
Problem with the Amobi pick and our line, to me, it looks like we're using gap penetration tackles as stand up, point of attack tackles. The Giants Dt's aren't much more different in size then both starters we have, but the difference is how they are used. I think the defensive staff is doing Amobi and the other smaller DTs no favor in asking them to continue playing a role they aren't fit for.

Until we string together a few winnings season, a year round competent defensive staff, and make the playoffs I'm not giving Rick Smith a top 5 grade. Is he one of the best young GMs with a bright future on the scene. I think so.
 
Double Barrel said:
Fair enough, but a lot of scouting reports indicated that he would take a couple of years to develop. This is the perspective that I'm coming from. We are a team that needs our no. 1 picks to step into their roles pretty quickly
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I can definitely see the criticism that a building team should be looking for players to make quick contributions and leave the projects to already built teams.
 
infantrycak said:
He was hamstrung on big FA acquisitions with dead money from Casserly/Capers. They had $13.9 mil in dead money this year. I'd say his non-high dollar FA signings have been pretty good.
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I went overboard with the bottom dweller comment. I agree that he has had his hands tied with dead money from C & C days. And he has done a very good job of fixing that problem. And I agree that his non-high dollar Fa signings have been good. I guess my problem has been with the 2 high dollar FA's he has signed.

Ahman Green (Houston Texans, 2007) - Maybe the Texans should have paid attention when the Green Bay Packers made little effort to re-sign one of their top all-time rushers. But, they instead gave Green a 4-year, $23 million deal that included $8 million his first season. The running back, who had missed 14 games in his last three years with the Packers because of injury, missed all but 6 games in his first season with the Texans.

Houston Texans sign CB Jacques Reeves to a five-year, $20 million contract. In four seasons, all with the Dallas Cowboys, Reeves has started just 14 games, with 13 of those coming this season. He also has just one career interception, and was brought in to "compete" for a starting job. But $20 million seems like an awful lot of money to give to someone you aren't sure will start
 
Smith is a top 5 GM in my mind! :texflag:

As far as Amobi goes, in most draft circles it was thought Amobi would be gone by our pick and if not he would be a Texan. Based on his play the last 2 seasons, it looks as though he may have been picked too early. Thoughts and opinions about each draft/player/prospect will change as the years go by but AT THE TIME of the 2007 draft- Amobi was a top ten lock (per internet draftniks which are never wrong):).
 
mussop said:
I went overboard with the bottom dweller comment. I agree that he has had his hands tied with dead money from C & C days. And he has done a very good job of fixing that problem. And I agree that his non-high dollar Fa signings have been good. I guess my problem has been with the 2 high dollar FA's he has signed.

Ahman Green (Houston Texans, 2007) - Maybe the Texans should have paid attention when the Green Bay Packers made little effort to re-sign one of their top all-time rushers. But, they instead gave Green a 4-year, $23 million deal that included $8 million his first season. The running back, who had missed 14 games in his last three years with the Packers because of injury, missed all but 6 games in his first season with the Texans.

Houston Texans sign CB Jacques Reeves to a five-year, $20 million contract. In four seasons, all with the Dallas Cowboys, Reeves has started just 14 games, with 13 of those coming this season. He also has just one career interception, and was brought in to "compete" for a starting job. But $20 million seems like an awful lot of money to give to someone you aren't sure will start
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Duly noted on both contracts. But, off topic... could yall imagine this secondary if we DIDN'T have Jacques Reeves this year? I mean as much hate as I see thrown at him... he's been our best CB all season.
 
Rich Smith is a good GM but nowhere close to Top 5. Can we please have a winning season before we start acting like everything is fine in Texan land. I am VERY happy and optimistic about our future, but there is a LOT of work to do.

New DC for sure.
Gregg Williams would be fine with me. He has had success before. RS has had zilch
Complimentary Big RB for short yardage/goal line situations
One impact FA signing at least (DT, DE, or CB)
Good draft haul
 
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mussop said:
Houston Texans sign CB Jacques Reeves to a five-year, $20 million contract. In four seasons, all with the Dallas Cowboys, Reeves has started just 14 games, with 13 of those coming this season. He also has just one career interception, and was brought in to "compete" for a starting job. But $20 million seems like an awful lot of money to give to someone you aren't sure will start
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One career interception at the time of the signing, but since he's tied for 3rd in the league in interceptions. He's been growing on me. I still think he's good for a mistake a game, but so far he hasn't been that bad.
 
infantrycak said:
He was hamstrung on big FA acquisitions with dead money from Casserly/Capers. They had $13.9 mil in dead money this year. I'd say his non-high dollar FA signings have been pretty good.
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Agreed but why did he keep Greir around whe he helped contribute to the salary cap mess with his FA recommendations during the CC regime.

Why didn't he clean house when he got the job Riley (injuries) Hoke (bad secondaries)?

On a positive note I like the AO pick. Smith knew that it would be 3 years before the team became good & got out of salary cap trouble.

Hopefully he will show great improvement in his 3rd year. Most interior DL really improve in their 3rd year.

Time will tell
 
Considering what Rick Smith inherited, I think he is a Top 5 GM. I know that's its easy to look at what Atlanta and Miami have done and compare the Texans to them. But I don't think it's fair in regard to Miami. The cupboard wasn't exactly empty down there. They already had Joey Porter, Jason Allen, Channing Crowder, Matt Roth, Ronnie Brown, and the Safety (I can't remember his name). Plus, its Bill Parcells. Nobody in NFL history is better at building a team than the Tuna. Atlanta, well that's another story. They did get Micheal Turner which was the best free agent acquistion last year. Props to Atlanta, but let's see if they can continue to build on this year.

I like what Smith has done in finding players that fit this team. Wilson, Ferguson, Robinson, Buhlman, Brisiel, Dressen, Leach, and Bentley to name a few. His drafts have been superb. Come on, he got Slaton in the friggin 3rd round! I think Smith is a very good GM and should be in the discussion for Top 5 in the NFL.
 
infantrycak said:
I can definitely see the criticism that a building team should be looking for players to make quick contributions and leave the projects to already built teams.
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Well I watched Okoye closley...several games and the senrior bowl coverage...I was on board with the pick. And for the most part have held my water on his production.

If this was a miss, it came with just about the best bone fida you could have. Hind sight and all you could pick the thing apart now. Jopru wasn't a bad prospect. Sometimes you just miss with guys. Get unlucky.

Reeves isn't a bad pick up under the circumstances.

And Okoye isn't dead yet. There's still hope. The guy whipped every o-linemans Arse at the senior bowl week is all I know. Some of those guys turned out to be front line starters. I don't have a clue what is going on with him. Nothing you can do..wait and hope the light comes on. He's always there. He's just a step or a half second late.

New DC for sure.
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One ship. One captian on the ship. It ain't Richard Smith.
 
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mussop said:
Ahman Green (Houston Texans, 2007) - Maybe the Texans should have paid attention when the Green Bay Packers made little effort to re-sign one of their top all-time rushers. But, they instead gave Green a 4-year, $23 million deal that included $8 million his first season. The running back, who had missed 14 games in his last three years with the Packers because of injury, missed all but 6 games in his first season with the Texans.

Houston Texans sign CB Jacques Reeves to a five-year, $20 million contract. In four seasons, all with the Dallas Cowboys, Reeves has started just 14 games, with 13 of those coming this season. He also has just one career interception, and was brought in to "compete" for a starting job. But $20 million seems like an awful lot of money to give to someone you aren't sure will start
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He also went back to Green and got him to redo his contract so when he didn't play this year, the Texans saved $200k per game.

On Reeves I just don't see how you can say it is a bad contract. There were two CBs signed to bigger contracts last off-season to be nickel backs. A top CB costs almost $10 mil per year. $4 mil is not top dollar.
 
infantrycak said:
On Reeves I just don't see how you can say it is a bad contract. There were two CBs signed to bigger contracts last off-season to be nickel backs. A top CB costs almost $10 mil per year. $4 mil is not top dollar.
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Agreed. I think Reeves's contract is the biggest piece of misinformation bandied about regarding the Texans. Worse is he was supposed to be a nickle by the second half of the year. Robinson/Bennett/Reeves.

Now, why Reeves is ahead of Bennett at this point, is a question I can't answer but would love to know. Though, I'm pretty sure that feeds into why I was Richard Smith gone.
 
Ole Miss Texan said:
Smith is a top 5 GM in my mind! :texflag:

As far as Amobi goes, in most draft circles it was thought Amobi would be gone by our pick and if not he would be a Texan. Based on his play the last 2 seasons, it looks as though he may have been picked too early. Thoughts and opinions about each draft/player/prospect will change as the years go by but AT THE TIME of the 2007 draft- Amobi was a top ten lock (per internet draftniks which are never wrong):).
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word :smiliedance:
 
beerlover said:
Hiring Rick Smith to replace Charlie Casserly is one of the top 5 good moves in Texans history :texan:
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I think everyone can agree with that statement.

As for Ahman Green it wasn't a terrible contract to start with really. It made it easy to get out of this year and like Cak said even restructured better this year.

Reeves contract was not really badly structured either for what he was signed to do. As much as he's been the scapegoat on the board he's stepped up his play in the past or so.

What Kubiak is going to have to decide is Richard worth his job. Kubiak has done a great job on the offensive side of the ball but He's go to get Richard o figure out the training wheels for he defense have o come on game one of the season, not game 10 again. Once is an accident, twice is a habit and three times is a trend.
 
beerlover said:
Hiring Rick Smith to replace Charlie Casserly is one of the top 5 good moves in Texans history :texan:
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Every time I turn around I hear how Casserly got us Mario instead of Bush/Young, I wonder was that him or was that Kubiak, or even Rick Smith via Kubiak knowing he was coming to Houston.

Casserly did draft Drew Henson in like the 7th and turned it into a 3rd via a trade with Dallas, thats pretty impressive. However not much to hang your hat on as a crowning achievement.
 
Big Lou said:


Also if the following happens, it will add to his greatness:
1. If Deljuan Robinson continues to play at the level he has been playing and ends up bieng one of the answers on the D-Line with bieng a first rounder. If he's not just a flash in the pan.
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According to Kubiak's post game press confereince, Jackie Sherrill called him and gave him a heads up on Robinson who had played for him at Miss ST..

Seems it's not always the scout that finds the true gems
 
painekiller said:
According to Kubiak's post game press confereince, Jackie Sherrill called him and gave him a heads up on Robinson who had played for him at Miss ST..

Seems it's not always the scout that finds the true gems
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well, well... the Aggie network pays dividends
 
Big Lou said:
Every time I turn around I hear how Casserly got us Mario instead of Bush/Young, I wonder was that him or was that Kubiak, or even Rick Smith via Kubiak knowing he was coming to Houston.

Casserly did draft Drew Henson in like the 7th and turned it into a 3rd via a trade with Dallas, thats pretty impressive. However not much to hang your hat on as a crowning achievement.
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They can't accuse us of drafting a bust anymore, so they gotta be doing something else to piss the Houston fans off!
 
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