Texans' Kubiak will limit recovering QB Schaub during OTAs

[CloakNNNdagger]

NFL.com
Published: March 28, 2012 at 01:44 a.m.
Updated: March 28, 2012 at 03:32 a.m.


Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak plans to be cautious with quarterback Matt Schaub when the team congregates for offseason training activities.

Speaking Tuesday from the NFL Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., Kubiak told Sirius XM Radio that Schaub is making great progress in his recovery from season-ending Lisfranc surgery on his right foot. Still, Kubiak plans to play it safe when the team gathers for the first time.
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"He's actually playing some golf and stuff now, so he's out getting around," Kubiak said. "He's got a little hardware in his foot that he'll have to have removed here in a couple of weeks. But he will be released and be fine.

"I will probably, throughout the course of OTAs, keep him out of team situations just to be smart. But he will do everything else, individual (drills), 7-on-7, those types of things."

Schaub went down in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when Albert Haynesworth stepped on him. Following backup Matt Leinart's season-ending shoulder injury the following week, third-string rookie T.J. Yates stepped in to help Houston to a 10-6 record and first AFC South championship.

Schaub said last month that he was pleased with where he was in his recovery.

"It's going great," Schaub said. "As of today (Feb. 29), we're 13 weeks from surgery, and things are progressing really well. We're really pleased. I'm a little ahead of the game. It's a matter of strengthening and making sure everything stays to form in there with the hardware in my foot."

You can tell very little as to how Schaub is progressing until he has the "supporting" hardware removed. And then you won't have much of an idea of how well he can function as a quarterback until he is in a real game-time situation (not even OTA or preseason practice). Remember we are not comparing his "functionality" to Joe Schmo business man whose most difficult situation may only be climbing stairs. I remain hopeful, but very quarded.

 

[Thorn]

Until I see otherwise, I remain very skeptical that'll he be our starting QB at the start of the season. I do hope the news and propaganda the Texans are putting out about him are true though, because I'd love to see Schaub back at full form during pre-season.

 

[Rey]

I will be interested to see how the Texans handle this situation.

Do they really believe he'll be back? Will they take a QB somewhere in the draft? Maybe Keenum late?

Do they believe TJ has progressed enough to be a viable option if Schaub is not ready or can't go at all?

 

[Thorn]

I will be interested to see how the Texans handle this situation.

Do they really believe he'll be back? Will they take a QB somewhere in the draft? Maybe Keenum late?

Do they believe TJ has progressed enough to be a viable option if Schaub is not ready or can't go at all?

If TJ is good enough to start in the playoffs, he's good enough to fill in a few games at the start of the season until Schaub comes back. If it were a known situation that Schaub would never return, and all we had was TJ, we'd be looking at a QB in a very serious way and most likely Hot Tub would still be here.

 

[Hervoyel]

...when Albert Haynesworth stepped on him.

Albert Haynesworth. Honestly, that's the guy we should be calling "HWWNBN" around here. If I never hear or see that man's name in print again I'll be just fine with that.

 

[Rey]

If TJ is good enough to start in the playoffs, he's good enough to fill in a few games at the start of the season until Schaub comes back. If it were a known situation that Schaub would never return, and all we had was TJ, we'd be looking at a QB in a very serious way and most likely Hot Tub would still be here.

It can be argued that he wasn't good enough for the play-offs

 

[TexCanada]

Not really a surprise. This FO is never upfront about injuries. They say 2 weeks, it is a minimum of 4.

 

[Thorn]

It can be argued that he wasn't good enough for the play-offs

He wasn't ready for them, I think that's pretty plain for all to see. But as to him being good enough with more training time from the coachs, that's different. I think he will be based on what I've see, but until he actually does it, we won't know.

 

[GP]

Keenum will be gone in Round 2. Some team out there is going to pluck him in Round 2.

I'd like the Texans to try and get him in Round 3 because that's a good value pick for us, considering our QB situation and all.

But I think he'll go Round 2 (at the latest) to a team who is thin at QB. Not enough hype to be a Round 1 guy, but not enough downside to be a Round 3 guy either. Round 2 is just about right IF you're a team who has really big QB problems.

Albert Haynesworth. You miserable wretch of a person. Ray Finkle's mother said it best, "It's all his fault. He should die of gonorrhea and rot in hell. Would you like a cookie?" LOL.

 

[Double Barrel]

Until I see otherwise, I remain very skeptical that'll he be our starting QB at the start of the season. I do hope the news and propaganda the Texans are putting out about him are true though, because I'd love to see Schaub back at full form during pre-season.

yep, I agree completely. I will believe Schaub is ready to play when I see Schaub out there playing the game.

Albert Haynesworth. Honestly, that's the guy we should be calling "HWWNBN" around here. If I never hear or see that man's name in print again I'll be just fine with that.

I hate Hayesworthless as much as the next guy. But, honestly, that was a really stupid play to call at that point in the game. We have workhorses to run the ball up the gut. That play was not for a TD or even a first down. It was a "playing it safe" call and I did not like it when I saw it, well before we found out that Schaub was injured. Why thrown your QB in a dogpile on a third down play that you know will be a punt the next play?

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

Until I see otherwise, I remain very skeptical that'll he be our starting QB at the start of the season. I do hope the news and propaganda the Texans are putting out about him are true though, because I'd love to see Schaub back at full form during pre-season.

It's pretty simple. At this point, we are hearing "Rah Rah" from the Texans without any solid basis. With the Texans, injured players are always "progressing nicely." The problem is when, if ever, do they finally reach their destination........or do they just fall off the cliff, never to be heard from again.

 

[Marcus]

You can tell very little as to how Schaub is progressing until he has the "supporting" hardware removed. And then you won't have much of an idea of how well he can function as a quarterback until he is in a real game-time situation (not even OTA or preseason practice). Remember we are not comparing his "functionality" to Joe Schmo business man whose most difficult situation may only be climbing stairs. I remain hopeful, but very quarded.

My thought exactly.

("He's actually playing some golf and stuff now, so he's out getting around.") I get such a chuckle when I read comments like that.

One of the things that stick out when I was rehabbing my foot, was they told me to walk without a limp. Concentrate on walking with no limp, heel-toe heel-toe. Very difficult to do with a weak foot that's sending pain messages to the brain.

Schaub and "company" might want everyone to believe he's "fine", but if he's not, eventually his concentration will lapse, and that limp will give him away.

I'll be watching.

 

[Señor Stan]

Albert Haynesworth. Honestly, that's the guy we should be calling "HWWNBN" around here. If I never hear or see that man's name in print again I'll be just fine with that.

 

[badboy]

We (that's the plural me as me and Badboy) are very happy that Schaub is doing so well, but we think time will tell us whether they are smoking ganji or they are just shining we on.

 

[ckhouston]

We (that's the plural me as me and Badboy) are very happy that Schaub is doing so well, but we think time will tell us whether they are smoking ganji or they are just shining we on.

Me ... votes for ganja and shine.

 

[Señor Stan]

Keenum will be gone in Round 2. Some team out there is going to pluck him in Round 2.

I'd like the Texans to try and get him in Round 3 because that's a good value pick for us, considering our QB situation and all.

But I think he'll go Round 2 (at the latest) to a team who is thin at QB. Not enough hype to be a Round 1 guy, but not enough downside to be a Round 3 guy either. Round 2 is just about right IF you're a team who has really big QB problems.

Albert Haynesworth. You miserable wretch of a person. Ray Finkle's mother said it best, "It's all his fault. He should die of gonorrhea and rot in hell. Would you like a cookie?" LOL.

Keenum in the 2nd...that's a pretty bold prediction. Most projections I've seen for him is 7th round or UDFA.

 

[paycheck71]

It's pretty simple. At this point, we are hearing "Rah Rah" from the Texans without any solid basis. With the Texans, injured players are always "progressing nicely." The problem is when, if ever, do they finally reach their destination........or do they just fall off the cliff, never to be heard from again.

I honestly don't have a problem with this being the way the team addresses injuries publicly, as long as internally they know and understand the full extent and potential impact of the injury/injuries in question and take appropriate steps to make sure they have plans for realistic and worst case scenarios. Of course, as a fan, I'd love to know everything, but I understand why they would want to keep it under wraps for the most part.

 

[El Tejano]

I will be interested to see how the Texans handle this situation.

Do they really believe he'll be back? Will they take a QB somewhere in the draft? Maybe Keenum late?

Do they believe TJ has progressed enough to be a viable option if Schaub is not ready or can't go at all?

I've been thinking that Kubiak usually goes for a QB in round 5. Since we acquired the high 4th rounder, I'm wondering if we don't pull the trigger on Keenum with our late 4th rounder.

 

[badboy]

Me ... votes for ganja and shine.

By new NFL rules fans are no longer allowed to speak in the singular. You should have posted we...vote for ganja and shine. Please don't make we remind you'ns again.

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

I honestly don't have a problem with this being the way the team addresses injuries publicly, as long as internally they know and understand the full extent and potential impact of the injury/injuries in question and take appropriate steps to make sure they have plans for realistic and worst case scenarios. Of course, as a fan, I'd love to know everything, but I understand why they would want to keep it under wraps for the most part.

Unfortunately, they have shown this strong tendency to also hide the truth from themselves.:kubepalm::wadepalm:

 

[paycheck71]

Unfortunately, they have shown this strong tendency to also hide the truth from themselves.:kubepalm::wadepalm:

 

[Rey]

He's certainly not saying anything definitive. Seems like he's just being optimistic as he should be.

 

[Texan_Bill]

The Texans should hire away from Green Bay's scout, "Zo" White (still lives here) and ask him what or how Green Bay made decisions to either trade for or draft back-up QB's... Green Bay either traded for OR drafted, Brett Favre, Matt Hassleback and Aaron Rodgers to "back-up" their, then QB.

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

The Texans should hire away from Green Bay's scout, "Zo" White (still lives here) and ask him what or how Green Bay made decisions to either trade for or draft back-up QB's... Green Bay either traded for OR drafted, Brett Favre, Matt Hassleback and Aaron Rodgers to "back-up" their, then QB.

MSR. Great organizations know how to stay great organizations.

 

[Nawzer]

With all the loses in free agency, with Foster and Myers re-signing with the team, and the draftees, it's Schaub who's the key to this season. He must not only be healthy, but I believe he has to have the best year of his career if we are going to be Super Bowl contenders. A lot is riding on his shoulders and we'll go as far as he can take us. T.J.Yates did a very good job as a rookie and he'll be better in his 2nd year, but Schaub knows this offense like the back of his hand (probably better actually). So, get healthy Schaub and I hope he's working on his decision making and getting ready to lead us deep into the playoffs.

 

[Texan_Bill]

MSR. Great organizations know how to stay great organizations.

Absolutely!!!

Lest we be so ignorant that the possibility of Schaub never returning and that we don't have a future plan. I know, I know, TJ Yates is in the wings - "waiting"...

Fine, but is he really the future of the Texans??

*******************


BTW Doc, what do you mean "MSR"??? You haven't repped me since 1979!!

 

[GP]

Keenum in the 2nd...that's a pretty bold prediction. Most projections I've seen for him is 7th round or UDFA.

I also predicted Chris Johnson would be drafted in the 1st round, and a lot of the better draft gurus here on TexansTalk had him at nothing higher than the 2nd. I said, "I watched him play his bowl game in Hawaii and he was solid nails. He was going bananas. He's the real deal." Yeah, well...it remains to be seen if he has sustainability, but I got the short-term prediction correct.

I have this gut feeling that some team is going to go Kevin Kolb on him and grab him in Round 2. Somebody is going to roll the dice in Round 2 because they don't really like any other Round 2 choices that are there for them.

I might be all wrong. Will be interesting to see!

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

Absolutely!!!

Lest we be so ignorant that the possibility of Schaub never returning and that we don't have a future plan. I know, I know, TJ Yates is in the wings - "waiting"...

Fine, but is he really the future of the Texans??

*******************


BTW Doc, what do you mean "MSR"??? You haven't repped me since 1979!!

Tried to rep you and it said I must spread the rep. I thought it was yesterday. 1979? Oh my! One of us has to double up on our meds!

 

[TheEastwood]

Ya'll can always rep me instead.




I think keenum in the 2 or 3 is a huuuuuuuuge reach. I'd be pissed if the Texans took him there. I love the guy and am a huge UH fan, but he has a weak arm and will struggle to adapt to NFL defenses. He benefited from playing some weak d's. Don't get me wrong, I think he's smart an will be a great back up, but I don't see him as a starting QB. If they got him in the 6 or 7 i'd be ecstatic though.

 

[Playoffs]

The Texans should hire away from Green Bay's scout, "Zo" White (still lives here) and ask him what or how Green Bay made decisions to either trade for or draft back-up QB's... Green Bay either traded for OR drafted, Brett Favre, Matt Hassleback and Aaron Rodgers to "back-up" their, then QB.

Yep. We need a vet this year due to the possibility of the lisfranc being career ending. Some chatter re: Dennis Dixon. I would've liked Josh Johnson.

 

[ckhouston]

With all the loses in free agency, with Foster and Myers re-signing with the team, and the draftees, it's Schaub who's the key to this season. He must not only be healthy, but I believe he has to have the best year of his career if we are going to be Super Bowl contenders. A lot is riding on his shoulders and we'll go as far as he can take us. T.J.Yates did a very good job as a rookie and he'll be better in his 2nd year, but Schaub knows this offense like the back of his hand (probably better actually). So, get healthy Schaub and I hope he's working on his decision making and getting ready to lead us deep into the playoffs.

Emphatically disagree.

We are Super Bowl contenders with or without Schaub.

Our defense and our running game makes us such. Also, as a point of interest TJ Yates had this same system under Butch Davis at NC for five years (red-shirt as freshman). Matt has played in 64 games in his five years with the Texans. TJ started 44 games in his four years and also has the red-shirt year of tutelage. As far as who knows the system better ... I would say it is a wash. TJ is a better athlete, and doesn't have the track record of injuries.

We can win with TJ in my opinion, if he gets the reps and experience as the starter with the first team. Similar to Dilfer with the Ravens, he doesn't have to carry the team, just manage a clean game and use his weapons.

 

[Rey]

Emphatically disagree.

We are Super Bowl contenders with or without Schaub.

Our defense and our running game makes us such. Also, as a point of interest TJ Yates had this same system for five years in college (red-shirt as freshman). Matt has played in 64 games in his five years with the Texans. TJ started 44 games in his four years and also has the red-shirt year of tutelage. As far as who knows the system better ... I would say it is a wash. TJ is a better athlete, and doesn't have the track record of injuries.

We can win with TJ in my opinion, if he gets the reps and experience as the starter with the first team. Similar to Dilfer with the Ravens, he doesn't have to carry the team, just manage a clean game and use his weapons.

I like Yates a lot, but I disagree with most of what you have written here...

Schaub played in a similar system in college and in ATL. That is part of the reason that he was so attractive to this staff. Plus, the Texans system has it's own nuances that make it different from other schemes....No way does Yates know what we do here better than Schaub does...that makes 0 sense...

Also, I do not know whether we are superbowl contenders with or without Schaub or whatever...I need to see the team fully assembled and playing a few games first...

Lots of fans seem to think that just because we did well last year, it's a given that we will have similar or better success. Yes we did very well last year, but other teams are trying to get better. We should attempt to do the same. I think it is much, much too early to declare at this point in time that we are superbowl contenders with or without Schaub. (well I guess it depends on your definition of contender)

 

[ckhouston]

No way does Yates know what we do here better than Schaub does...that makes 0 sense...

Did not say that. The comment I was addressing was that Schaub "knows this system like the back of his hand" ... so does Yates. The difference whether one of them "knows what we do here" better IMHO is game experience, which Matt obviously has over Yates. So, my contention is that given Scaubs inability to stay healthy, and the concern if this time the injury sustained will let him return to full capability, or at all ... give the kid the snaps so he can garner that experience. If that were to happen I would like our chances.

 

[Rey]

Did not say that. The comment I was addressing was that Schaub "knows this system like the back of his hand" ... so does Yates. The difference whether one of them "knows what we do here" better IMHO is game experience, which Matt obviously has over Yates. So, my contention is that given Scaubs inability to stay healthy, and the concern if this time the injury sustained will let him return to full capability, or at all ... give the kid the snaps so he can garner that experience. If that were to happen I would like our chances.

I guess my point was that it's not even close as to who knows the system better.

If Schaub can't go, then I think it's a given that someone else will have to fill in.

That someone is very likely to be TJ.

Are you saying that if Schaub is healthy enough to give it the ol' college try that we should still play Yates in the regular season so he can get experience?

 

[ckhouston]

Are you saying that if Schaub is healthy enough to give it the ol' college try that we should still play Yates in the regular season so he can get experience?

I am saying because of the nature of Matts injury, and the progression of the recovery from surgery (has not even had the last hardware removed yet), that I think we go to camp with TJ as our starter, and see how Matt progresses. If and when Matt is 100% recovered and ready (if that ever happens) then we look at plugging him back into the starting role UNLESS ... TJ is lighting it up and team is clicking and then we have a decision to make. What would my decision be if that turned out to be the case? Thanks Matt, but we have just traded you to ...