I think it was the Osweiler year, we also didn't have Rick for a lot of last season due to him stepping away for his wife even though it wasn't announced that he had been away until after
Not exactly sure what he's complaining about then, because the 2016 draft was his "speed" draft (Fuller, Ervin, Braxton) plus he got a C who could also play G (Martin) AND they signed Lamar Miller who O'Brien obviously loves to run up the middle. And they signed Jeff Allen who people were saying would be just as good as Brandon Brooks.
Just look at this article:
"Bill O’Brien has sent his message loud and clear. After two straight seasons of watching his quarterbacks wallow in mediocrity while
DeAndre Hopkins’ supporting cast withered away due to age or injury, O'Brien finally had enough. This was the offseason when everything had to change.
This was the offseason that would give O’Brien the ability to run his offense.
As O’Brien explained yesterday
on SiriusXM NFL Radio, every single receiver in his offense will ideally have a different skill-set. The more variance of skill-sets in his arsenal, the more ways O'Brien can attack certain defensive weaknesses."
https://www.battleredblog.com/2016/...ns-will-fuller-braxton-miller-deandre-hopkins
And this:
talked w Bill O'Brien
#HOU
Using new concept "Edge Position"
Miller & Ervin are candidates, both can handle 3+ roles
https://t.co/Shu2OoZOZa
— Pat Kirwan (@PatKirwanCBS)
May 3, 2016
How did that work out?
So maybe it was just a reference to Osweiler, who halfway through the season it was said without evidence that he was "forced" on O'Brien (nevermind that he was telling everyone Hoyer and Mallet were good QBs the year before). But O'Brien benched him for Savage only to bring him back for the playoffs.
Bottom line is they've gone all out to get him players he wants and the offense still sucks. Then they finally get a good QB in Watson and the offense still sucks.