-Texans brought in Donald Penn & Jordan Mills - neither very good at this point. When you're desperate, you're desperate & the Texans are desperate.
-(Donald Penn has been OK for the Raiders) Not lately. 4 games last year, injured, didn't play well the year before. Got rid of him to give $66M to Trent Brown. Jordan Mills started last 3 years for Buffalo on the right side, didn't try to keep him. If you're the Texans, you need bodies on the OL, specifically at OT. Don't know if they'll sign one, both or neither.
-Brian Gaine is not done in free agency. They won't make a splash. Haven't since 2016 when everyone was excited when they signed Lamar Miller, Brock Osweiler, Jeff Allen & Tony Bergstrom.
-(How many compensatory picks next year?) Right now, not looking at any.
-(Record next year?) 9-7
-(RGIII as backup?) Wants to stay in Baltimore. Texans are looking for a new backup.
-(Buffaloization of the Texans) He knows those guys. They got more Browns & Jaguars than any Bills.
-(Why not focusing on OL or another RB?) Who do you want them to get on the OL? They need a LT, there was only one. When they found his price tag, they weren't going to invest in a guy who had one good year. All these RTs, agree with them or not, they think Seantrel Henderson will be the starting RT. Jordan Mills is not a LT. If that's the case, they're looking for competition for Henderson. They need competition.
-(Do you think the Texans will allow competition on the OL, including giving Greg Mancz a chance to unseat Nick Martin?) Greg is not as good as Nick. He's a good backup. The RG is Zach Fulton. I can see him starting again. Senio Kelemete, I think Martinas Rankin will be the starter at LG. Henderson or some FA at RT and someone, probably right off the bat, Davenport or a veteran getting a rookie ready for when that rookie is ready to step in & be the starter.
-(Chances of signing Donald Penn?) They brought him in. They're talking to him. Agent said he has options. If I'm Penn & I'll be 36 next month and I played 4 games last year but I've been a starter my entire career, I'd call the Texans and say how much do I give you to let me play there? Sign a one-year deal, go to LT, try to win the job, keep the job no matter who they draft & it's a great opportunity. I'd think if they like Penn, and he's had personality issues, I'd think he'd want to be here. Key is what is he asking for.
-(Will Texans carry 4 TEs?) No. No guarantee Fells make the team but right away we see them sign him, OK, Griffin is gone. They like Jordan Akins & Jordan Thomas, both going into their 2nd year. I expect both to be better. Fells is a good blocker. He's a basketball player. A guy like that is usually finesse. Fells likes to block & hit people He's 270 lbs. Instead of an extra OL, you can bring him in & let him play that role. I don't think they'll carry 4 TEs.
-(Veteran WR?) There's a lot of WRs out there. I thought they'd sign a veteran but you need a guy desperate to be in the NFL because he won't be one of the top 3 WRs. I think they'll sign one. I think he'll be older on a one-year deal & think they'll draft someone. And don't count out Vyncent Smith & Jester Weah. I think we'll see one signed & one drafted.
-(Alabama RB Josh Jacobs?) No, they won't take a RB in the first. They need a LT & corner. Problem at LT, there's only one really good pure LT in the first round: Andre Dillard. Everyone knows it. Jonah Williams, Jawaan Taylor, if you read the scouting reports on Williams, people think he should be a RT or move inside. Taylor played RT at Florida. Could he move to LT? That's a harder transition. Dillard is the pure best LT. If he's there, I guarantee they'll take him. I don't think for a second he'll be available.
-Brian Gaine will sign more free agents. It's not gonna be a splash. It'll be people who he thinks fits in.
-(Eric Berry?) Not looking for another safety. Their starting safeties are Reid & Gipson. Hal is #3. I think they'll get another safety, whether in FA or the draft.
-(Can the Texans still lose Clowney?) No. They won't lose him. They can give him away. They can lift the tag & say you're free to negotiate with any team. That won't happen unless that black smoke has gotten into NRG Stadium. They're not going to. They can trade him if a team offered two number one picks but who can they get as good or as disruptive as Clowney? I think he'll be franchised & won't see him until the big game checks start. I don't see him walking away from $1M per game.
-(Do we need a new OL coach?) I want to see what Mike Devlin can do when he has talent. When Bill O'Brien got here, he had a really good OL. Chris Myers retired. Derek Newton got hurt, basically ending his career. Brown wanted his contract re-done with 2 years left. Rick Smith would not & traded him for 2nd & 3rd round picks. Brandon Brooks wanted out. He didn't want to play for O'Brien. That OL has gone under complete transition. Wade Smith retired. They've had to replace all those guys. That was a 1, 4, FA, trade & 7th round pick. That was the starting five. It's taken some time. I want to see when they have guys & then what Devlin can do. I know O'Brien is really high on Mike Devlin.
-(Has anyone gotten better under Mike Devlin?) Fulton played pretty well. Davenport got better. Still not good but got better. Kendall Lamm got better. Nick Martin since blowing out his ankle has gotten better. As a unit, they haven't been good because of the tackles but they've all gotten better.
-(Texans 1st/2nd round picks?) I've had them taking OT & Corner. They need to sign a couple free agent tackles. What if at 23 and all the tackles they want are gone & next rated tackle is 35th but they got a corner who is rated 15th? They have to take the corner. That means they'd have to use a 2nd on a tackle. You don't want to use both 2nd round picks on a tackle. Although truthfully, if I'm Bill O'Brien & Brian Gaine, I'm seriously thinking about in the first 3 rounds - with 4 picks - taking 2 tackles & 2 corners & filling in with free agency. Those are by far the neediest positions. I don't think they'll do it. Tackle, corner, maybe DT & 3rd round, either another OL or corner.
-(Chances our team falls off the map & there's a coaching change?) Only way you get fired as a Texans coach is your team has to finish 2-14. Schedule is tougher but don't think they'll have that record. If they did, they'd have to lose Deshaun Watson again. By the way, one of the best moves in free agency was the Titans getting Tannehill. He's had some good games in his career. If Mariota continues to get hurt, they have to feel more comfortable bringing in a veteran starter.
-(Fitzmagic landing in Miami?) That's great. He'll be a bridge guy.
-(Why don't we make big splashes in free agency?) Like they did with Osweiler & Lamar Miller? We were so fired up! They spent all that money! Read Albert Breer's column & Peter King. They talk about the likelihood of big money spent in free agency, 30% chance he'll play as well or better than he did as a free agent, 20% into the 2nd year & John Clayton found a really small number of expensive free agents who made it to the 3rd year. If you look at the list, you'll say I'm glad the Texans aren't spending that kind of money.
-(Do you see us trading Clowney?) I do not. They can franchise him this year & again next year. They would not do it in 2021. Clowney is here for the next 2 years unless he decides not to show up.
-(Why not enough of a push to sign a big name safety or corner?) What big name corner? What big name safety? Give me Tashaun Gipson. Just because they're not big names doesn't mean they can't be productive.
-(Will Greg Little slide to the Texans 2nd?) Big IF. He's not worth the 23rd pick. Aaron Wilson likes him. I'll be surprised if they take him. He's the #2 LT. I don't see him dropping to where they pick in the 2nd. If they let him go at 23, they're doing it with the idea he won't be there at their 2nd round pick.
-(Why couldn't they keep the Honey Badger?) He signed last year for one-year, $7M. Arizona gave up on him. I was told the only teams interested were Texans & Jets. He didn't play great but played well. They wanted him back. They upped it from $7M to $11M. Here comes Kansas City with $14M. They deeemed him not worthy of $14M and don't think many did.
-(All things being equal, draft elite LT or elite CB?) LT. A lot more corners than LTs. More corners every year in FA than LTs. Give me a LT. I'd take a pass rusher before a corner. Pass rusher can make a corner look good.