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**offical texans 2014 draft thread **
- Thread starter Norg
- Start date
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
Clowney is lazy. Even Spurrier (his college coach) is just about done with him. Give me a guy with a relentless work ethic over a guy with all the tools but no desire to use them.
That's fine. Think we can **** the bed enough to get <insert whoever you think is the best college football player in America>??
I think we can.
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
We're certainly trying our best so far. All we need to do is gift JAX 2 games and we're golden.
ATXtexanfan
Hall of Fame
Qb first rd.
TheMatrix31
Hall of Fame
Linebacker please.
But really, let's not start this "tanking" **** here too. Please God no.
But really, let's not start this "tanking" **** here too. Please God no.
fiasco west
All Pro
Not with how Case is playing. I think we have bigger holes than QB.
Bulls on Parade
2017 Astros: Earn It!
I really like inside linebacker C.J. Mosley out of Alabama. He could instantly become our team captain on defense for the next 10-plus years. Pairing him with J.J. Watt in our front seven would be the start of something great for a long time on our defense.
Mosley could become the next Ray Lewis in the NFL. He has that type of athleticism and ability. And with Brian Cushing having two major knee injuries in one year (missing the bulk of two seasons in a row), it just makes too much sense if we're in that position to select him.
We need more young talent on defense. Hopefully Cushing comes back healthy in 2014, but either way we can ease him back if we have Mosley starting as a rookie. We need to re-work that salary cap space as well.
Rick Smith over-paid the likes of Arian Foster, Matt Schaub and Brian Cushing - extending their contracts sooner than he had to. We need all three to restructure their deals this summer. Schaub may even be released after June 1. Not too worried about Owen Daniels since his salary is smaller but it wouldn't shock me if he's released. There are some guys we simply can't count on to be healthy anymore. We have to be smart with our off-season moves.
Mosley could become the next Ray Lewis in the NFL. He has that type of athleticism and ability. And with Brian Cushing having two major knee injuries in one year (missing the bulk of two seasons in a row), it just makes too much sense if we're in that position to select him.
We need more young talent on defense. Hopefully Cushing comes back healthy in 2014, but either way we can ease him back if we have Mosley starting as a rookie. We need to re-work that salary cap space as well.
Rick Smith over-paid the likes of Arian Foster, Matt Schaub and Brian Cushing - extending their contracts sooner than he had to. We need all three to restructure their deals this summer. Schaub may even be released after June 1. Not too worried about Owen Daniels since his salary is smaller but it wouldn't shock me if he's released. There are some guys we simply can't count on to be healthy anymore. We have to be smart with our off-season moves.
VTexan
Rookie
this. seriously. we play a 3-4 and our starting linebackers right now are mercilus/mays/sharpton/reed. beyond a joke
Bulls on Parade
2017 Astros: Earn It!
Texans will find some cap space but we shouldn't make any splashes in free agency. Any improvements will come through the draft. We need to bite the bullet with our cap space in 2014 and 2015. By 2016, we can probably go after a superstar free agent.
Lurvinator11
Veteran
Notice how my sig has no INT's listed.
Keenum has been playing great. He's playing better than what yates played back in 11. Unless if we are in position to pick up Bridgewater, or some gamechanger, I think we stick with Keenum. Of course, we still have the rest of the season to play.
We're not starting it. The team is WAAAAAAY ahead of us on this.
speedfreek
All Pro
round 1: inside LB
round 2: QB
round 3: CB
round 4: OL (right side)
round 5: Safety
round 6: RB
round 7: OL #2
I believe Case has shown that he can be "at minimum" a quality
backup or game managing starter.
We need someone to replace Cush if he is done, or replace Mays
if Cush plays.
If you take a QB in the second round, he will push Case and
vice versa. The result would be both a quality starter and a
quality backup -- something that Schaub and Yates are neither..
JJo is done. He can't play a full game. Reed should have never
been signed.
Tate will be too expensive to keep, and our other backs are "JAG"
players.
The right side of the o-line is sub-par, and all of these draft picks
need to be able to contribute on special teams (sans QB of course)
TJ
round 2: QB
round 3: CB
round 4: OL (right side)
round 5: Safety
round 6: RB
round 7: OL #2
I believe Case has shown that he can be "at minimum" a quality
backup or game managing starter.
We need someone to replace Cush if he is done, or replace Mays
if Cush plays.
If you take a QB in the second round, he will push Case and
vice versa. The result would be both a quality starter and a
quality backup -- something that Schaub and Yates are neither..
JJo is done. He can't play a full game. Reed should have never
been signed.
Tate will be too expensive to keep, and our other backs are "JAG"
players.
The right side of the o-line is sub-par, and all of these draft picks
need to be able to contribute on special teams (sans QB of course)
TJ
TheMatrix31
Hall of Fame
No they're not. They're not intentionally losing games.
If I hear even one fan going forward angry that we won a game or happy that we lost one because it hurts or help draft position, I will rain hellfire upon them. I already see enough of that idiocy when discussing my favorite teams in other sports.
fiasco west
All Pro
Yeah I mean...they are 0-6...losing to bad teams and good ones...
I thought they'd finish the season 7-8 wins after the bye...thought they'd split with the Colts...split between the Broncos-Pats games (because I thought they'd get thier stuff together...) but I don't see them winning any games against good teams...they just don't know how to...
I think they get 5 wins now. They haven't beaten the Colts on the road (nothing suggests they will) I think the Jags are so terrible they could win those two games and split between the Cards and the Raiders...
No way they are beating the Pats, Colts, or Broncos. I'd love for them to prove me wrong though but they just find a way to lose games. Mainly due to special teams missing FGs and allowing punt/kick returns...also the defense either being bad the whole game or not good enough to get the crucial stops...
TheMatrix31
Hall of Fame
This is why I get so angry when I think about the 2012 and 2013 playoffs. The injuries we suffered, Jacoby Jones' bull****, etc.
Everyone told me "Relax, they'll be good. They'll be here for years to come. Don't worry. Their time is coming."
No. In this league, you strike while the iron is hot. That iron turned ice cold real fast.
Everyone told me "Relax, they'll be good. They'll be here for years to come. Don't worry. Their time is coming."
No. In this league, you strike while the iron is hot. That iron turned ice cold real fast.
does anybody have their eye on certain players in particular?
i'd love to get clowney. i think he takes plays off now because he doesnt want to get injured and ruin his pro career. he knows how much money is at stake, and theres no point putting it on the line for a 20th ranked college team that doest pay. i get it.
i think if we decided to get a qb, which the rest of the season will decide, i'd like us to just go big and get someone on the first round, as opposed to some guy that falls to the 2nd-3rd round. this is a qb driven league. if we can get mariotta i do it in a second
i'd love to get clowney. i think he takes plays off now because he doesnt want to get injured and ruin his pro career. he knows how much money is at stake, and theres no point putting it on the line for a 20th ranked college team that doest pay. i get it.
i think if we decided to get a qb, which the rest of the season will decide, i'd like us to just go big and get someone on the first round, as opposed to some guy that falls to the 2nd-3rd round. this is a qb driven league. if we can get mariotta i do it in a second
PHILLYTEXANFAN
Saddle Up Partner
Jake Matthews please
My suggested cuts (only notable ones):
Ed Reed
Matt Schaub
J-Jo
Sharpton
Antonio Smith
Bullock
Possible cut:
Foster?? I think he is done and worn down unfortunately. (not sure, maybe pay Tate and cut Foster if it makes sense financially)
I think this would free a crap load of cap space to sign our younger players to better deals. K-Jax, JJ Watt, Tate will all need new deals.
Any input on this?
Exascor
Veteran
My question is, who steps up at CB with JJo gone? Basically you have KJax, JJo and hot garbage behind them. All rookies or any FAs out there to target?
Also, Ninja may be a cap casualty but he's still clearly you 3rd best defensive player (Cushing, Watt). Crick has been pedestrian in relief of Smith.
Cut Foster and pay Tate? Maybe but I'd probably cut Foster and let Tate get paid somewhere else. Draft or go FA to get their replacements. Too many team holes to pay so much for injury prone RBs.
kingtexan
All Pro
We need so many things it is hard to prioritize.
Is Case the next Drew Brees? Wont know until we put a better O-line in front of him in my opinion. So do you go O-line first or QB?
Regardless if Cushing ever returns to form, we need ILB help in a huge way.
Secondary is still suspect, although the rookie looks like the real deal at strong safety.
Kicker is crap but we should be able to address that in FA.
DL needs to add another serious pass rush threat, and wouldn't mind some girth in the middle.
Our number one running back seems to have grown a vagina.
This team is unfortunately, because of Gary insisting on staying with Schaub, now two to three years away from contending again. So now we need to build moving forward the right way, not thinking we are one player from winning it all.
Is Case the next Drew Brees? Wont know until we put a better O-line in front of him in my opinion. So do you go O-line first or QB?
Regardless if Cushing ever returns to form, we need ILB help in a huge way.
Secondary is still suspect, although the rookie looks like the real deal at strong safety.
Kicker is crap but we should be able to address that in FA.
DL needs to add another serious pass rush threat, and wouldn't mind some girth in the middle.
Our number one running back seems to have grown a vagina.
This team is unfortunately, because of Gary insisting on staying with Schaub, now two to three years away from contending again. So now we need to build moving forward the right way, not thinking we are one player from winning it all.
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
Sharpton and Ninja are Free Agents next year so we don't need to worry about "cutting" them. Sharpton is garbage, but I would definitely bring Ninja back for the right price. I would definitely cut Bullock. Cutting Schaub, Reed, and Joseph would put tons of dead money on us if we cut them. Not to mention that although he is overpaid, Joseph is far superior to the hot garbage we have at CB behind him and Jackson.
Tate is a FA and is going to get starter money thrown at him. No way we can reasonably match. Cutting a worn down Foster for an injury prone Tate just does not make sense.
Jackson has a team option that we can use to hold onto him for an extra year and if his play continues to progress then give him a new contract. Watt needs an extension ASAP.
Exascor
Veteran
Actually cutting those 3 would SAVE over 10 million in cap space.
Schaub 4,000,000
JJo 3,750,000
Reed 2,666,666
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
Yes, but the rest of the contract becomes dead money. Schaub isn't making $4 mil next year and Joseph isn't making $3.75 mil.
Schaub has a $14.5 mil cap hit next year. Joseph has an $11.25 mil cap hit. Reed is at $5.33 mil
You're cutting $31 mil in cap and only getting $10 mil to use because of the dead money allocated to your cap.
I'm not a cap savant like some guys on this board, but I do know that cutting those guys frees up short term money and handcuffs you in the long term. It's exactly what the previous regime did that got us in salary cap hell.
The1ApplePie
Hall of Fame
QB in the first. I think Keenum has skill, but the dude is built like Olive Oil
Exascor
Veteran
I'm no cap due either so maybe someone that is better can help here. Pretty sure I'm correct though. Example -
Schaub is due in 2014:
10,000,000 salary
1,000,000 roster bonus
3,500,000 prorated bonus
Total 2014 cap hit if on the roster - 14,500,000
Dead money if Schaub is cut:
10,500,000
Cap saving if cut:
14,500,000 (cap hit) - 10,500,000 (dead money) = 4,000,000
badboy
Hall of Fame
Ed Reed: you can cut after this season and save a wee bit but need to be comfortable with Swearinger + imo draft high.
Joseph: No one on roster to replace him and unfortunately weak draft. Good news is if there is a FA out there you like you can cut Joseph and use savings to go after FA. Big risk. I had said elsewhere if he recovered health wise we could bonus him out and add 2 years as he would be in early 30s but it might be best to keep him as is and keep eating his contract like we are doing with Ninja and Wade Smith.
A. Smith: last year of contract, 32 YOA, $9 million cap hit for about 3 tackles/game.
Sharpton: needs to go into politic with his uncle.
Bullock: who? lol
No way Foster gets cut and Kareem Jackson is under a team option for 2014 at just under 2014.
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
I'm not saying that it wouldn't free up cap space. It would. What I'm saying is you handcuff the cap because that dead money doesn't just disappear. You free up an immediate $4 million to use, but that $10 million is gone.
If the salary cap were $150 million then we would only be able to use $140 million because of the $10 million in dead money that's already allocated to the cap.
Exascor
Veteran
Hehe - so you keep players you don't like or that can't play and have $0 cap space. Dead money sucks but if you can get better players with the 10 million left, you cut them.
TexansFight
Veteran
I agree completely. We need to beef up the OL and we need quality LBers. I would draft Jake Matthews in Rd 1, a ILB in Rd. 2, and a CB in Rd. 3.
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
But can you get better players? A lot of those guys are on the street for a reason.
The dead money also stays with the team. It doesn't just disappear after one year. I'm pretty sure we carried Anthony Weaver's dead money for like 3 years. It probably has something to do with the time remaining on the contract when you cut them.
That said, what QB is going to be better than Schaub? If you're fine with Yates at backup, then cut him. Use that money for a #3 QB. I agree that there is no reason to pay him that salary if there is no intention to use him. I'm pretty sure he's the backup though and Yates is #3.
What CB on the street is going to be better than Joseph? I don't think there is one. Joseph has definitely lost a step, but cutting him would put McCain and Harris on the field permanently. Not exactly making the team better.
I will give you Reed, he's awful. There are better options.
TexansFight
Veteran
Great post. I agree completely. Boy I wish we had even just Matt Leinart healthy back in 2012.
The1ApplePie
Hall of Fame
It will also depend if there is a new coaching staff. If that happens, I figure that QB will be the 1st pick
DeAnthony Thomas at KR/PR/RB would be nice
DeAnthony Thomas at KR/PR/RB would be nice
Exascor
Veteran
First - that figure is for 1 year absorption of the dead money. 2015 the cap would be clear of all of the cap hits from those players contracts. If they do June 1st cuts on the players they defer the dead money due in 2015 and beyond to 2015. That would actually clear even more cap space in 2014. Schaub as a June 1st cut would be a $11 million cap saving in 2014 with a $7.5 million cap hit in 2015 for the remaining dead money owed.
Second - I wouldn't personally cut JJo. Schaub and Reed would be gone. That's over $6 million savings in 2014. I think you could get a better, younger backup QB for well under $3 million a year (draft pick, vet for minimum...) and ANY safety would be worth more than Reed. Reed has done nothing and doesn't play ST. UDFA, draft pick, FA or whatever. Glover Quin's first year cost only $2 million.
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
Good points. There is one huge problem hanging like a shroud over our salary cap though and that's J.J. Watt. That man is going to get paid and we need to start planning for it now. We will have a lot of these contracts of the books by then (Daniels, Manning, Ninja, Wade Smith). Watt will be an UFA in 2015 and we don't want a lot of dead money back-loading the cap and hindering our ability to sign him.
I think OD needs to take a pay cut or he will probably be gone.
Good player, but too often injured.
We would have nearly $5M to get a replacement for him.
Well, not quite, since we will need to re-up Graham.
Any preference out of this list?
http://overthecap.com/freeagents.php?Position=TE&Year=2014
Good player, but too often injured.
We would have nearly $5M to get a replacement for him.
Well, not quite, since we will need to re-up Graham.
Any preference out of this list?
http://overthecap.com/freeagents.php?Position=TE&Year=2014
Exascor
Veteran
The only one on that list that is worth anything is the only one you won't get - Jimmy Graham.
Hervoyel
BUENO!
Hold on cause we're about to find out!
PHILLYTEXANFAN
Saddle Up Partner
Too add to this, If i gone, just address the defense, Khalil Mack is a monster, and I personally love HAHA and or Clowney
SAMURAITEXAN
All Pro
Anything but QB, RB, TE on 1st rd would do.
I would like for Texans' FO to take a hard look at LB, DL in 2014 draft prospects. I think we really need a strong front 7 but, like I mentioned the above, anything but QB, RB, TE would do.
I would like for Texans' FO to take a hard look at LB, DL in 2014 draft prospects. I think we really need a strong front 7 but, like I mentioned the above, anything but QB, RB, TE would do.
Wrong wrong wrong.
Schaubs actual salary has nothing to do with his cap hit should he be cut.
The guaranteed $$$ is all that counts against the cap if you cut him. Any money that isn't guaranteed is no longer owed / counted against the cap.
Schaub's deal was $62m over 4 years with $24.75 guaranteed. They will be on the hook for whatever hasn't been paid of that $24.75m which is reportedly about $15m.
You can throw out the salary & roster bonus completely as its only paid if he is on the roster.
Should they cut him and designate him as a June 1 cut , they can spread that over the remaining $15m in guaranteed money over the next two seasons.
Exascor
Veteran
Hehe - actually you agreed with my post but your numbers are off. His salary does matter if he isn't released. Hence the 14.5 cap hit. If he is released, the remainder of his bonus is due which is 10.5. That means there's a 4 million cap savings if he's cut vs if he's on the roster.
I wouldn't designate Schaub a June 1st cut. All that does is push 7.5 million to 2015 when a certain Mr Watt will be getting a new contract. I'd absorb the 10.5 in 2014.
A draft of
Rd.1 Nix
rd,2 Murphy
Rd.3 Skov
Rd.4 Mewhort
Cutting Schaub/Reed/Antonio should free up enough cap $$$$ to find a good FS and a nickle CB. You would still have depth problems but you would have a defense that could stop the run and have an improved pass rush. Mewhort would be the RT or atleast provide depth that is currently lacking. Hopefully Williams and Ques can make it back and the OL problems will be solved.
Drafting these guys on defense would add much needed toughness on defense and free up Watt and Cushing.
Of course what really needs to be done is Rick/Gary need to be fired and take Bullock with them. Of course that would be too traumatic for BoB.
Rd.1 Nix
rd,2 Murphy
Rd.3 Skov
Rd.4 Mewhort
Cutting Schaub/Reed/Antonio should free up enough cap $$$$ to find a good FS and a nickle CB. You would still have depth problems but you would have a defense that could stop the run and have an improved pass rush. Mewhort would be the RT or atleast provide depth that is currently lacking. Hopefully Williams and Ques can make it back and the OL problems will be solved.
Drafting these guys on defense would add much needed toughness on defense and free up Watt and Cushing.
Of course what really needs to be done is Rick/Gary need to be fired and take Bullock with them. Of course that would be too traumatic for BoB.