Y'all miss the point on several accounts. First this is the typical MO for Bob McNair, plan for today, tomorrow, not so much. For perspective purposes Daniels played 822 snaps and Graham 566. If they had kept Daniels and let Graham walk the Texans would've received a 2016 comp pick. That single move alone would've almost doubled available cap space in 2015 and added a comp pick in 2016. If the Texans had just kept Manning instead of cutting him and then re-signing him they would've added another 2016 comp pick.
This is why the Texans need a real GM who can make smarter decisions for today as well a tomorrow. If you plan for 2018 and 2017 the 2015 season will take care of it itself and be much more competitive than if just plan for the season 2015. That's also why they needed to trade AJ last year, he was at the age that decline sets in and they could've received a day 2 pick. Now imagine if the Texans had done the above, Daniels $6.3M drops off the books and AJ doesn't have $7.7M in dead money. That's $17M in additional 2015 cap space and (2) 2016 comp picks. Yep the the Texans need a GM with a vision who can understand, see and can plan accordingly. Doubtful it happens, a HC has 1 year tunnel vision and if Bob McNair also has tunnel vision and if he can't see it, or understand it, it's not going to happen.