OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
I woke up at 0400 this morning to catch the 2nd half of the game. To my amazement, the Texans were still in it and I hadn't even seen the offense yet. Then the offense came on the field and I wondered out loud, how in the hell did they even score a TD. This game had everything most of us fans have been harping on....including my analogy of how PFF grades OL performances. Fiedorowicz executes the perfect holding penalty that takes the team out of FG range. The strip sack was not Savage's fault, within a split second he was winding up to throw the ball and before he could get it going forward Suggs was on his back while Lamm was slapping him on his ass, yelling, good play! I really miss how Watson and Keenum led these receivers for TD's versus watching Schaub and Savage under throw certain TD's b/c they had to stop their advantages to catch the ball. Savage cost Hopkins a pretty sure TD.
As angry as I wanted to get, I quickly realized...this team has no business sniffing the playoffs, it would only hurt them in the long run. In all reality, if you don't possess the talent to make a real push in the playoffs, much less make the playoffs...then what's the next best option? Play for your draft position b/c it's obvious the team doesn't possess the current talent to be a real contender.
The best option for this team is to conduct a 5 game evaluation of their current talent and start making the list of who's playing well enough to be considered for next seasons roster. If the Texans can look competitive while orchestrating this eval, then they should finish the season with a respectable 5-11 record. I projected each 5 loss teams last 5 games to compile my guesstimate on the the 2018 NFL Draft order:
2018 NFL Draft Order:
1. 0-16 Browns
2. 3-13 49's **Garoppolo might be good for a couple down the stretch.**
3. 3-13 Giants
4. 4-12 Broncos
5. 4-12 Bears
6. 4-12 Colts
7. 4-12 Buccaneers
8. 5-11 Texans
9. 5-11 Dolphins
10. 5-11 Jets
**Worth mentioning, the Giants, Broncos, Dolphins or Jets could offer some stupid packages to the 49's and/or Bears to get high enough to draft one of the top rated QB's....or they may sit tight and hope one falls into their laps since I'm guessing the Browns and Giants will take Darnold and Rosen immediately if the 49's stay put.**
As for our Texans...it would be even better if they could just lose out but that might only mean a 1 spot jump. So, the Texans may find themselves trying to find an OT or OG at pick number 72. Just guessing but that Seahawks pick will probably be number 84 or later. The COMP Pick will probably be number 97. So, RD3 might look like this:
RD3-08-72
RD3-24-88 (Seahawks)
RD3-33-97 (COMP)
I'd be hard pressed to trade all 3 RD3 picks to move into RD2...b/c based on those picks and their location in the draft...it might buy a mid to late RD2 pick. I'm not 100% sure that the player gotten is worth the picks given versus just drafting in the slot. Now, if by some miracle a decent OL has slipped towards the RD3 12-18 slot, then the team might be able to offer their last 2 picks in RD3 as a way to move up and select another OL. Texans need a LT, RT, and OG first and foremost. A TE is also high on the wish list.
There's still talent on the board with 3 picks in the Top100 albeit, three between 70 and 100 but 3 nonetheless. Also, I have no desire to touch the 2019 NFL Draft to make-up for the bad position the team finds itself in for the 2018 draft. Like a stated before, draft BPA at positions of need without over reaching to accomplish this goal and hope that a couple surface to become starters the same year.
As Al Davis never said, "Just lose baby!". Maybe, the team will finally execute true marksmanship in identifying talent that makes some of us fans take back every bad word we've used to identify RS.
As angry as I wanted to get, I quickly realized...this team has no business sniffing the playoffs, it would only hurt them in the long run. In all reality, if you don't possess the talent to make a real push in the playoffs, much less make the playoffs...then what's the next best option? Play for your draft position b/c it's obvious the team doesn't possess the current talent to be a real contender.
The best option for this team is to conduct a 5 game evaluation of their current talent and start making the list of who's playing well enough to be considered for next seasons roster. If the Texans can look competitive while orchestrating this eval, then they should finish the season with a respectable 5-11 record. I projected each 5 loss teams last 5 games to compile my guesstimate on the the 2018 NFL Draft order:
2018 NFL Draft Order:
1. 0-16 Browns
2. 3-13 49's **Garoppolo might be good for a couple down the stretch.**
3. 3-13 Giants
4. 4-12 Broncos
5. 4-12 Bears
6. 4-12 Colts
7. 4-12 Buccaneers
8. 5-11 Texans
9. 5-11 Dolphins
10. 5-11 Jets
**Worth mentioning, the Giants, Broncos, Dolphins or Jets could offer some stupid packages to the 49's and/or Bears to get high enough to draft one of the top rated QB's....or they may sit tight and hope one falls into their laps since I'm guessing the Browns and Giants will take Darnold and Rosen immediately if the 49's stay put.**
As for our Texans...it would be even better if they could just lose out but that might only mean a 1 spot jump. So, the Texans may find themselves trying to find an OT or OG at pick number 72. Just guessing but that Seahawks pick will probably be number 84 or later. The COMP Pick will probably be number 97. So, RD3 might look like this:
RD3-08-72
RD3-24-88 (Seahawks)
RD3-33-97 (COMP)
I'd be hard pressed to trade all 3 RD3 picks to move into RD2...b/c based on those picks and their location in the draft...it might buy a mid to late RD2 pick. I'm not 100% sure that the player gotten is worth the picks given versus just drafting in the slot. Now, if by some miracle a decent OL has slipped towards the RD3 12-18 slot, then the team might be able to offer their last 2 picks in RD3 as a way to move up and select another OL. Texans need a LT, RT, and OG first and foremost. A TE is also high on the wish list.
There's still talent on the board with 3 picks in the Top100 albeit, three between 70 and 100 but 3 nonetheless. Also, I have no desire to touch the 2019 NFL Draft to make-up for the bad position the team finds itself in for the 2018 draft. Like a stated before, draft BPA at positions of need without over reaching to accomplish this goal and hope that a couple surface to become starters the same year.
As Al Davis never said, "Just lose baby!". Maybe, the team will finally execute true marksmanship in identifying talent that makes some of us fans take back every bad word we've used to identify RS.
