Solder isn’t worth that much I don’t care how bad we need a LT. All the doom and gloom era need to relax. This was the top offense in football with Watson behind center. The same OL that y’all all think needs a complete overhaul. And yes it needs upgrades but it’s not the end of the world. The right QB and play calling can mask a lot of deficiencies on the OL.
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Which off-season moves would you like the Texans to make? (Roster/FA)
- Thread starter tomjn80
- Start date
Solder isn’t worth that much I don’t care how bad we need a LT. All the doom and gloom era need to relax. This was the top offense in football with Watson behind center. The same OL that y’all all think needs a complete overhaul. And yes it needs upgrades but it’s not the end of the world. The right QB and play calling can mask a lot of deficiencies on the OL.
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
Both Pugh and Mewhort would be upgrades pretty much anywhere across the line but both come with injury issues. I really like Mewhort and I'm surprised at how little interest he's been getting despite coming off injury. I think you could put either guy at RT and try out Henderson/Davenport at LT. With Solder gone we're pretty much at that point.
Have no interest in Fleming. He's just not very good.
Have no interest in Fleming. He's just not very good.
cameronkrazie86
Rookie
Highest paid OL in the game, glad the Texans didn't go there. I would draft nothing but offensive linemen and hope one can be an adequate LT. Much like QBs, keep drafting them til you find one.
Texansballer74
The Marine
Davenport is not the guy right now. So Lamm or ugh Clark will be our LT. Unless we come away with a steal in the daft .
Uncle Rico
Ur apology should be as loud as Ur disrespect was
So I guess even a good amount of cap space and a great young QB wasn't enough to entice prime free agents to consider this team. I wonder why? (Looking dead at you granddragon Robert McNair)
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
How do you know what Davenport will look like this year? This is his 1st real, non-orientation, off-season and he got enough experience last season to highlight exactly what he needs to work on. With solid coaching, he should make a big jump.
Maybe. But if the Texans believed that, would they have chased Solder? Seemed like RT would have been Davenport's spot, had the Texans landed Solder.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
Yes. The two are not mutually exclusive. I wanted Solder as 1st choice too. But everything else in the world aside, Davenport should show significant improvement in his 2nd season. That's the norm in the NFL.
What I'm really concerned about now is SteelB because he had atleast 3 guys (Solder & Norcross & Sutton) penciled in his DC as starting for the Texans in the OLine in September.
I hope whoever resides with him is keeping a close watch, and has removed all sharp objects from the home.
I hope whoever resides with him is keeping a close watch, and has removed all sharp objects from the home.
Texansballer74
The Marine
And it's not a guarantee he will show significant improvement to. From what I seen last year, the youngster has a long way to go.
Porky
Hall of Fame
Well, that sucks. I find it strange myself - Texas have the better QB, better upside, better living conditions, better climate (although that one is debatable) no state income tax, and a world class medical center. If the offers were even in the same ballpark, why the hell do you pick the Giants. It's completely non-nonsensical.
I don't care what y'all say there is no freaking way in hell they will just go oh well, I guess we'll roll with Davenport and hope he becomes a decent LT. Hell no. They will either trade for a vet LT (not an easy thing to do) or more likely, they will target one in the draft and move up to get their guy so at worst, he's insurance if Davenport sucks and depending on the guy, might be a rookie starter or possibly a rotational guy with Davenport and see who develops fastest and best.
Unless they can pull off a trade for a vet, or pull a FA that can play out of a hat that I'm not aware of....I do agree we'll be as green as grass at LT in any event.
Looking at this a different way - that's 15 million/per that can (and BETTER) be re-allocated a different way. They better pull off some deals to strengthen other areas. It would be different if he had last years cap. Let's not forget the Texans have the 5th most to spend. Way more than Jax or Tenn, but while the division foes are making the big splashes from the high dive little Ricky Jr. (aka Gaine) is over at the kiddie pool sitting on the side, afraid to dip his toes into the pool.
We need a safety, another corner, maybe some help at LB or dline, RB, QB, and TE to name a few. And a WR that can be a returner would also be a find. Right now, I'm not impressed. He's being outmaneuvered in a major way. Let's see what the next day or two brings.
I don't care what y'all say there is no freaking way in hell they will just go oh well, I guess we'll roll with Davenport and hope he becomes a decent LT. Hell no. They will either trade for a vet LT (not an easy thing to do) or more likely, they will target one in the draft and move up to get their guy so at worst, he's insurance if Davenport sucks and depending on the guy, might be a rookie starter or possibly a rotational guy with Davenport and see who develops fastest and best.
Unless they can pull off a trade for a vet, or pull a FA that can play out of a hat that I'm not aware of....I do agree we'll be as green as grass at LT in any event.
Looking at this a different way - that's 15 million/per that can (and BETTER) be re-allocated a different way. They better pull off some deals to strengthen other areas. It would be different if he had last years cap. Let's not forget the Texans have the 5th most to spend. Way more than Jax or Tenn, but while the division foes are making the big splashes from the high dive little Ricky Jr. (aka Gaine) is over at the kiddie pool sitting on the side, afraid to dip his toes into the pool.
We need a safety, another corner, maybe some help at LB or dline, RB, QB, and TE to name a few. And a WR that can be a returner would also be a find. Right now, I'm not impressed. He's being outmaneuvered in a major way. Let's see what the next day or two brings.
House of Pain
Wild Speculator
Could someone provide some likely 2nd round OT candidates that could start next year in the draft (or link me to a thread/article that could enlighten me)?
I think the Texans could move up into the 2nd round (probably the late 2nd round) and get a tackle, which may be their best option at this point. I think Davenport has a future, but I don't think it's this year.
I think the Texans could move up into the 2nd round (probably the late 2nd round) and get a tackle, which may be their best option at this point. I think Davenport has a future, but I don't think it's this year.
Uncle Rico
Ur apology should be as loud as Ur disrespect was
Great draft for tackles. Plug and play a young guy that can grow with Watson or hope and wait a veteran gets released closer to the season. Those are the options. Still better wishing an ugly duckling from this roster becomes a swan.
Tyrell Crosby of Oregon is the most likely guy that meets the criteria. Very experienced and technically sound at LT. Not the natural feet of an elite LT, but grinds and gets the job done. Reminds me some of Chester Pitts.
badboy
Hall of Fame
yes there are good OTs going later in the draft but if no signing comes in FA to start at LT would the Texans trade up into first round if Notre Dame's McClinchey drops to second half of first? He is mocked to go to Arizona who has Bradford now.McClinchey has rated very high each year at LT for ND.
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
Cam Fleming...
Historically, these types of contracts never work out for the team that acquires them. Look at some of these from the past few years.
Albert Haynesworth
Nmandi Asoumugha
Mario Williams
Ndjakfldjf Suh
None of these guys had a discernable immediate impact on those teams' fortunes. In fact, none of the guys's teams mentioned above even made the playoffs the following year after they were signed.
The problem is most of you guys have this NBA free agency mentality in thinking that this 1 piece here or there is gonna make or break the team. Short of it being a proven franchise qb (Brees 2006, Manning in 2015), This is mostly not the case in the NFL.
Furthermore Watson isn't a statue qb..he has the ability to really hurt you running so teams aren't gonna be pinning their ears back rushing him hard like they were Savage except in 3rd and super long obvious passing situations. Obviously an above average LT is preferred for any qb, but not necessarily a must for guys like him. & Given that we were below average at LT last year i figure we just need someone who can be average at the position. And we can get that from a rookie in the draft. But if you must have an experienced guy, there are numerous guys on the FA market that would be upgrades to average over below average ass Clark/Lamm.
Historically, these types of contracts never work out for the team that acquires them. Look at some of these from the past few years.
Albert Haynesworth
Nmandi Asoumugha
Mario Williams
Ndjakfldjf Suh
None of these guys had a discernable immediate impact on those teams' fortunes. In fact, none of the guys's teams mentioned above even made the playoffs the following year after they were signed.
The problem is most of you guys have this NBA free agency mentality in thinking that this 1 piece here or there is gonna make or break the team. Short of it being a proven franchise qb (Brees 2006, Manning in 2015), This is mostly not the case in the NFL.
Furthermore Watson isn't a statue qb..he has the ability to really hurt you running so teams aren't gonna be pinning their ears back rushing him hard like they were Savage except in 3rd and super long obvious passing situations. Obviously an above average LT is preferred for any qb, but not necessarily a must for guys like him. & Given that we were below average at LT last year i figure we just need someone who can be average at the position. And we can get that from a rookie in the draft. But if you must have an experienced guy, there are numerous guys on the FA market that would be upgrades to average over below average ass Clark/Lamm.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
It's called developing players and is what you should expect every 3+ round OT (players generally) to go thru.
I'm OK with Davenport at LT. I thought his performances got better as the season progressed. Platoon him at LT with Jeff Allen and sign Sitton or Pugh to play LG. I'd also put Mancz back at C and have Fulton at RG. Have Henderson and rookies battle it out at RT.
Bulls on Parade
2017 Astros: Earn It!
SteelB is likely doing fine: The Astros opening day is only a few weeks away and they have a great chance to win back-to-back World Series titles.
And the Rockets have the best record in the NBA and only 15 regular-season games left before the playoffs start. They could possibly win the 2018 NBA Finals.
The Texans better get it together soon. This is becoming a city of champions! At least with Deshaun Watson coming back we should be able to compete in every game going into the 2018 NFL season. If Watt and Mercilus make a full recovery our front seven on defense will be much better.
I don't think any Houston sports fan is all that worried.
We have a lot to be excited about right now, IMO.
On the flip side, according to you, he's responsible for everything. "That should tell you something. But it won't."
What does the title of VP/Operations, GM mean.
After today it appears to mean you are the McNair's lackey and we ain't spending $$$$ on top dollar FA's.
I still dont think Ricky was good at his job, but after seeing this FA period I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for him.
Agreed,
It looks like the McNair's are up to their old tricks again.
Willing to spend some $$$$ in FA, (more than last yr) but not willing top spend top $$$$ on the best FA's.
I believe this.
Operating in a cheap way instead of a smart way if your goal is to win.
# McNair's
If Colvin is much worse than Butler, were gonna wonder why they didn't pony up the extra few million
There are a dwinling number of good free agents to spend it on
Bulls on Parade
2017 Astros: Earn It!
We couldn't even sign Jimmy Graham.
Where did he end up with. The Packers?
And Malcom Butler: Another guy I had wanted.
The Titans rolled out the red carpet and big bucks for him.
I didn't really think we'd overpay for the top O-Linemen either.
I'm glad we netted Zach Fulton and Seantrel Henderson.
Two better O-Linemen that what we've had, IMO.
Cornerback Aaron Colvin was my Plan C or D, but it's better than nothing.
Where did he end up with. The Packers?
And Malcom Butler: Another guy I had wanted.
The Titans rolled out the red carpet and big bucks for him.
I didn't really think we'd overpay for the top O-Linemen either.
I'm glad we netted Zach Fulton and Seantrel Henderson.
Two better O-Linemen that what we've had, IMO.
Cornerback Aaron Colvin was my Plan C or D, but it's better than nothing.
I loved that FA-period with JoJo and Manning, because that year we went out and spend big bucks on some of the best FA. And I think we got the top defense of the league the next year. That was the only FA I really felt ecstatic about.
I really had high hopes this year - because we have so much capspace and even cleared out more with Cushing. Plus Watson injected so much life into this stagnant Franchise. When some of the biggest names flew of, I thought: well they will break the bank for Solder. But it seems like they weren't ready to spend, what NY spent. And that's disappointing. Everybody knew that there is a good possibility, that Solder gets that Kind of contract. If you are not ready to offer that, sign someone else (we would still have enough to make a run at him).
Right now we got some good role Players - but no difference makers. The Jaguars got a difference maker, the Titans got some. We don't. Even with all that cap space.
But the FA period is not over. Still hoping for Fuller or Gaines...
I really had high hopes this year - because we have so much capspace and even cleared out more with Cushing. Plus Watson injected so much life into this stagnant Franchise. When some of the biggest names flew of, I thought: well they will break the bank for Solder. But it seems like they weren't ready to spend, what NY spent. And that's disappointing. Everybody knew that there is a good possibility, that Solder gets that Kind of contract. If you are not ready to offer that, sign someone else (we would still have enough to make a run at him).
Right now we got some good role Players - but no difference makers. The Jaguars got a difference maker, the Titans got some. We don't. Even with all that cap space.
But the FA period is not over. Still hoping for Fuller or Gaines...
The season isn't over, but even you have to admit the Texans have fallen further behind the Tacks/Jags.
TheRealJoker
Hall of Fame
Wonder if we’ll look at taking Orlando Brown in the upcoming draft if he’s at our pick?
1st round prospect at LT before horrendous combine. Showed small improvements across board at pro day.
1st round prospect at LT before horrendous combine. Showed small improvements across board at pro day.
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
Ol' Steelb....
There's no correlation i'm aware of that shows the more you spend the more you're likely to win. Given what the premier team in the last decade in a half has done (Pats), the trend is actually quite the opposite.
Bulls on Parade
2017 Astros: Earn It!
If Deshaun Watson is healthy we're going to compete in 2018. Watson is ahead of schedule and he may participate in all of the off-season drills. With #4 on the field I am confident we can play with anybody, including the Titans and Jaguars. We need to see if Watt and Mercilus can make a full recovery as well.
It's all health. If healthy, we're not that bad of a team.
And that's taking into account last year's weak offensive line.
We added a couple new upgrades already, IMO.
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
Ok Texans/Gaine...go get LG, Pugh and RT, Fleming to help shore this OL up. Fulton should be signed. That would be 3 decent OL FA's. Like I mentioned earlier, the Texans will be signing RT, Henderson and I wouldn't hesitate to give the same offer to LT, Robinson.
LT- Robinson or Davenport
LG- Pugh
OC- Mancz or Martin
RG- Fulton
RT- Fleming
OT- Davenport or Robinson
OT- Henderson
C/G- Martin or Mancz
G/C- Fuller
This OL won't be as expensive but it will be an upgrade over last season. Toss in a couple of draft picks and the table is still set 2018, with 3 picks in the first two rounds of 2019 still in their back pocket. This could be made to work.
LT- Robinson or Davenport
LG- Pugh
OC- Mancz or Martin
RG- Fulton
RT- Fleming
OT- Davenport or Robinson
OT- Henderson
C/G- Martin or Mancz
G/C- Fuller
This OL won't be as expensive but it will be an upgrade over last season. Toss in a couple of draft picks and the table is still set 2018, with 3 picks in the first two rounds of 2019 still in their back pocket. This could be made to work.
Bulls on Parade
2017 Astros: Earn It!
We can win with what we have already. Just need to stay healthy.
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
The Tacks are the tacks & in 2 years the Titans will be loathing the contracts they gave to Butler & Lewis & will be trying to come up with money to pay Mariota.............. & still will have gotten no closer to a SB.
The Jags are in the same boat. They've got about a 2 year window before it all starts to come apart. After that they'll either be in cap hell or the disassembly of their vaunted defense in a few years will begin b/c there's no way they'll be able to keep Campbell, Dareus, Jackson & pay Ramsey, Jack, Fowler, Ngaukoe & Bouye. Something will have to give. & that's just the defense. I suspect that they won't be any closer to a SB either.
This is the exact way the McNair's have run this franchise into the ground.
And the Texans will be exactly where they are today, with 2 more yrs of Watson's rookie contract gone. Unless they get really lucky in the draft.
Uncle Rico
Ur apology should be as loud as Ur disrespect was
Draft. Develop. Resign. Yup I understand the concept, but sadly this team rarely follows that basic blueprint with quality talent. Instead they leave fans hoping that 7th rounders become integral parts of the team. Nothing wrong with wishing I guess.
Uncle Rico
Ur apology should be as loud as Ur disrespect was
Free agency isn't like buying a car. These guys need to have a desire to be here apart from the money. That is the curious part. What is making these top FAs ignore Houston?
Maybe they were waiting on solder. Let’s see what happens now.
Watson will probably get killed.
Lets look at these upgrades.
Fulton, an avg interior OL. Yes an upgrade, but not the type of guy that's going to be a differencemaker.
Henderson, a guy who's 1 strike away from missing the entire yr. An upgrade, sure, to hopefully avg, but certainly not a game changer.
What do these 2 guys have in common besides hopefully being extremely avg? They signed for cheap comparatively speaking. # McNair's
amazing80
Hall of Fame
lmao did you think we were going to field 22 superstars?
Some of you need a reality check on free agency. We are upgrading, but not possible to sign every top-tier player on the Earth. Shut up and wait for free agency to actually open
Or maybe it's how OB builds the offense.
The defense looks fine. Pretty good actually. The offense is a mess every year.
I'm OK with Davenport at LT. I thought his performances got better as the season progressed. Platoon him at LT with Jeff Allen and sign Sitton or Pugh to play LG. I'd also put Mancz back at C and have Fulton at RG. Have Henderson and rookies battle it out at RT.
An improved OL and a healthy starting front 7 and DW4 and the Texans are a legitimate force. They are, quite literally, a couple of players away from being contenders.
Watson is going to get killed with that plan.
Remember what I told y'all before last yr, the OL hasn't really changed that much unless Henderson is a stud. He will be playing LT next season, provided he doesn't get suspended. I hope he's up to the task. He's got talent. Gotta get a starting RT in the draft, even if it means trading up.
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
That should be the plan....but the Texans have failed miserably at drafting the developmental talent in the middle rounds. The mid-round talent is what allows teams to get through the FA's they signed but usually have outs by the conclusion of the second or third years....about the time that developmental talent should be ready to step in or the talent failed to evolve and the team was forced to use a high draft pick on the position. Planning....planning and more planning.
Uncle Rico
Ur apology should be as loud as Ur disrespect was
When you have 70M in cap space and glaring needs it's natural to want to sign at least 1 top FA no? Problem for Houston is free agency ended for them before it began. Optimism though, next year we'll have even more money or maybe the year after that. You know the modus operandi of this team. Patience keeps you mediocre in the NFL, proactive teams are the ones that flourish .
We need a couple players (if not 3) on the OL alone.
If they thought Davenport was the answer, they wouldn't have gone so hard after Solder. Unless they get lucky in the draft the OL is going to suck again next yr and I'm calling it right now, Watson wont make it thru the whole season.