Keep Texans Talk Google Ad Free!
Venmo Tip Jar | Paypal Tip Jar
Thanks for your support! 🍺😎👍

Ranking Our Needs

TexanAddict

TexanAddict

Texan 'til I Die
Most of the talk of late, on these boards and in the paper, regarding our team has centered around Reggie and Vince, a RB and QB, two positions not in dire need of an upgrade, relatively speaking. I would like to see where everyone else feels the largest derth of talent lies on this team, per position. Here's my take, with #1 being of the highest priority:

1. C (McKinney is pretty bad, Hodgdon didn't have time to prove himself before injury)
2(tie). TE
2(tie). DE (in 4-3 Babin might be OK weak, Peek situational but that's it)
4. G (Wiegert is adequate, rest are mostly career backups unless they progress)
5. T (Pitts has played well, who knows what Wand is capabe of, Wade is just a body to run around)
6. FS
7. MLB (Wong might fill this role needs to be seen)
8. CB (DRob is top tier, PBuc and Faggins may only be Nickel quality)
9. WR (AJ is a beast, Mathis has potential, need a sure #2)
10. OLB
11. SS
12. RB (DD has proven he can do the job when healthy)
13. QB (DC may never be an all-star but has shown flashes when upright)
14. K (until last season Brown was almost a guarantee)
15. P
16. FB
17. DT (surplus after the switch to 4-3)

I'm not advocating that free agents and draft picks should be signed in this order, just hoping that the FO at least atempts to upgrade those positions most lacking in talent during the offseason.:twocents:
 
Not a bad list at all, but I'd rank the needs a little differently:
1. DE - We really need a better pass-rushing and/or bigger run stopping DE for the 4-3
2. OG - I think we were weaker at OG than at OC.
3. OT - Todd Wade should not be a starting RT for us anymore, and we could always use a guy that can compete with Pitts for the LT spot.
4. TE - A pass-catching TE is a big need for our offense unless we are certain that Joppru will last thru the year, and I"m definitely not certain of that.
5. MLB - We need a true MLB for our 4-3 defense, Wong is serviceable but it would be better to get a true MLB.
6. FS - We need a S that is better in pass coverage, Brown and Earl played pretty well together at the end of last season but neither can cover very well.
7. CB - We need to look at getting an athletic CB that can actually cover a receiver.
8. WR - Johnson is a beast, Gaffney is solid, Mathis is fast but I'm not sure if he'll ever be our #2, we could use a more solid #2 WR but our group is ok.
9. OC - Hodgdon looked pretty good, I'm not sold on him being our long-term guy there but he's good enough for now.
10. OLB - Wong and Greenwood should be ok, but we could use an upgrade, although with their contracts it isn't a viable option this year.
11. SS - Brown and Earl are fairly solid but we could use a more athletic, bigger hitter, but it's not of huge importance to us.
12. P - Stanley is one of the better accuracy punters in the league but doesn't have a real big leg. Maybe with a better offense he'll be more useful.
13. K - Brown has been decent throughout his career but lately he hasn't looked so great. His contract makes him had to move this season.
14. RB - We have a pretty solid group, I'm not sure Wells is coming back and we could use a more true power RB and/or a speedy RB.
15. QB - I think Carr is a solid QB and should do very well with Kubiak at the helm.
16. FB - Norris is a good blocking FB, could maybe use another one that is a more capable runner.
17. DT - We have more than we need for a 4-3 defense.
 
TexanAddict said:
Most of the talk of late, on these boards and in the paper, regarding our team has centered around Reggie and Vince, a RB and QB, two positions not in dire need of an upgrade, relatively speaking. I would like to see where everyone else feels the largest derth of talent lies on this team, per position. Here's my take, with #1 being of the highest priority:

1. C (McKinney is pretty bad, Hodgdon didn't have time to prove himself before injury)
2(tie). TE
2(tie). DE (in 4-3 Babin might be OK weak, Peek situational but that's it)
4. G (Wiegert is adequate, rest are mostly career backups unless they progress)
5. T (Pitts has played well, who knows what Wand is capabe of, Wade is just a body to run around)
6. FS
7. MLB (Wong might fill this role needs to be seen)
8. CB (DRob is top tier, PBuc and Faggins may only be Nickel quality)
9. WR (AJ is a beast, Mathis has potential, need a sure #2)
10. OLB
11. SS
12. RB (DD has proven he can do the job when healthy)
13. QB (DC may never be an all-star but has shown flashes when upright)
14. K (until last season Brown was almost a guarantee)
15. P
16. FB
17. DT (surplus after the switch to 4-3)

I'm not advocating that free agents and draft picks should be signed in this order, just hoping that the FO at least atempts to upgrade those positions most lacking in talent during the offseason.:twocents:
Click to expand...

IMO, the Texans top needs are:
Center
TE
DE/LB
Safety/CB

What will be fun to watch is whether the defensive needs outweigh the offensive needs. If the coaches believe they have an offense that just needs better coaching, we could see a draft that pulls mostly defensive players.
 
El Tejano said:
When does FA start?
Click to expand...

It's supposed to start on March 3, although there have been rumors that if the new CBA hasn't been signed by then that they might delay free agency until April while they try to finalize the deal, but that is just speculation right now and it is supposed to start March 3.
 
my choices are:

MLB - wong and greenwood are good OLB's in a 4-3. we need an absolute beast to smother the run and force some turnovers. we need to improve on turnonver differential.

TE - we have absolutely no recieving threat at TE, and that hurt carr. without that TE, DB's will just double up the WR's. whoever is our QB next season will need to have that safety valve. draft david thomas in the later rounds!

CB - dunta is a stud, but he will need a running mate next to him to be the 2nd option. pbuc and DF are solid nickels and nothing more.

DE - babin should be good, but peek is a tad erratic in run coverage. he is nothing more than a situational pass rusher. do i smell john abraham?

OL - i think the schemes under kubiaks regime will make more sense to the players. i refuse to believe that our o-line is that bad, considering how we kept mckinney and pitts for all 4 yrs and wiegert for 3. my o-line would look like this: LT - runyan LG - pitts C- Hogdon RG - mckinney RT- wiegert

DT - surplus. good thing? i think it can be, bc of better depth, but i feel that once again, travis johnson would be the odd man out, and i would love to see his nasty presence in the game on a regular basis. i think payne was better than i expected, and robaire? it sucks. too many DT's!
 
travfrancis said:
1. DE
2. MLB
3. TE
4. OL
5. CB
6. FS
7. #2 WR

it really is amazing how many huge holes we have
Click to expand...

Several of our posters, myself included, do not think things are as dire as that. Many of our problems IMHO was due to inept coaching.

Some reinforcement comes from the nflldraftblitz.com site: The following article suggests as much.


"In conclusion, it's of note how much the Texans need help on defense. But don't be fooled, many of these areas are places for upgrades, not glaring or gaping holes that are causing this team to fall. While this team is still a year or two away, there is enough talent on this team to make it more of a winner, and get out of the top 10 of the draft."

Entire Article
 
cuppacoffee said:
Several of our posters, myself included, do not think things are as dire as that. Many of our problems IMHO was due to inept coaching.

Some reinforcement comes from the nflldraftblitz.com site: The following article suggests as much.


"In conclusion, it's of note how much the Texans need help on defense. But don't be fooled, many of these areas are places for upgrades, not glaring or gaping holes that are causing this team to fall. While this team is still a year or two away, there is enough talent on this team to make it more of a winner, and get out of the top 10 of the draft."

Entire Article
Click to expand...


i agree. u can only do so much in 1 offseason. besides, i think we will be okay at WR and FS. i like glenn earl. might as well save ur breath.
 
cuppacoffee said:
Several of our posters, myself included, do not think things are as dire as that. Many of our problems IMHO was due to inept coaching.
Click to expand...

I agree that this team is not chock full of gaping holes. The tread was started to show where perhaps our focus for offseason upgrades should lie, instead of the overanalysis of two players who play positions where we already have some talent present. More to get a read on where other people believe we are in the most need of improved talent than anything else.
 
Agree with CuppaCoffee and others who have stated that we are not a team full of "glaring" holes, but we have sufficient talent across the board that has been mismanaged, with a handful of positions in need of upgrade and others that could benefit substantially but aren't "must-change" at this time.

Pretty much agree with Mork's list, though if P-Buc doesn't start showing up I will move CB up that list. Not sure who's going to replace him this year though.

I think Rivers is a good receiving TE. Athletic, not fast but not slow, pretty sure hands. I think part of our issue at TE last year was playcalling, Capers and Co. seemed to use TE as an extra OL and rarely sent them out, and when doing so more of an afterthought than an actual throw-him-the-ball option.

I too would like to see a monster DE (Williams?). I agree that Peek as a Robert Mathis type situational rusher who is probably not a real run stopper on the DL, though I still like him at OLB, though Orr/Babin/Greenwood will be competing for that spot.
 
TexanFanInCC said:
i agree. u can only do so much in 1 offseason. besides, i think we will be okay at WR and FS. i like glenn earl. might as well save ur breath.
Click to expand...

I also believe that WR and SS aren't the most pressing areas this team needs to address, that is why they are so low on my own list of priorities, FS is another story. However, I believe for our team to improve some steps must be done to upgrade some of the positions at the top of my list. I'm not suggesting the entire team needs an overhaul.
 
All I have heard since Boselli was selected, "We need a left O.T." The MB has had like hundreds of threads about the OLine. Where are those people now?
 
TheOgre said:
Ranking our needs:
1. Wins
2. Higher turnover ratio
3. Fewer sacks allowed
4. More sacks created

:drool:
Click to expand...

Ogre this is good stuff. How about switching Sacks allowed and turnover ratio though.
 
I think De is more important than TE. Bennie will play this year I feel he finally get on the field and make some noise.:superman:
 
travfrancis said:
1. DE
2. MLB
3. TE
4. OL
5. CB
6. FS
7. #2 WR

it really is amazing how many huge holes we have
Click to expand...
1. LT - Pitts does not have the feet to play LT. Pitts looked good last year because everyone was comparing him to Victor Riely(sp), who was really, really bad. Pitts is our best lineman, but needs to be moved back to his natural position, guard.
2. MLB, FS, C - I think these are obvious choices here.
3. TE - Rivers caught a few passes and looked pretty good at the end of the year. I don't think he is a starter in the NFL, but it was nice to see someone make a play at TE. Some of the problems we have at TE can be traced back to coaching and poor line play.
4. Pretty much an upgrade for the rest of the team. We have a few players who can play at a starting level, AJ and DRob, come to mind, but for the most part, we have a bunch of second string and situational players.

While I don't want to discount how bad the coaching was here last year, you don't get to 2-14 with quality starters. This team took a major step backwards last year after the loss of Sharper and Glenn, the team leaders. Usually, someone steps up and takes over the leadership role, unfortunately, that didn't happen. As if I need to remind everyone, the lack of leadership was most obvious in the second half of games last year when be blew several leads. This team has learned how to lose and live with it. It time for a fire sale. This team is three to four years away from competing for a Conference Championship.
 
TexanAddict said:
12. RB (DD has proven he can do the job when healthy)
13. QB (DC may never be an all-star but has shown flashes when upright)
Click to expand...

How much better will we be if we replace our #13th need with a rookie QB? What if we upgrade our #12 need from pretty damn good, to possibly better?

We are YEARS away from being competitive.
 
Ok, here goes the way I see it, and a brief explanation on why I see it that way.

1st MLB, this is by far our biggest need. Wong may be servicable, but the thing is who do we have that will back him up. This position is integral to the 4-3 and personally I don't care where it comes from but this needs to be addressed either through FA (an upgrade) or the draft (depth).

2nd OG, half the guards we have are overpaid and getting old. Weary is serviceable and Brown is hopefully gone. This position needs an influx of youth and quality.

3rd DE, Peek and Babin may be serviceable, but again depth and upgrade would really go a long way. If we can attain a DE in FA that would be better because I think next yrs. DE class looks very strong, but whatever just get help here.

4th TE, We have plenty of depth here so what we really need is an upgrade. While it would be great for Joppru to come out of his funky injuries and dazzle us, personally I am tired of waiting for him. We need help here Joppru would be a bonus but help here would be nice.

5th CB, I don't know what Buchanon will be capable of or any of our current cb's outside of Robinson so I think this area could use some help. To be honest Pbuc does ok in zone sometimes but his man to man really needs to improve, I think we should target someone who excells at man to man.

6th C, I like Hodgdon, but depth would be nice.

7th OT, Pitts and Wand may surprise people but depth never hurts.

8th QB, Nothing againts Carr, it's the backups that scare me, maybe I'm wrong but they look like L's waiting to happen standing there on the sideline.

9th WRs, We may already have our #2 receiver and not know it yet, which is what I would like to believe, but I could be wrong. That's why this position is where it is.

10th RB's This group is an above average group. We could get by without help here, but really what fun is it to just get by.

11th Safeties, I like Earl and Brown, alot. Yes I may be a little bias, but only thing we could really use here is some depth.

12th DT's, We have a surplus of talent here, enough so that I would seriously consider putting some of these guys on the trading block.

Well that's how I see it. Let me know what you all think.
 
1. OG - Our guards give up a lot of inside pressure; Carr often lacks a pocket to step into because guys are always in his face.

2. DE - If our former OLBs can get their weight up, this may not be that important. But most likely Peek will just be a pass rush specialist, leaving one side open. If Babin can play SDE, Peek could possibly get by on the other side.

3. TE - It's a shame Joppru didn't work out, but we have to get Carr a safety valve to compesate for our O-line. Rivers has the dropsies and can't really be counted on to be that player. I'm not asking for Antonio Gates, but at least someone functional.

4. OT - Pitts could be the real deal; he played well, but our 3-step drop game hid a lot of weaknesses. Regardless of Pitts' quality, we need someone to handle the other side. I'm a Brick advocate, but I do see the kinks in implementing him. Can Pitts or D'Brick play RT? Can Pitts make the move back to guard? If Pitts can do the latter, then he fills up a guard spot, D'Brick locks up LT, and we could easily snatch a RT later in the draft.

5. LB - We don't need outstanding speed, strength, or athleticism here. All we need is someone who can tackle. The way our defense missed tackles was absolutely disgusting. Wong's return could help the group a lot - his injury was one reason our run D was trash, but I was in awe when I saw the way opposing offenses brushed by our guys.

6. CB - The way an All-American shutdown corner from Miami could fall off the way P-Buch did will eternally perplex me. I'll always be hopeful that the guy will turn the corner and become the player he was supposed to be, but the FO can't count on that. Someone has to handle the other side of the field.

7. S - C.C. Brown has heart, but he doesn't fit the role of a FS. He's best competing with Earl at SS. Coleman is all but gone, so we need a cover safety that can save us the heartbreaking deep plays and give our CBs a little room for error. We could address this spot in FA.

8. WR - A solid group of A.J., Gaffney, Mathis, and Armstrong. A beast, a burner, and a couple of possesion guys makes up a nice taem of role players. We won't need to deal with this unless Gaffney and/or Armstrong is let go.

9. RB - If we don't bring Wells back, then this will have looked at. We will need a new bruiser back to replace him. We should re-sign Wells in all likelihood: he's a good runner and outstanding special teamer.

10. QB - We may just need another journeyman backup for Carr, but otherwise we're fine here. This will be Carr's last shot at proving he can lead the team. If he fails on his own shortcomings, he's gone. Even if the line still can't protect him, he may still go.

11. K - We can't really move Kris Brown right now, but I don't mind him staying. It seemed like the Titans game shattered his confidence, and I'm not talking about the shank. He started getting too worried about getting the kick off because of fear of it getting blocked. Rushing caused him to lose his mechanics. He should bounce back this year.

12. P - Chad Stanley is fine here.

13. FB - Norris is a good blocker, and IMO he didn't get enough touches under Capers. We should see more of him in Kubiak's offense.

14. DT - We have too many for the 4-3.
 
I won't do an entire run down, as most of my opinion has been reflected in previous posts.
I will say that i think DE is our most pressing need.
We already have players that have potential at all of the other positions, but we don't have anyone who fits in as a true 4-3 DE.
 
Interestingly we have spent 12 months saying we need a franchise left T yet not all of us have said that's our most pressing need.
Not only that for most of the posts neither QB or RB are near the top yet we're debating Young v Bush.

Personally think we do need a LT, move Pitts to RG, McKinney to LG, Weigert to RT, and draft a C.

We also need some DE's and a FS.

I'd be inclined to give Mathis a shot at number 2 wr, hopefully Joppru can be the TE we need so we dont need to use a high pick on one.
 
Meloy said:
All I have heard since Boselli was selected, "We need a left O.T." The MB has had like hundreds of threads about the OLine. Where are those people now?
Click to expand...

They are still about - its just that a lot think there are more pressing needs within the team. I still think we need a LT and a C.
 
RT
LG
C
RG
LT
K
TE
QB
WR
RB

Where is the Defense you ask? Not until I see in half dried cement what scheme we are playing next year as it is difficult to say what we need.
 
Meloy said:
All I have heard since Boselli was selected, "We need a left O.T." The MB has had like hundreds of threads about the OLine. Where are those people now?
Click to expand...


i am one of those people....i want brick...but i am leaving the door open to the possibility that all the coaches were just so bad..with mouth wide open ,frantically scribbling...that maybe ...just maybe the line wasn't as bad as it seemed...i don't know...either we are so bad we are just fooling ouselves ...or we really aren't that bad..is pitts an LT? or LG? will babin be ok at DE? or hell even OLB? i don't know my head is still spinning...can Pbuch be THAT bad...i mean we heard how he takes too many risks...all i saw was him floating around in a trash zone with no passrush...i say get a starter and for the love of God get a TE...and lets see how bad we are...you can waffle on every single player in my opinion except AJ and DROB...sure we have the paynes and greenwoods of the world but they can be upgraded right? or do they need to be....i still hate capers..as a coach
 
Right now I'm going like this:

OG - We need someone we can count on to get us that 1 yard on 3rd and short
CB - Sorry, but Dunta is not a #1 CB right now
RT - We need a consistant person here
TE - Still looking for that all around player
WR - Bradford isn't it, and Gaffney can't handily take over as the #2
SS - We need a more aggressive and talented safety, a QB for the defense that can make up for getting burned.
QB - Carr's number is going to be up somewhere down the road whether it be injury because of lack of a pass protection, or he just can't come together with the horrible offense. We need a backup plan, but not a Young backup plan. And as much as some people wanted to see what Banks could, they got their wish last year and saw that Banks was a terrible backup QB.
 
SESupergenius said:
OG - We need someone we can count on to get us that 1 yard on 3rd and short
Click to expand...

Three seasons ago we used a jumbo line-up with an extra tackle playing tight end in those situations and it was pretty effective. We got away from that the last couple of years though - must not have been in Pendry's offensive playbook.

At the risk of turning this thread into something I dread, it would be interesting to see that line-up again, especially if we had a multi-faceted back that could split wide if the defense reacted to the jumbo line-up with lots of heavies themselves and few DBs.
 
I'm not even saying we need a 355 pound mammoth, just someone who can get the job done. I was surprised last year how many times we couldn't get that 1 yard running to the left. Most people were looking at the lack of pass rushing, but this was a glaring weakness to me.


Runner- Put the feet back on
 
SESupergenius said:
Runner- Put the feet back on
Click to expand...

I don't know, my bad habits are taking over and I'm doing more smokin' and drinkin' than runnin' lately.
 
SESupergenius said:
OG - We need someone we can count on to get us that 1 yard on 3rd and short
Click to expand...

I think we need an Oline to keep us from losing 15 on 2nd and 10 before we even think about how nice it would be to have a 3rd and short. :sarcasm:
 
I think we can grab a good TE *cough* Dave Thomas *cough* in the second or third.

I think when it comes to the LT position, if we could get D'brick it would be awesome but Pitts has shown he can hold that position down if we just keep him in one spot for more than one season. However, I agree that getting DBrick gives us alot of versatility.

Are any of Kubiak's previous backs FA's? I wonder how those guys would do if they reunited with Kubiak. I am still holding out on hope for Morency, I think he can be a player. I want Wells back though. Who knows, maybe Morency is trade bait.
 
First, TRADE DOWN to the 3rd pick to draft Bush because New Orleans and Titans will HAVE TO take a QB since nobody will go to Superdome without YOUNG. My guess is that Matt L will go to Tennessee unless they are going to let McNair use a walker on the field. Even if we do NOT get BUSH... we ought to get somebody in the later first rounds that can run. SO;

1) TRADE, DRAFT, OR USE FREE AGENCY for a STARTING WIDE RECEIVER that can GET OPEN (DUMP Bradford & see if you can get something of value for Gaffney and/or Armstrong) Mathis is still a project.

BOTTOM LINE: TWO great wide receivers that are fast, agile, and CAN CATCH WILL AUTOMATICALLY make your quarterback and O-line better!

2) DRAFT the BEST offensive lineman available (Dump Wand)... or get a FREE AGENT FIX now. I do not know how bad our defense was... but the were on the field ALL THE TIME!!! The offense needs to do something other than "three and out".

3) DRAFT a RUNNING BACK in the early rounds that is is faster than the speed of light. (Dump Hollings and Wells with the intent to use Morency and DD for now while we address the offensive line.) We need to keep our opponents safeties off balance with the fear of the big run...

4) TRADE for somebody's starting CORNERBACK (dump P Buc immediately)... you get more sacks if the wide receivers are covered (ask D. Carr)

5) DRAFT THE FASTEST, MOST MANICAL DEFENSIVE lineman available. (Dump: GREENWOOD, Orr and EVANS) because we need an ANIMAL and we have too many nice guys playing defense!

6) DRAFT a TIGHT END (Dump Jopporu and Bruener) to back up Rivers.

Logic on this draft and the season needs to be STRATEGIC, not emotional. Changing defenses guaranttees we are going to blow some coverage and containment assignments and given an entirely new coaching staff ...we better treat this as a rebuilding year. (As an owner, I would like to load up the new coaches with all the accountability for performance in the next 2-3 years. That is easier to do based on their choices- not Capers. (I am freaked that Casserly still has a job though.)

I'm advocating high number of draft picks could be negotiated as a result of trading down. We do not have a winning tradition in place yet... and I am patient if we are at least competitive next year.
 
Spoda said:
i am one of those people.... my head is still spinning...can Pbuch be THAT bad...i mean we heard how he takes too many risks...all i saw was him floating around in a trash zone with no passrush...i say get a starter and for the love of God get a TE...and lets see how bad we are...you can waffle on every single player in my opinion except AJ and DROB...sure we have the paynes and greenwoods of the world but they can be upgraded right? or do they need to be....i still hate capers..as a coach
Click to expand...

You are right on so many points (yes P. Buch is that bad, T.E.- Rivers is going to be somebody and the upgrades... I thought Greenwood was a little weak. but especially for hating on Capers as a coach. ARE you freaking about Casserly too? I am.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top