Ryan Mallett traded to Texans

[sandman]

18 pages in 14 hours. Surely there have been other threads that grew faster, but this is the fastest I've ever seen.

So, anyone bring up that Mallett is a FA when the season ends? Hate that Bellichick will be picking his new player while Mallett is already on another team.

Perspective. It's a 7th round pick. Two years from now. It's a low low LOW risk to find out if he is who they thought he was. If he is, then you pay the FA price tag gladly. If not, you let him walk with having lost very little in return.

In the 45 years I've been on this planet, only 3 players from the 5th round and lower have ever had been inducted into the HoF. The Texans were not going to find their [fill in position of need] of the future with this pick. And neither will Bilichek.

 

[The Pencil Neck]

18 pages in 14 hours. Surely there have been other threads that grew faster, but this is the fastest I've ever seen.

So, anyone bring up that Mallett is a FA when the season ends? Hate that Bellichick will be picking his new player while Mallett is already on another team.

If Mallett stinks up the place, then next year Belichick gets nothing and we can decide whether we want Mallett to be our backup or whether to let him go. And then the NEXT year (2016), Belichick gets a 7th rounder.

If Mallett plays well, then Belichick drafts a 6th rounder next year (2015) while we're having to make a decision on what to pay Mallett to keep him. Which is actually a good decision to have to make. Especially if he's so good that a lot of people want his services.

 

[Marshall]

The question is, though, what will he be HERE?

For a 7th round draft choice in 2016, it sounds like he's a backup to Fitzpatrick. I mean, if OB expected Mallett to be a Franchise guy, surely he'd give up more than a 7th to get him.

Even for a 2015 6th round draft choice, it doesn't sound like he's the QB of the future or anything. Not at that price.

Unless OBSmith pulled off the trade of the century.

Did we just pay a 6th round draft pick to upgrade our backup QB or our starting QB?

Uncertainty is probably all we can ask. If you can get a FRANCHISE QB for a 7th, then it's better than that SAME FRANCHISE guy for a first, second, third and so on. But UNCERTAINTY makes him available for that seventh.

I suspect that his potential is there or he wouldn't have hung around through three cut dates already in NE and OB/RS thought enough of him to give up ANYTHING with a cut and first shot on the waiver looming. He must have thought there was at least a chance another team would trade SOMETHING to bypass the waiver wire.

I'm willing to take a chance and I'm as cynical as anyone else. But I am a FAN for my team and not what some of you are. When you HOPE to fail, you're something else.

 

[Nitrofish]

He's got the Schaub look working.

And who sez McNair won't hire bad boyz..??
:vincepalm:

Shouldn't that be spelled dumm thug if accurate?

Yeah right. Half of Houston fans treat two years of damn good overall football with division titles with scorn and work to claim it's meaningless. It's sad. Houston really needs to learn to enjoy the moments as they come to you and get some friggin' perspective.

The gold ring wouldn't be special if it was easy to grab.

We're about to have some interesting times. I think people are foolish to be looking to next year's draft for a QB. OB just put together siblings of unrealized potential with huge arms. He backed his bet. Let's see how it rolls. Both these guys were drafted far below their talent level because of off the field issues.

msr

I am. Their Fantasy Jihad Leagues are booming, year round. It's just that their roster turnover happens a lot quicker than it does in the western world.

Best post of the day!

I don't know about all that. I've no doubt there are pockets of fans that behave the way you're making them out but the general lot that I've come across all over town aren't quite so loyal or appreciative merely of effort. And they're far more likely to play the role of Henny Penny until a winning streak or a playoff berth is embarked and then it's off on an Academy raid to start showing off their new found unwavering loyalty.

It really is the hip sports thing in Houston to be the most cynical fan around so as to cry "I told you so" the loudest when they lose, but to then to turn around and bust out the biggest foam finger when the ball bounces our way.

Agree

Case Keenum had a poor camp and didn't fit the system.

Mallett move is low risk. He is better than Keenum for this system and increases competition for the QB group as someone who knows the terminology. If he sucks, good bye, and if he's good, the team and him may find it mutually advantageous to put together a contract for him to stay.

Don't have high expectations, but clearly O'Brien is more familiar with him than I am. No downside.

Now if they can replace Ryan Fitzpatrick with Jeff George they'd have the all time arm strength QB team. /this is a joke

Thanks Steph! MSR

 

[The Pencil Neck]

In the 45 years I've been on this planet, only 3 players from the 5th round and lower have ever had been inducted into the HoF. The Texans were not going to find their [fill in position of need] of the future with this pick. And neither will Bilichek.

Where are you getting that stat from... because... it's wrong.

There were 3-4 UDFAs inducted in the HOF in the past 45 years, who played in the past 45 years, let alone guys that were actually drafted and played during that period.

 

[Marshall]

How exactly would that be saying something about myself when there are like five other boards I visit daily, none of which I use the ignore function even remotely close to the amount I use it here?

That makes absolutely zero sense.

Perhaps it says you don't like listening to negative waves. It's not a terrible thing. There is an abundance of that here so it makes sense to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuStsFW4EmQ

 

[sandman]

Where are you getting that stat from... because... it's wrong.

There were 3-4 UDFAs inducted in the HOF in the past 45 years, who played in the past 45 years, let alone guys that were actually drafted and played during that period.

Pro Football Hall of Fame website. Yes I do understand that there were HoFers drafted in later rounds that were still playing in the last 45 years. There have only been three players drafted IN the last 45 years in the 5th round or later that have been inducted into the HoF:

Mike Webster - 5th round drafted 1974
Shannon Sharp - 7th round drafted 1990
Richard Dent - 8th round drafted 1983

As far as UDFA goes, Jim Langer (1970) and John Randle (1990) are the only two that legitimately count. Warren Moon went undrafted, but went to the CFL for 6 years. He was signed as a FA based on his success in the CFL, not a rookie UDFA. There are no others.

And yes, I understand that there are probably current players or recently retired and not yet eligible to get voted on that will probably make it.

So a total of 5 guys (so far) that have beaten the odds.

My point is that any angst over giving up a 7th round pick in this situation is like having angst that the guy in front of you picked the scratch off game ticket at the Valero that you wanted. The odds that he will get rich instead of you are not worth it.

 

[ObsiWan]

Yeah right. Half of Houston fans treat two years of damn good overall football with division titles with scorn and work to claim it's meaningless. It's sad. Houston really needs to learn to enjoy the moments as they come to you and get some friggin' perspective.

The gold ring wouldn't be special if it was easy to grab.

We're about to have some interesting times. I think people are foolish to be looking to next year's draft for a QB. OB just put together siblings of unrealized potential with huge arms. He backed his bet. Let's see how it rolls. Both these guys were drafted far below their talent level because of off the field issues.

I think you're trying to revive the Sunshine Club

For the record, I was a card-carrying member during the Kubiak times - even rode Schaub's arm to my FFL championship one of those years .

I'll re-up but it's more because of the potential of the defense and our running game.

I'll need to see which Fitzpatrick shows up before I buy into the offense. I don't expect to see either of the backups unless injury to Fitz happens.

 

[DocBar]

Evaluating Ryan Mallett

How do you properly evaluate someone that has thrown four regular season passes in the past three NFL seasons?

That's the dilemma in analyzing Ryan Mallett, who was acquired by the Texans via trade on Sunday. Texans head coach Bill O'Brien has already named Ryan Fitzpatrick as the team's starter, so it is presumed that Mallett will compete with 2014 fourth round pick Tom Savage for the backup quarterback position.

 

[Sigma]

Evaluating Ryan Mallett

Reading that I had the impression that the journalist was pushig the reader to believe trading for Mallett was a great move.

I didn't want him here, but that's because of his pricetag.

Anyway, since the price we paid in the end was much lower, I can't see this being a problem anymore.

 

[DocBar]

Reading that I had the impression that the journalist was pushig the reader to believe trading for Mallett was a great move.

I didn't want him here, but that's because of his pricetag.

Anyway, since the price we paid in the end was much lower, I can't see this being a problem anymore.

Well, since a Texan employee wrote the piece, I would expect it to show their shiny new toy in the best possible light. I'd fire the guy if he was negative about it.

I'm with you on the trade. He's a Texan now, so I'm pulling for him to be the next big QB in the league.

 

[brg88tx]

In one sense, Mallet has just made this season more complicated :

1. We have a #4 QB - Savage - waiting in the wings to gain the experience to start;

2. We have just signed a young QB - Mallet - in the last year of his contract who's going to demand a sizable financial commitment to resign;

3. We have a lot of forward thinking to determine whether we use next year's #1 draft pick on a QB.

So how is OB going to play his QB's this season. One would think he has to give Mallet sufficient playing time ( >40% ? ) in order to evaluate the young man's future with the Texans.

Do we resign Mallet, or extend his contract, or do we draft a QB next year?

chill, there's 16 games to figure all that out.

 

[Sigma]

Well, since a Texan employee wrote the piece, I would expect it to show their shiny new toy in the best possible light. I'd fire the guy if he was negative about it.

I'm with you on the trade. He's a Texan now, so I'm pulling for him to be the next big QB in the league.

I would have fired him even if his piece was THAT obviously biased



You need to learn how to make the reader think what you want him to think, but without him realizing that :P

 

[Nitrofish]

I think you're trying to revive the Sunshine Club

For the record, I was a card-carrying member during the Kubiak times - even rode Schaub's arm to my FFL championship one of those years .

I'll re-up but it's more because of the potential of the defense and our running game.

I'll need to see which Fitzpatrick shows up before I buy into the offense. I don't expect to see either of the backups unless injury to Fitz happens.

You nor anyone else can really believe we traded for Mallett to replace Keenum can you? IMO, in short order Mallett will be the starter, and Fitz will be the one replacing Keenum. Makes much more sense to me anyway.

Expect Mallett to be starting within 2-4 weeks.

 

[EllisUnit]

You nor anyone else can really believe we traded for Mallett to replace Keenum can you? IMO, in short order Mallett will be the starter, and Fitz will be the one replacing Keenum. Makes much more sense to me anyway.

Expect Mallett to be starting within 2-4 weeks.

I agree, and i think if we had gotten him earlier like they originally wanted that he would start week 1. OB must be really high on this kid especially if Mcnair agreed to the release of his boy Keenum.

 

[BigBull]

You nor anyone else can really believe we traded for Mallett to replace Keenum can you? IMO, in short order Mallett will be the starter, and Fitz will be the one replacing Keenum. Makes much more sense to me anyway.



Expect Mallett to be starting within 2-4 weeks.

I'm with you on this and it wouldn't surprise me if OB started him in game one or got him some playing time in the first game.


Sent from the future...

 

[IDEXAN]

I'm with you on this and it wouldn't surprise me if OB started him in game one or got him some playing time in the first game.


Sent from the future...

When it comes to identifying a QB for the longer term, looks like Billy is finding out he's gotta kiss a lot of frogs before he finds a prince.

 

[dalemurphy]

You nor anyone else can really believe we traded for Mallett to replace Keenum can you? IMO, in short order Mallett will be the starter, and Fitz will be the one replacing Keenum. Makes much more sense to me anyway.

Expect Mallett to be starting within 2-4 weeks.

What is hard to believe? Keenum was cut to make room for Mallett... Nothing about the investment to get mallet demands or suggests any commitment to him. Of course they would like to see him win the job from Fitzpatrick, but there is no evidence to suggest OB is going to hand anything to him that he hasn't earned. Barring injury or a string of poor performances from Fitz, I would be shocked to see Mallett play meaningful minutes before Thanksgiving.

 

[ObsiWan]

You are not being negative enough. I am disappointed.

I'm going to give O'Brien and RAC a couple of real games before I start singing the blues

 

[dalemurphy]

Name me a team that has won more over the last 13 years than the Patriots. Very lacking? How come they consistently win over 10 games every year since Belichick took over? Just Brady? They went 11-5 with Matt Cassell.

Look at the records of those GM's you mentioned and compare them against Belichick. You can't. Ozzie Newsome 2 Super Bowls since 1996 to now. Belichick 3 since 2000. Newsome wasn't pulling dual duty...he had one job. John Elway as GM? Serious? Roseman - no super bowls.

Belichick drafted Garropolo. The heir apparent to Brady.

I don't like the Hoody. But I respect him.

How many Super Bowl wins do the patriots have since Pioli left? How many in the last 10 years, for that matter?

New England is a great organization. Belichick is a hall of fame coach, who did incredible things in New England. However, he didn't do those things alone and there have been a lot more misses as the others who built it with him have left and Belichick has assumed more responsibilities.

 

[Nitrofish]

What is hard to believe? Keenum was cut to make room for Mallett... Nothing about the investment to get mallet demands or suggests any commitment to him. Of course they would like to see him win the job from Fitzpatrick, but there is no evidence to suggest OB is going to hand anything to him that he hasn't earned. Barring injury or a string of poor performances from Fitz, I would be shocked to see Mallett play meaningful minutes before Thanksgiving.

Well then you have obviously NOT been paying attention. There never was an open competition for the starting Job. Not unless Keenum just lit it up during camp, and I think many of us, and O'Brien knew that was not going to happen. Keenum was cut because he was the odd man out, not because Mallett is taking his place on the depth chart.

You might like to see Mallett win the job, but I am pretty certain O'Brien does not care what you would like to see. He wants to win, and he thinks he knows what it takes more than you do. If he believes Mallet is ready, he will start him, without asking permission or having a QB competition. Time for competition is during camp.

If RM is not ready yet, he will not start, but if O'Brien thinks he is. He will start. Prepare to be shocked.

 

[DocBar]

I'm going to give O'Brien and RAC a couple of real games before I start singing the blues

Yeah, I don't think we really have a good idea what the offense and defense is really going to look like. What version of the Erhardt-Perkins offense will we see?

How will the DL look with JJ and JDC actually playing a whole game together?

 

[GNTLEWOLF]

One more time, I find myself in a "wait-and-see" mode. I had been pulling for Keenum, but he made it obvious that he was done. So I felt it was necessary to replace him but, I just don't know about Mallett.
I think he will be better than Case. That is something to hang my hat onbut, that wouldn't require much.
I have to question why Belicheck was willing to let him go for such a low draft choice. A 7th rounder ;conditionally a 6th, if he plays 40% or more plays is cheap. What if Belicheck really thinks that little of his talent level? Whatever people think of Belicheck, I feel he has earned respect as a talent evaluator.
I have misgivings, but I also hope. And I hope that he not only works out, but that he gets us past the Fitzpatrick experiment, and quickly.

 

[EllisUnit]

One more time, I find myself in a "wait-and-see" mode. I had been pulling for Keenum, but he made it obvious that he was done. So I felt it was necessary to replace him but, I just don't know about Mallett.
I think he will be better than Case. That is something to hang my hat onbut, that wouldn't require much.
I have to question why Belicheck was willing to let him go for such a low draft choice. A 7th rounder ;conditionally a 6th, if he plays 40% or more plays is cheap. What if Belicheck really thinks that little of his talent level? Whatever people think of Belicheck, I feel he has earned respect as a talent evaluator.
I have misgivings, but I also hope. And I hope that he not only works out, but that he gets us past the Fitzpatrick experiment, and quickly.

Mallett was entering the final season of his contract anyways, plus they have a 2nd rounder to back up Brady now. Brady rarely misses a game so i doubt they are to concerned with who backs him up at this point.

 

[Lucky]

Do we resign Mallet, or extend his contract, or do we draft a QB next year?

That will depend on performance. O'Brien now has 2 guys he can evaluate. If he doesn't like them, he can look to the draft next year. He has one more option that previously.

Barring injury or a string of poor performances from Fitz, I would be shocked to see Mallett play meaningful minutes before Thanksgiving.

Well based upon the preseason, Fitz will be replaced in October. I'm not going to say he's the worst starting QB in the league. But to paraphrase Bum Phillips, "It doesn't take long to call the roll."

Mallett will get a chance this season. And if he doesn't perform, Savage may get a shot. By the end of the year, O'Brien will have a good idea of what he has at the QB position.

 

[GNTLEWOLF]

Mallett was entering the final season of his contract anyways, plus they have a 2nd rounder to back up Brady now. Brady rarely misses a game so i doubt they are to concerned with who backs him up at this point.

I get the business end of it but, to let somebody go for that cheap that you think might have NFL QB potential has me questioning if there is something "the hoodie" knows that we don't.
As I said above, I'm in "wait-and-see" mode. Seems like that has been my story with this regime. Better than my either being totally disappointed all the time or a complete fan . And I also said that I have hope. I'll be content with that for now.

 

[hradhak]

Pats were gonna release Mallett at the end of the season. They have no reason for a high priced backup since they have Garapollo and they have Brady who hasn't missed a game.

I still like the deal because Mallett is an upgrade and he already knows the system. Mallett will get an opportunity to take the starting job from Fitzpatrick, but I doubt we will see him barring injury.

 

[EllisUnit]

Pats were gonna release Mallett at the end of the season. They have no reason for a high priced backup since they have Garapollo and they have Brady who hasn't missed a game.

I still like the deal because Mallett is an upgrade and he already knows the system. Mallett will get an opportunity to take the starting job from Fitzpatrick, but I doubt we will see him barring injury.

If he cant over take Fitz for the starting job than the kid has no hope anyways.

 

[hradhak]

I get the business end of it but, to let somebody go for that cheap that you think might have NFL QB potential has me questioning if there is something "the hoodie" knows that we don't.
As I said above, I'm in "wait-and-see" mode. Seems like that has been my story with this regime. Better than my either being totally disappointed all the time or a complete fan . And I also said that I have hope. I'll be content with that for now.

The hoodie also thought Drew Bledsoe > Tom Brady. It took an injury for him to change his mind about the starting QB.

I'm not saying that Mallett is the second coming. But the Pats had a capable backup in Garappolo and they would get nothing for Mallett when he becomes a FA. They won't pay a veteran salary for him when they have a 2nd rounder on staff.

 

[ObsiWan]

You nor anyone else can really believe we traded for Mallett to replace Keenum can you? IMO, in short order Mallett will be the starter, and Fitz will be the one replacing Keenum. Makes much more sense to me anyway.

Expect Mallett to be starting within 2-4 weeks.

On the contrary, that's exactly why Mallett was brought in here - to replace Case Keenum.

Do I believe Mallett was brought in to replace Fitzpatrick as the starter?
No.
If O'Brien thought Mallett was starter material it would have made way more sense, as many have said, to bring him in for training camp; perhaps even make a trade during the draft to make sure he was here for OTAs.

I think O'Brien wasn't satisfied with Keenum's progress and brought someone in he knew and thought would be an upgrade.

 

[TexansSeminole]

I was never a huge fan of Mallett in college. Too many inaccurate, high throws. I hope he can blossom under O'Brien. We certainly got a good deal. A 6th round pick for a shot at a QB is never a bad thing.

 

[Lucky]

I think O'Brien wasn't satisfied with Keenum's progress and brought someone in he knew and thought would be an upgrade.

Do you think O'Brien is satisfied with Fitzpatrick? I don't pretend to know why Mallett wasn't traded for earlier. Could be the price tag. Could be that Belichick needed to be comfortable with his rookie QB. I don't know. What I do know is that Fitzpatrick is a place holder for someone. Mallett, or Savage, or a QB yet to be on the team. Fitzpatrick is replaceable and will be replaced at some point. I would be surprised (based upon what I've seen thus far) if Mallett doesn't get the first opportunity to replace him.

 

[b0ng]

I dont understand the sentiment that Mallet is better than anything and somehow fits the system better than x or y. O'Brien spent like one whole season with Mallet before he went to Penn St, and Mallet has shown nothing since he has been in the NFL. I hope he isn't a disaster if he has to start regular season games, but Ive already resigned myself to thinking the offense this year is going to be hard to watch. I am also not a big fan of trading any commodity for a guy who will be UFA in like 4 months.

 

[houstonspartan]

This is getting stupid. Lots of QBS start as backups. Favre and Brady ring any bells? Jesus this is tired. Yeah Schaub was a backup...to the highest paid man in football. Brady will be in the hall of fame. Backing him up is not a sign of incompetence.

Thank you for this. Totally agree. All this panic-in-the-streets about getting a back up QB is ridiculus.

 

[EllisUnit]

I dont understand the sentiment that Mallet is better than anything and somehow fits the system better than x or y. O'Brien spent like one whole season with Mallet before he went to Penn St, and Mallet has shown nothing since he has been in the NFL. I hope he isn't a disaster if he has to start regular season games, but Ive already resigned myself to thinking the offense this year is going to be hard to watch. I am also not a big fan of trading any commodity for a guy who will be UFA in like 4 months.

I'm sure they want to see what he can do before next seasons draft so they will know if they need to spend a first rounder on a QB or not. After the season would be to late to evaluate Mallet before the draft.

 

[ObsiWan]

Do you think O'Brien is satisfied with Fitzpatrick? I don't pretend to know why Mallett wasn't traded for earlier. Could be the price tag. Could be that Belichick needed to be comfortable with his rookie QB. I don't know. What I do know is that Fitzpatrick is a place holder for someone. Mallett, or Savage, or a QB yet to be on the team. Fitzpatrick is replaceable and will be replaced at some point. I would be surprised (based upon what I've seen this far) if Mallett doesn't get the first opportunity to replace him.

Out of all the disparate opinions on our QB situ, there is one thing we all agree on:
Fitzpatrick is merely a stopgap, a fill-in while O'Brien brings Mallett/Savage/undrafted dude up to speed to take the starters job full time.

I don't know if Savage or Mallett will get the call first if Fitz gets hurt or just plain sucks.

I'd bet on Savage because he's been here throughout camp and, as such, has some rapport and timing with our receivers. Mallett would have minimal timing with our guys because he just flat hasn't been here. To put a guy out there who doesn't have a feel for the guys he's throwing to just doesn't make sense to me.

but hey, I'm not a QB guru. I'm just a fan.

 

[DocBar]

I dont understand the sentiment that Mallet is better than anything and somehow fits the system better than x or y. O'Brien spent like one whole season with Mallet before he went to Penn St, and Mallet has shown nothing since he has been in the NFL. I hope he isn't a disaster if he has to start regular season games, but Ive already resigned myself to thinking the offense this year is going to be hard to watch. I am also not a big fan of trading any commodity for a guy who will be UFA in like 4 months.

I think a lot of it is just because it's an unknown quantity and that is better than the known quantities on the roster. The Texans are in deep doodoo at the QB position in 2014, regardless of who trots out on the field.

 

[Uncle Rico]

There is a reason Mullet was given away for a 7th rounder. He stinks. Nothing there to develop. If you get that Carr mentality again you might miss out on truly great QB prospects and set this francise back even further.

 

[Showtime100]

Wow. 300+ posts about a back up QB.

We have a thread about a backup QB in Cleveland that is over 600 posts. Personally, I'm infinitely more interested in this thread.

 

[Lucky]

I'd bet on Savage because he's been here throughout camp and, as such, has some rapport and timing with our receivers. Mallett would have minimal timing with our guys because he just flat hasn't been here.

How much work has Savage really done with the WRs that will be playing (AJ & Nuke)? I think that's really overrated. What's not overrated is experience in a NFL offense. Savage is just a babe in the woods, while Mallett is entering his 4th season. Frankly, I think Mallett has more ability than Savage, anyway. So even if they were even in experience, I would give Mallett the first crack.

 

[BullNation4Life]

There is a reason Mullet was given away for a 7th rounder. He stinks. Nothing there to develop. If you get that Carr mentality again you might miss out on truly great QB prospects and set this francise back even further.

there was also a reason Keenum went undrafted. Mallett is a simple low risk/high reward prospect who is already ahead of the curve in O'Brien's offense. Now if he shines, Texans got him for absolutely nothing...

If he doesn't then you would hope the Texans FO is smart enough not to get, as you said, that Carr mentality and miss out on these great QB prospects...


They have 16 games to figure it out...

 

[Wolfiegrrl]

I'm not exactly sure why so many people are down on this trade. You get a QB that has 3 years experience in our new specific offense for a 2016 7th round pick that moves to a 2016 6th round pick if the kid plays more than 40% of the offensive snaps. I think it's a win/win situation. We have just gotten more experienced at a very low cost. Perhaps it works out that Mallet is there to teach Savage what the offense is about while using Fitzpatrick as the tackling dummy. Who cares? I'm just going to watch our team play and cheer them on no matter what the outcome is.

 

[thunderkyss]

On the contrary, that's exactly why Mallett was brought in here - to replace Case Keenum.

Do I believe Mallett was brought in to replace Fitzpatrick as the starter?
No.
If O'Brien thought Mallett was starter material it would have made way more sense, as many have said, to bring him in for training camp; perhaps even make a trade during the draft to make sure he was here for OTAs.

I think O'Brien wasn't satisfied with Keenum's progress and brought someone in he knew and thought would be an upgrade.

I can't imagine trading for a back-up QB this late in the game. Definitely don't "get" trading for a starting QB this late in the game.

I've got no idea why we traded for Mallet so late. If they're thinking he's good enough to beat Fitzpatrick & they want him to start... what were they thinking when we signed Fitzpatrick?

Cassell was their for the taking. He looked fine, better than fine in that system in New England & later in KC.... We probably could have had Cassell for one year $7.5M, instead we get two years of FitzmagicK.

Probably could have had Mallet for next year's 3rd, but we didn't want to give up "too much" obviously having your "starter" (if they're thinking he's going to start) in camp as early as possible isn't as important as we'd think.

 

[steelbtexan]

I dont understand the sentiment that Mallet is better than anything and somehow fits the system better than x or y. O'Brien spent like one whole season with Mallet before he went to Penn St, and Mallet has shown nothing since he has been in the NFL. I hope he isn't a disaster if he has to start regular season games, but Ive already resigned myself to thinking the offense this year is going to be hard to watch. I am also not a big fan of trading any commodity for a guy who will be UFA in like 4 months.

Godsey has been with Mallett for atleast 3 yrs.

A 6th rd pick is too much for a QB that already knows the system/ has a huge arm/more ability than any other QB currently on the roster?

 

[infantrycak]

I dont understand the sentiment that Mallet is better than anything and somehow fits the system better than x or y. O'Brien spent like one whole season with Mallet before he went to Penn St, and Mallet has shown nothing since he has been in the NFL. I hope he isn't a disaster if he has to start regular season games, but Ive already resigned myself to thinking the offense this year is going to be hard to watch. I am also not a big fan of trading any commodity for a guy who will be UFA in like 4 months.

Lol at four months. These four months are an entire season. You don't just blow off seasons willy nilly.

 

[Porky]

The question is, though, what will he be HERE?

For a 7th round draft choice in 2016, it sounds like he's a backup to Fitzpatrick. I mean, if OB expected Mallett to be a Franchise guy, surely he'd give up more than a 7th to get him.

Even for a 2015 6th round draft choice, it doesn't sound like he's the QB of the future or anything. Not at that price.

Unless OBSmith pulled off the trade of the century.

Did we just pay a 6th round draft pick to upgrade our backup QB or our starting QB?

So this is the conversation then -

BB - So Bob, we'll give you Mallett for a 7th or a 6th if he plays much

BOB - Oh hell no. We think Mallett is our future at QB. I'll settle at nothing less than giving you next years first.

BB - Sold

 

[steelbtexan]

Out of all the disparate opinions on our QB situ, there is one thing we all agree on:
Fitzpatrick is merely a stopgap, a fill-in while O'Brien brings Mallett/Savage/undrafted dude up to speed to take the starters job full time.

I don't know if Savage or Mallett will get the call first if Fitz gets hurt or just plain sucks.

I'd bet on Savage because he's been here throughout camp and, as such, has some rapport and timing with our receivers. Mallett would have minimal timing with our guys because he just flat hasn't been here. To put a guy out there who doesn't have a feel for the guys he's throwing to just doesn't make sense to me.

but hey, I'm not a QB guru. I'm just a fan.

I'm more worried about Fitz throwing ints than Mallett finding a rapport with AJ/Nuke etc....

 

[dalemurphy]

Well then you have obviously NOT been paying attention. There never was an open competition for the starting Job. Not unless Keenum just lit it up during camp, and I think many of us, and O'Brien knew that was not going to happen. Keenum was cut because he was the odd man out, not because Mallett is taking his place on the depth chart.

You might like to see Mallett win the job, but I am pretty certain O'Brien does not care what you would like to see. He wants to win, and he thinks he knows what it takes more than you do. If he believes Mallet is ready, he will start him, without asking permission or having a QB competition. Time for competition is during camp.

If RM is not ready yet, he will not start, but if O'Brien thinks he is. He will start. Prepare to be shocked.

Perhaps we have a different definition of winning or earning the job... If Mallett appears the better option, based upon evidence in practice and evidence of Fitzpatrick in games, then I certainly expect Mallett to start at that point. I just don't believe Mallett was brought in with the determined and expected intention that he will be the starter this year. OB is about as no nonsense as you can get. He is going to play the guy most likely to win for him and I doubt he has a romanticized view of Ryan Mallett.

 

[Lucky]

He is going to play the guy most likely to win for him and I doubt he has a romanticized view of Ryan Mallett.

All Mallett has to be is better than Ryan Fitzpatrick. How high is that bar?

 

[ChampionTexan]

That will depend on performance. O'Brien now has 2 guys he can evaluate. If he doesn't like them, he can look to the draft next year. He has one more option that previously.


...

Mallett will get a chance this season. And if he doesn't perform, Savage may get a shot. By the end of the year, O'Brien will have a good idea of what he has at the QB position.

I think the Mallett trade increases the chances that we don't see Savage for a couple of reasons.

First, whether Mallett or Fitzpatrick is the starter, Savage is now the clear-cut #3, as opposed to supposedly being in a contest with Keenum for the backup role.

Second, I believe whoever the backup is will have a longer leash than Keenum would have had because there would have been little to no evaluation of Case going on, as he was a fairly well known quantity, and held pretty much zero potential for the future - at least in terms of those making the decisions. Mallett on the other hand is a complete unknown (in terms of RS actual performance), and there is at least the possibility that he could factor into the future of the Texans. I think even if he's the #2 guy, he'll see considerably more playing time than Case would have - regardless of the health/performance of Fitzpatrick.

Plus, when you draft a 4th round guy who essentially only played two years of College ball (one year of which was 2009), I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find out the powers that be like the idea of a year to observe, practice and be tutored.