Yes that is the question isn't it ? But there are teams, including in our own division, with tons of cap (far more than us) who are in a position to be extravagant and even a bit reckless. And Billy isn't going to gaurantee Mallet a starting job, I'm sure he will make it clear to Mallet that's it's going to be a competitive situation.
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Ryan Mallett
- Thread starter Trouble
- Start date
Yes that is the question isn't it ? But there are teams, including in our own division, with tons of cap (far more than us) who are in a position to be extravagant and even a bit reckless. And Billy isn't going to gaurantee Mallet a starting job, I'm sure he will make it clear to Mallet that's it's going to be a competitive situation.
Marshall
Not pretty, but ALIVE!
I take acception to that.
Marshall
Not pretty, but ALIVE!
That's pretty close to the 3yr $25M I suggested and expected him to reject in favor of a 1yr $7M prove it deal. He can get more than the $9M/yr over the next two seasons if he proves himself and I think he has the confidence to do that. I personally like the idea of giving him the choice between 1yr, two yr and three year contracts.
1 year
2015 $7M
total $7M
2 year
2015 $7M
2016 $9M
total $16M
3 year
2015 $7M
2016 $9M
2017 $9M
total $25M
But it will boil down to whether there is a SERIOUS competition or at least whether the Agent can make the Texans think there is.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
Could be and will are two very different things. The only team in our division even in the market for a QB is TN and they are in position to get one of the top 2 in the draft so about 0 chance they make a play for Mallett.
I think you're dead wrong there. Part of the sales pitch is going to be "if you're healthy, it's your job to lose." OB's there "may" be a competition thing was nothing more than propaganda.
sandman
Brexit Advisor
Exactly. Mallett already won the starting job over every QB on the roster this last season. Fitz, Savage and Keenum are not going to unseat him. I'm not seeing anyone that they would be able to bring in as a FA or draft pick that would make it a true open competition.
OK, just one in our division, but perhaps several or many outside of our division and then outside of our conference.
If Mallett is named the starter with no competition, I trust that everyone who currently thinks that is a good strategy will defend, rather than criticize, the Texans in hindsight IF he fails.
What's changed since the time they benched Fitzpatrick for Mallett?
Fitzpatrick trimmed his beard... what else?
ChampionTexan
Hall of Fame
As long as you distinguish between those saying it will happen, and those saying it's a good strategy (not that many that I'm seeing), then that's fair.
To me, it depends on one thing. What do the Texans believe about Mallett's likelihood to become a quality starting NFL QB, and how firmly do they believe it (alright - it's possible that's two things).
If they feel like he's got a decent chance at developing into that, then I've got no problem with them promising him the starting job to get him to sign. If he then proceeds to fail, I personally have no problem with them going with their beliefs and not having it work out. If on the otherhand, they don't feel particularly optimistic about his long range prospects, but promise him the job because they view him as the best of a bad set of options available to them, then it's likely not a good strategy at all.
Despite many folks around here acting like O'Brien's publicly anointed Mallett as the next big thing, I haven't been able to develop much of a sense of his true opinion on this (and about the only thing that will give me some sense of certainty about that would be the Texans giving a very lucrative contract to Mr. Mallett). As such, I'll keep quiet on the Texans strategy for now - just like I will when that strategy (whatever it is) ultimately succeeds or doesn't succeed.
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infantrycak
Hall of Fame
Don't think they really can be distinguished which is the main part of my complaint about competition discussions. I think there is virtually always competition and basically only in really screwed up situations do you see coaches talking extensively about QB competitions. The coaches live through all the meetings and practices/games with these guys and see their work habits. Whoever the starter is won the competition. But unless the coach comes out and talks about competition so reporters can ask questions and blog about how it's going lots of fans assume there was none and make up some reason why there wasn't.
So that puts me in neither of the categories above and just waiting for the results with fingers crossed. Given the draft position, FAs available and draft prospects, it (picking from what they've got minus Fitz) looks like probably the best strategy the Texans have available.
Playoffs
Hall of Fame
Yeah, I think 1) it's a right of passage that Mallett has not yet experienced through training camp and a process OB believes in, and 2) it's just blabber because RM isn't signed and it gives media something to chew on.
I agree with you. I'm waiting to see what they do with the contract. If they sign him to more money than Fitz... he's anointed.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
...or it's market.
Well, there is the off-season when many teams try to upgrade talent at various positions - try to bring in new players and such. I think there might even be some threads about those activities on this board - I suggest searching for "draft" or "free agency".
If he fails then BOB's handpicked guy Savage is next in line for the job. Whether you agree with BOB is the question. Not that my/your opinion matters.
Seegara
Guitar Picker, Dog Lover, Woodworker
All right, "Genius", anything longer than a 1-year prove-it contract at a realistic salary would be folly. That 1-year prove-it contract should not be for more than $6 million. If he won't take it, let some other team take a flyer and rely on the draft.
I don't think it was the injury that was responsible for his poor performance in his 2nd game. I think it happened to be a "down" day for him, just like it happened to be an "up" day the week before. His long term ability is probably somewhere in between.
Is this your 'how to influence enemies and lose the locker room strategy"?
Carr Bombed
Hall of Fame
I was at that game, had great seats for honor the military day, The guy literally flat out couldn't throw the ball.. That wasn't just a "down day", unless you think a torn pectoral muscle has no effect on someone's ability to pass a football. I was pissed when I found out about the injury, fact is he shouldn't of been out there.
PHP:
Agreed.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
3rded - same problem all day which is entirely consistent with the identified injury.
Seegara
Guitar Picker, Dog Lover, Woodworker
Yet he seemed to be slinging the pigpelt with plenty of zip. But you won't get any argument from here about shouldn't be playing with a torn pec. Might make the injury worse. Enough to urinate anybody off.
You honestly don't think a torn pectoral will affect the accuracy of the throwing of a football?
Playoffs
Hall of Fame
Well, the guy with the medical degrees on his wall, the scalpel in his hand, and 30+ years of practice disagrees...
And he didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
His throws were accurate on a line, just high. He couldn't follow through
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
Well Wily, someone who knew something about NFL contracts would know the structure can make the term meaningless. The Bucs just cut McCown after year 1 of a "2 year deal" with no dead money.
Troy Chapman
Rookie
Yep. I could give Mallett a 6 year $106 million deal with no signing bonus but with 6 million in guaranteed money.....would be a one year deal.
[IMGwidthsize=300]http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll203/407boy88/1285915376177.jpg[/IMG]
Speedy
Former Yeller Dweller
That point where you stop playing the game and responding to him because he just doesn't have a freaking clue.
Playoffs
Hall of Fame
It's expected he'll readily, fully recover from the pec tear. Not a biggie.
Number19
Hall of Fame
According to our doc, CloakNNNdagger, at post #1622, Mallett should be able to start light weight lifting by the end of March and should be cleared to play around the end of May. Prognosis is excellent. It is not uncommon for the repaired side to be 102-115% as strong as the uninjured side. Of course, once cleared to play he'll have to regain playing shape.
I agree, for the most part. But with the way Mallett was named starter last year, from a fan perspective... it could be seen as a punt. Similar to Manziel getting the start in Cleveland, where Hoyer played himself out of a job.
EllisUnit
Vote RED!!!
The End
I don't understand this. Manziel got the job because of FO decisions, Mallett got the job because of coaches decision.
how does either relate to OB talking open competition (coachspeak) being a punt?
I don't get what you are trying to say
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
True... true.
IMO... & I know it's just my opinion, & the stats don't back me up, but our QB, though he had "good" stats, was not adding to our chances of winning. For all we know OB didn't believe Fitz played well enough to get us into the play offs & thought it was worth a shot to see if Mallett would. A punt if you will.
I'm hoping you're closer to the truth than what I just posted. I'm just throwing it out there, being realistic. Mallett's next contract will tell us more, whether he signs with us, or someone else.
Or it could have been less a punt and more a calculation that Mallett's preparedness would be culminated with the bye week.
Absolutely a possibility. I'm not ruling it out that Mallett won the job.
If OB & Smith have a strict "1 year, $4M" deal in mind, I doubt he "won" anything.
You didn't really answer my question which wasn't will Mallet eventually recover, so i will try again: will his arm have recovered so he can throw the ball as he did before he suffered the injury last year by the time the Texans need to make a decision about him in FA to extend or not extend a contract offer to him for one or more years. That means he needs to recover his passing abilities/skills by sometime next month in March, i.e, he needs to have a workout for the Texans in the next few weeks to demonstrate that his ability ha been restored.
Blake
MMQB
Florio on 610 this AM doesnt sound like he knows where Mallett's value truely is. Still not enough tape, but when the FA QB class is headlined by Sanchez, Hoyer and McCown his value must go up.
I wouldnt have an issue with matching the McCown/Bucs contract from last season for Mallett. 2 years, 10 million, with escalators for playoffs.
He would need to compete for the starting position. Not guaranteed anything. Although I would think he is the clear cut favorite to win it.
I wouldnt have an issue with matching the McCown/Bucs contract from last season for Mallett. 2 years, 10 million, with escalators for playoffs.
He would need to compete for the starting position. Not guaranteed anything. Although I would think he is the clear cut favorite to win it.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
Given the timeline provided, no he will not be fully recovered before they extend him a contract. But the prognosis is for full recovery from Doc, who if anything can be described as pessimistic.
OK then so I appreciate that, and it's what I suspected and feared which is to some extent we will still be buying a pig in a poke if we offer Mallet a contract.
Blake
MMQB
All you can do is hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. Just make sure we have viable options if the unthinkable happens to Mallett.
Playoffs
Hall of Fame
In what way?
Even if he were healthy enough, we'd have to sign him to a contract before he had an opportunity to show us anything. He's not coming to OTAs or camp without a contract & no one "tries out" before signing a FA deal anyway.
Take a physical, maybe, but he won't be throwing bullets to the back of the endzone to prove that he can.
Because basically all we have is just one complete football game with Mallett in
healthy and good physical condition to evaluate his abilites and potentially be our starting QB for hopefully multiple seasons. Just one game IMO is inadequate to make a thorough evaluation, don't you think ?