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Texans to trade and cut players for a better GM option (see article)

The very first thing they should do during this bye week is cut David Johnson. Get him off the roster so they’ll stop trying to establish a run game with the slowest, never breaking a tackle RB I’ve ever seen.

The trade for him was bad. You’re not going to take any more heat for it if you cut him. In fact, you’ll likely take more heat continuing to feed him the rock trying to justify it or whatever.
 
Speedy said:
The very first thing they should do during this bye week is cut David Johnson. Get him off the roster so they’ll stop trying to establish a run game with the slowest, never breaking a tackle RB I’ve ever seen.

The trade for him was bad. You’re not going to take any more heat for it if you cut him. In fact, you’ll likely take more heat continuing to feed him the rock trying to justify it or whatever.
Click to expand...

True... But can you get anything for him? Maybe a late pick seeing he is a good receiver
 
JJ to the Steelers to finish up his career with his brother on the same D and his other as the FB.

He hinted at it earlier in the year. Steelers probably would be interested. Hate to see him go. But, for cap room and a decent pick package... do it. Easier to find a DE or Edge guy for cheaper in the draft. His age might not be a good thing for an incoming GM candidate when you add the money too
 
The Texans should seriously consider cutting or trading David Johnson, Cunningham, McKinney, Cooks, and Mercilus. Get as many picks as possible and prep for the rebuild. Hell, they should listen to what teams are willing to offer for Nick Martin. I know the cowboys could sure use some offensive line help.
 
En1gma57 said:
seeing he is a good receiver
Click to expand...
Perhaps we should call up running back Scottie Phillips and then send David Johnson to the practice squad and train him to be a wide receiver if we can't get anything for him. I know that is something not common to do but there have been other players who changed their positions and did well. With what David Johnson is being paid we should try to get value for him. If former college quarterbacks can do well switching to wide receivers in the pros, I see no reason a good catching running back can't get a shot at doing well as a wide receiver.

That is the only kind of change I want to see until we get a veteran GM on our team.
 
TxnsJuggernaut1 said:
I don't trust any moves made until we have an actual GM in place. That GM will have plenty of time to make important moves after this awful season is over.
Click to expand...
I think if you were to start over from scratch you’d probably be ahead of where this roster and cap situation is right now. If they make a start in season it means they can eat dead money on 2020’s cap instead of putting it all on 2021.
The difficulty with doing that is the lack of wiggle room with have beneath the cap this year, I believe Corrosion said it’s below $10M, so some difficult decisions need to be made to create the room to get rid of the real problem contracts like Mercilus for instance.
That means offloading Watt if at all possible.
David Johnson and Brandin Cooks don’t count for much guaranteed money next year. Unless the pick received is significant we are better focusing on eating dead money from Cunningham/Mercilus/Martin if at all possible.
 
David Johnson’s value is even lower than when we traded for him. He has no value.
JJ has emotional value but performance wise, he’s been JAG. We’d be lucky to get a 3rd.

No one that we’d consider trading is worth a first; conditional 2nd is most likely IMO.
 
Heard this on the radio this morning, I think it was Sean Pendergast. Breaking the ten players by tiers that the Texans could trade and what the return could be for each tier:

Tier 1 (second or third round pick)
Watt
Fuller

Tier 2 (3-5)
Cooks
Cunningham
Roby
Duke Johnson
Cobb

Tier 3 (6-7)
Mercilus
Nick Martin
Fells
 
banned1976 said:
Heard this on the radio this morning, I think it was Sean Pendergast. Breaking the ten players by tiers that the Texans could trade and what the return could be for each tier:

Tier 1 (second or third round pick)
Watt
Fuller

Tier 2 (3-5)
Cooks
Cunningham
Roby
Duke Johnson
Cobb

Tier 3 (6-7)
Mercilus
Nick Martin
Fells
Click to expand...

Trade them all except for Roby.

I would also like to keep a true professional WR like Cobb to help teach the young guys coming in.

I would give up both of the 6ths to clear Mercilus/N.Martin off of the books.
 
En1gma57 said:
Amoung other articles. Cal is making moves to intice a new and better GM candidate.

Redirect Notice

www.google.com
Click to expand...

The most important cut Cal could make to entice a better GM candidate would be firing Jack Easterby.

No worthwhile GM is going to want that dude looking over his shoulder. Nobody in the league trusts him. . .except D. Cal McNair, of course.
 
I think the Easterby angle to this is overblown to be honest. None of these guys like the idea of someone whose not a "football mind" looking over their shoulder....that distrust extends to owners and for some HC's even the GM's. The other end to this the HC's he worked under. 1 guy is notorious for being cryptic and secretive when it comes to how his team prepares and is run......but he's the GOAT so he gets a pass for how he handles things and his personnel. The other guy he worked under, brought him in purely as an ally b/c he thought he could control him........amongst the many other things he tried to control & it backfired on him.....He too also came from that same type of secretive, controlling atmosphere over in the Pats organization.

To my knowledge though, i don't think there have been any players complaining about dude & there's not a whole lot of evidence that anything that was done while he was here under Bill was on him. We only really have BoB saying that he was in lock step with him...but we know how BoB has lied about stuff in the past so....
 
welsh texan said:
I think if you were to start over from scratch you’d probably be ahead of where this roster and cap situation is right now. If they make a start in season it means they can eat dead money on 2020’s cap instead of putting it all on 2021.
The difficulty with doing that is the lack of wiggle room with have beneath the cap this year, I believe Corrosion said it’s below $10M, so some difficult decisions need to be made to create the room to get rid of the real problem contracts like Mercilus for instance.
That means offloading Watt if at all possible.
David Johnson and Brandin Cooks don’t count for much guaranteed money next year. Unless the pick received is significant we are better focusing on eating dead money from Cunningham/Mercilus/Martin if at all possible.
Click to expand...
Got ya. Thanks for the good informative post.
 
Easterby is one of four on the search team. This we know through trusted sources. The others are Cal, Watson, and pancakes.

That is not an all-star search committee.

That Easterby is neither a football mind nor is he trusted by anyone in the NFL should be a little alarming to Texans fans seeing that he's now the owner's new BFF. Easterby has been described by many in the national media as a smile with a lust for power. Nothing he's done so far as undermined that narrative.

Obviously, everyone has a right to their opinion, and I don't blame those that are not alarmed. It's business as usual on Kirby, so expect status quo. I'm not here to argue about it.

But, I will continue to openly express my thoughts since I know the traffic to this site is a lot larger than the membership. Maybe, just maybe, the fan collective distrust seeps into the jet-stream of someone that can tell the front office that they look like a bunch of unqualified amateurs. The franchise is currently a laughing stock, both locally and nationally.

I study history and historical cycles, and everything about their current set up points to fundamental dysfunction. Again, just my perspective, but I adjust my expectations accordingly. . .meaning I have low to no expectations for this owner to do anything bold or significant.

Yeah, Cal will eventually hire a HC, and I assume a GM, and we will wave our pom poms and hope will spring eternal.

But, the boardroom consensus mentality is still there, and Jack Easterby will have a seat at it. Pancakes even admitted this much. I just don't trust any of it.
 
Double Barrel said:
Easterby is one of four on the search team. This we know through trusted sources. The others are Cal, Watson, and pancakes.

That is not an all-star search committee.

That Easterby is neither a football mind nor is he trusted by anyone in the NFL should be a little alarming to Texans fans seeing that he's now the owner's new BFF. Easterby has been described by many in the national media as a smile with a lust for power. Nothing he's done so far as undermined that narrative.

Obviously, everyone has a right to their opinion, and I don't blame those that are not alarmed. It's business as usual on Kirby, so expect status quo. I'm not here to argue about it.

But, I will continue to openly express my thoughts since I know the traffic to this site is a lot larger than the membership. Maybe, just maybe, the fan collective distrust seeps into the jet-stream of someone that can tell the front office that they look like a bunch of unqualified amateurs. The franchise is currently a laughing stock, both locally and nationally.

I study history and historical cycles, and everything about their current set up points to fundamental dysfunction. Again, just my perspective, but I adjust my expectations accordingly. . .meaning I have low to no expectations for this owner to do anything bold or significant.

Yeah, Cal will eventually hire a HC, and I assume a GM, and we will wave our pom poms and hope will spring eternal.

But, the boardroom consensus mentality is still there, and Jack Easterby will have a seat at it. Pancakes even admitted this much. I just don't trust any of it.
Click to expand...

The Astros were our last best hope, and they're getting broke up as well. Sucks to be a Houston sports fan.

And I don't trust a frickin thing coming out of the Texans either.
 
Double Barrel said:
Yeah, Cal will eventually hire a HC, and I assume a GM, and we will wave our pom poms and hope will spring eternal.

But, the boardroom consensus mentality is still there, and Jack Easterby will have a seat at it. Pancakes even admitted this much. I just don't trust any of it.
Click to expand...
There are a lot of good post in this debate on this thread. I am with you and those that think like you the most.
 
steelbtexan said:
I would give up both of the 6ths to clear Mercilus/N.Martin off of the books.
Click to expand...
So you believe that both Mercilus and Martin in effect have negative value to the Texans organization because we'd need to kick in consideration (our own draft picks) to induce another team(s) to take them on to include assumption of their contracts ?
Steel if that's what you are really saying that's a stunning statement of the incompetence in the decision to grant them contract extensions.
 
IDEXAN said:
So you believe that both Mercilus and Martin in effect have negative value to the Texans organization because we'd need to kick in consideration (our own draft picks) to induce another team(s) to take them on to include assumption of their contracts ?
Steel if that's what you are really saying that's a stunning statement of the incompetence in the decision to grant them contract extensions.
Click to expand...
Yes, and agreed.

Along with the Cunningham contract, just plain stupidity.
 
Double Barrel said:
Easterby is one of four on the search team. This we know through trusted sources. The others are Cal, Watson, and pancakes.

That is not an all-star search committee.

That Easterby is neither a football mind nor is he trusted by anyone in the NFL should be a little alarming to Texans fans seeing that he's now the owner's new BFF. Easterby has been described by many in the national media as a smile with a lust for power. Nothing he's done so far as undermined that narrative.

Obviously, everyone has a right to their opinion, and I don't blame those that are not alarmed. It's business as usual on Kirby, so expect status quo. I'm not here to argue about it.

But, I will continue to openly express my thoughts since I know the traffic to this site is a lot larger than the membership. Maybe, just maybe, the fan collective distrust seeps into the jet-stream of someone that can tell the front office that they look like a bunch of unqualified amateurs. The franchise is currently a laughing stock, both locally and nationally.

I study history and historical cycles, and everything about their current set up points to fundamental dysfunction. Again, just my perspective, but I adjust my expectations accordingly. . .meaning I have low to no expectations for this owner to do anything bold or significant.

Yeah, Cal will eventually hire a HC, and I assume a GM, and we will wave our pom poms and hope will spring eternal.

But, the boardroom consensus mentality is still there, and Jack Easterby will have a seat at it. Pancakes even admitted this much. I just don't trust any of it.
Click to expand...

Well said DB and I guess my thoughts are that none of the “how” matters. If you look at how some of the best HC’s in this league's history have been plucked, no way is really “the right” way. Belichick was coming off some pretty shitty years in Cleveland & Kraft admitted himself that he didn't exactly know what he was doing..... & alot of people agreed considering the compensation he gave up to get Belichick. Fans & pundits alike balked at what & how he did it. Likewise, how Jimmy Johnson came to be the HC of the Cowboys. Oil man Jerry Jones comes in and fires an icon to hire this college coach..his former buddy who hadn't shown or proven he could do anything on the NFL level.

Not to mention all the franchises who have done it the "right way" by bringing in a "football guy" as GM & letting him hire another football guy...& still have been a dumpster fire...Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions......The Jets.........us with Casserly and Capers.

The how & who is involved doesn't matter so long as the right candidates are selected for the job & they can work together. If Cal thought that the best way to select the best HC's was to wait to see which way Punxsatawny Phil looks when he comes out of his hole and it brought us a Bill Belichick level HC, would any of us give a rats ass?
 
TxnsJuggernaut1 said:
I haven't heard Easterby refute the claim.
Click to expand...

Well like alot of these things, what's he going to be able to come out and say that would convince anyone otherwise? "Now wait a minute! Ya'll aren't giving me my due. i was BoB's right hand man & deeply involved in helping make sure 1 of the worst trades in franchise/NFL history went down!"

1.) The fan base already believes this to be true, 2.) given how controlling BoB was, it's highly likely that Easterby wasn't much more than BoB's confidence man...even as he made moves that he may not have agreed with.

We all have that friend we see making a huge mistake & in knowing that friend instead of trying to convince them not to do it b/c we know they're going to do it anyway, we just tell them what they want to hear & wait for the trainwreck. Could easily see Easterby saying this to BoB "If you feel it's the right move, then go for it & be confident in your decision..." all the while...
giphy.gif
on the inside.
 
IDEXAN said:
So you believe that both Mercilus and Martin in effect have negative value to the Texans organization because we'd need to kick in consideration (our own draft picks) to induce another team(s) to take them on to include assumption of their contracts ?
Steel if that's what you are really saying that's a stunning statement of the incompetence in the decision to grant them contract extensions.
Click to expand...
I completely agree with this.
Mercilus got $28.5million guaranteed over this year and next. That’s 20th highest paid (avg/year) OLB in the league.
Nick Martin is the 4th highest paid C in the league!
Either could likely be outperformed by Jacob Martin (OLB) and Fulton moving to C, whilst getting Scharping back on the field and developing.
You free up $25million per year in average cap space by losing these 2 players alone.
 
Double Barrel said:
Easterby is one of four on the search team. This we know through trusted sources. The others are Cal, Watson, and pancakes.

That is not an all-star search committee.

That Easterby is neither a football mind nor is he trusted by anyone in the NFL should be a little alarming to Texans fans seeing that he's now the owner's new BFF. Easterby has been described by many in the national media as a smile with a lust for power. Nothing he's done so far as undermined that narrative.

Obviously, everyone has a right to their opinion, and I don't blame those that are not alarmed. It's business as usual on Kirby, so expect status quo. I'm not here to argue about it.

But, I will continue to openly express my thoughts since I know the traffic to this site is a lot larger than the membership. Maybe, just maybe, the fan collective distrust seeps into the jet-stream of someone that can tell the front office that they look like a bunch of unqualified amateurs. The franchise is currently a laughing stock, both locally and nationally.

I study history and historical cycles, and everything about their current set up points to fundamental dysfunction. Again, just my perspective, but I adjust my expectations accordingly. . .meaning I have low to no expectations for this owner to do anything bold or significant.

Yeah, Cal will eventually hire a HC, and I assume a GM, and we will wave our pom poms and hope will spring eternal.

But, the boardroom consensus mentality is still there, and Jack Easterby will have a seat at it. Pancakes even admitted this much. I just don't trust any of it.
Click to expand...

Nor should you trust any of it.

So let me get this straight, you have nobody oher than DW4 that has football experience making this hire. A newspaper guy/a Preacher man/ The Houston Watson's/Cletus are making up the search committee?

What kind of org would let these guys make these kinds of decisions in a billion $$$$ business? What could ever go wrong with these geniuses running the search committee? LMAO

It's truly going to be the lost decade. If I was a smart Texans fan I would do what many of my friends did after the Buffalo debacle with the Oilers, burn all of my Texans gear and never watch a Texans game again.

I'm not smart enough to do this because I enjoy visiting with you guys. Crazy isn't it. I'm a fool, SMDH.
 
welsh texan said:
I completely agree with this.
Mercilus got $28.5million guaranteed over this year and next. That’s 20th highest paid (avg/year) OLB in the league.
Nick Martin is the 4th highest paid C in the league!
Either could likely be outperformed by Jacob Martin (OLB) and Fulton moving to C, whilst getting Scharping back on the field and developing.
You free up $25million per year in average cap space by losing these 2 players alone.
Click to expand...

All of this doesn't matter with the Texans crack search committee on the ball hiring the people who are going to be running the Texans for the next 5-10 yrs. It's going to be a long 10 yrs to recover from this mess. Just sell the team Janice. I feel badly knowing the only chance out of this sooner than a decade is Janice death and that's not even a given that will be enough to get the entitled McNair's to sell the team. Dammit
 
I have a bad feeling about the next HC. The GM might be good but Cal will have a say in the pick. Meaning a HC could be there and Cal likes the other one.

The other thing is Watson. I like the way he has played. However, he has no idea what a great HC is. He has football knowledge that is not going to help you with a HC. He is going to like a guy who has a 100% taylor made system for his game. Brady and Rogers have been in different systems and they still win. Watson has to show he can do that.
 
En1gma57 said:
I have a bad feeling about the next HC. The GM might be good but Cal will have a say in the pick. Meaning a HC could be there and Cal likes the other one.

The other thing is Watson. I like the way he has played. However, he has no idea what a great HC is. He has football knowledge that is not going to help you with a HC. He is going to like a guy who has a 100% taylor made system for his game. Brady and Rogers have been in different systems and they still win. Watson has to show he can do that.
Click to expand...

Agreed

As many have pointed out DW4 isn't in Rodgers/Bray/Mahomes weight class. I happen to think he never will be. DW4 doesn't need to be on the hiring committee either. This franchise is doomed until the Carnival Barker sells the team.
 
welsh texan said:
I completely agree with this.
Mercilus got $28.5million guaranteed over this year and next. That’s 20th highest paid (avg/year) OLB in the league.
Nick Martin is the 4th highest paid C in the league!
Either could likely be outperformed by Jacob Martin (OLB) and Fulton moving to C, whilst getting Scharping back on the field and developing.
You free up $25million per year in average cap space by losing these 2 players alone.
Click to expand...


I think moving Mercilus is going to be very difficult , Can't see a team taking on that contract. They might have to attach an asset to it to move him , that's how bad it is. I know he's been rumored to be in discussions to be moved but I don't buy it one bit - unless the Texans are willing to pay a hefty portion of his deal to play for someone else or they are willing to attach an asset to do it.

Martin they might be able to move .... he has some value as he's statistically not bad - its the eyeball test he doesn't pass.
 
TxnsJuggernaut1 said:
I don't trust any moves made until we have an actual GM in place. That GM will have plenty of time to make important moves after this awful season is over.
Click to expand...
Disagree as teams desperately need player(s) to contend in second half for Super Bowl..higher value for players. Players like Watt who risk progressive negative health due to age and injury history need to be hooked and reeled in sooner than later.

More picks entices a GM to come here as article stated however they need to be high picks.
 
TxnsJuggernaut1 said:
Perhaps we should call up running back Scottie Phillips and then send David Johnson to the practice squad and train him to be a wide receiver if we can't get anything for him. I know that is something not common to do but there have been other players who changed their positions and did well. With what David Johnson is being paid we should try to get value for him. If former college quarterbacks can do well switching to wide receivers in the pros, I see no reason a good catching running back can't get a shot at doing well as a wide receiver.

That is the only kind of change I want to see until we get a veteran GM on our team.
Click to expand...
Move David to WR as we should trade at least one of Fuller, Cooks and Stills. I agree that should increase David's value to trade. Snaps to Howell and Phillips as I posted elsewhere.
 
PapaL said:
David Johnson’s value is even lower than when we traded for him. He has no value.
JJ has emotional value but performance wise, he’s been JAG. We’d be lucky to get a 3rd.

No one that we’d consider trading is worth a first; conditional 2nd is most likely IMO.
Click to expand...
Just a thought to evaluate a guy on how he would do on another team. For example Watts value would be more on team like Steelers or Pack with better defensive players around him plus better coaching and scheme than here.
 
Corrosion said:
I think moving Mercilus is going to be very difficult , Can't see a team taking on that contract. They might have to attach an asset to it to move him , that's how bad it is. I know he's been rumored to be in discussions to be moved but I don't buy it one bit - unless the Texans are willing to pay a hefty portion of his deal to play for someone else or they are willing to attach an asset to do it.

Martin they might be able to move .... he has some value as he's statistically not bad - its the eyeball test he doesn't pass.
Click to expand...
And why would they? Dude makes way too much money and he struggles to get on the stat sheet each week. And Cunningham might as well have a no trade clause because there isn't anyone going to take on his deal.

The Texans got it so bad that they can't even make trades to help them obtain draft capital, to help them get out of this rock bottom hole they're in. That's how bad it is. Watt, Watson, and any of the WRs are the only assets the Texans really have to do anything. Tunsil too, I suppose. Other than that, there isn't anybody on this roster worth anything higher than a 6th. And that may even be the best you could get for somebody like Stills, you know, the guy we basically gave up a 2nd for.

I don't know what Watt could get you, but even if you could get a 2nd, it's going to be a late 2nd. A 3rd and it might as well be a 4th. Might as well keep him if that's the case. I mean they're pretty much screwed even if they do make some deals.
 
En1gma57 said:
I have a bad feeling about the next HC. The GM might be good but Cal will have a say in the pick. Meaning a HC could be there and Cal likes the other one.

The other thing is Watson. I like the way he has played. However, he has no idea what a great HC is. He has football knowledge that is not going to help you with a HC. He is going to like a guy who has a 100% taylor made system for his game. Brady and Rogers have been in different systems and they still win. Watson has to show he can do that.
Click to expand...
Well supposedly a head coach who offers a 100% Taylor made system for Dashaun will allow #4 to take us to final two.
 
TxnsJuggernaut1 said:
I wonder how Qb's like Lamar Jackson would have done without coaches who could make changes to fit their Qb's as opposed to trying to fit square pegs into round holes.
Click to expand...

Tell me exactly what DW4 excells at and I can tell you what type offense he needs to be running. Is he accurate and throws with enough anticipation to run the WCO? I don't think so although many here think the WCO is the answer to all of his issues. His strong suit is supposedly throwing the deep ball so they got him a bunch of fast Wr's, how did that work out?

I still say DW4'S going to be at his best running the Ravens offense, where he doesn't have to think as much and just plays naturally. Pf course this will open him up to more injury risk. But so be it.
 
Last edited:
Mr teX said:
Well said DB and I guess my thoughts are that none of the “how” matters. If you look at how some of the best HC’s in this league's history have been plucked, no way is really “the right” way. Belichick was coming off some pretty shitty years in Cleveland & Kraft admitted himself that he didn't exactly know what he was doing..... & alot of people agreed considering the compensation he gave up to get Belichick. Fans & pundits alike balked at what & how he did it. Likewise, how Jimmy Johnson came to be the HC of the Cowboys. Oil man Jerry Jones comes in and fires an icon to hire this college coach..his former buddy who hadn't shown or proven he could do anything on the NFL level.

Not to mention all the franchises who have done it the "right way" by bringing in a "football guy" as GM & letting him hire another football guy...& still have been a dumpster fire...Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions......The Jets.........us with Casserly and Capers.

The how & who is involved doesn't matter so long as the right candidates are selected for the job & they can work together. If Cal thought that the best way to select the best HC's was to wait to see which way Punxsatawny Phil looks when he comes out of his hole and it brought us a Bill Belichick level HC, would any of us give a rats ass?
Click to expand...

Good stuff, man, and I respect your take. Like you said, much of this is the great UNKNOWN. 'Hope for the best' kind of stuff.

That said, while I do hope for the best, I also mentally prepare for the worst. Basically, tempered expectations

I've given your points some thought overnight, and I'd like to offer the following in response to a couple of your points:

1. I completely understand your perspectives about Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft. They got lucky in many ways. However, there's an old saying that comes to mind here: "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity". Both of these guy were self-made men. While making their fortunes, they understood how to evaluate people, how to build something by being educated about the subject and knowing when/where/how to find the right hires. Bob McNair was like this in many ways. Unfortunately, this is not Cal. It never has been. I'm not saying this to denigrate the man. Rather, it's just an honest look at who he is.

2. The second point sort of ties into the first one. Neither Jones nor Kraft had Jack Easterby looking over their shoulder and potentially clouding the hiring process. Reports of distrust of Easterby are coming from many places, both locally and nationally. He's not qualified to evaluate football minds. There is nothing in his history or resume that would suggest it. And the inherent problem is that potential HC & GM candidates might be wary of having this guy as a part of their staff. Trust is a vital component of any relationship, especially in a pressure cooker of an NFL front office. Having a guy that nobody trusts and respects at the table making decisions, knowing that he's got the ear of the owner the entire time. . .well, let's just say that it's a dysfunctional situation that many men might just avoid altogether.

The following video with John Granato and AJ Hoffman is very interesting in this regard. More food for thought is all.

 
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