The Houston Texans came within two games of the Super Bowl. They had the league’s best defense, and had the top team in the AFC, the New England Patriots, on the ropes because of it. However, because Houston had a sinkhole of incompetence at quarterback the team was handicapped and saw their season come to an end.
This has led to reports coming out that Brock Osweiler may not be the starter when the 2017 season starts.
Texans head coach Bill O’Brien wasn’t committal to their 2016 free agent signing, who cost the team $72 million, after their divisional round loss saying, “Before I talk about those types of things, I have to evaluate it myself,” O’Brien said. “I’ve got to talk to our coaching staff, get their input, personnel people, get their input. So I wouldn’t be a good head coach if I stood up here and said, this is what I’m planning to do. The game is less than 48 hours ago. We’re going to evaluate everything.” (Pro Football Talk)
O’Brien is basically looking around him and It’s like the Stealers Wheel song “Stuck in the Middle With You” says “clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am stuck in the middle with you.”
But, is O’Brien stuck with the money pit that is Osweiler? Yes, the team is on the hook for a cap hit of $19 million next season, and then $21 and $20 million the following years, however, there is the lifeline of the upcoming NFL Draft. Because of the new rookie pay scale teams can take a chance on a rookie quarterback; and not have that player be an anchor on its salary cap.
The Texans pick 25th in the 2017 draft. However, they do not have to use that first overall pick reaching for a quarterback, when they can use it to address filling in holes on their offensive line. An offensive line that surrendered 32 sacks, and dragged down a rushing attack to the bottom of the league.
Houston should take a page out of the Seattle playbook when they drafted Russell Wilson 75th overall in the 2012 Draft. That year, the Seahawks did sign free agent Matt Flynn to a large contract. However, they went with the defensive end Bruce Irvin in the first round, then linebacker Bobby Wagner in the second. Both players played key parts in the Super Bowl runs for Seattle, and addressed needs for their team.
Then during summer camp they realized that the rookie Wilson was the better quarterback; and as they say, the rest is history.
Houston should copy this format, with someone in the third round like Pittsburgh’s Nate Peterman. Or, they could, and should, use their second round pick on Clemson’s Deshaun Watson. If the quarterback is still on the board when the Texans are on the clock at pick 57 it would be a lifesaver to O’Brien, and the fanbase, to see the Heisman Trophy finalist get selected to their franchise and be the replacement to the nightmare that was watching Osweiler in 2016.
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I would love to see deshuan Watson be there qb I know he good seen play in person.