2024 Houston Texans off-season thread

[TexArcher 37506]

I feel like there's substantial injury risk with any RB.  But how many have Saquon's upside if they do stay healthy?  It has the potential to be the FA signing of the season.  Take the shot.

Derrick Henry also sounds great to me.

Get either of those guys, bolster the D, keep CJ away from Ho Island, and this team might fuck around and win the AFC.

Edited February 29 by TexArcher

[Frank Drebin 5612]

I'd just draft a running back or pick up someone cheap.  Zero chance I'd spend any money on a back on a second or third contract.

[Fud 9545]

4 minutes ago, Frank Drebin said:

I'd just draft a running back or pick up someone cheap.  Zero chance I'd spend any money on a back on a second or third contract.

Davis and Estime are the RBs to target in the mid rounds for Houston, imo

Vet RBs are fine, just don't break the bank on them

[TexArcher 37506]

6 minutes ago, Fud said:

Vet RBs are fine, just don't break the bank on them

Yeah, it's not something I'd ordinarily want to spend money on, but when you've got a star QB like CJ on a rookie contract and this much money to spend, hell yeah you can take a reasonably-priced shot at a Saquon or Henry.  Draft a backup plan, obv.

[Fud 9545]

My pick for most likely pick at this point for Houston at #23, if they stay put, is Darius Robinson. He fits the type of DL San Francisco targeted while DeMeco was there, and also fits what Caserio looked for in New England 

I think some guys like Brian Thomas Jr could be higher on their board, but are less likely to still be there at #23

 

[tx ind 6997]

23 hours ago, Macklemore said:

 

[Fud 9545]

It seems that three of the players I liked for Houston at #23 very likely won't be there; Quinyon Mitchell, Brian Thomas Jr, and Amarius Mims. Cooper DeJean is tbd. I do think Darius Robinson should be there at least. We'll see if someone who most think should go top 15 falls to #23. A run on OL before #23 would help that happen. 

[Fud 9545]

I think these 19 are probably gone before pick #23

Caleb Williams
Drake Maye
Jayden Daniels
Marvin Harrison Jr
Malik Nabers
Joe Alt
JJ McCarthy
Rome Odunze
Dallas Turner
Quinyon Mitchell
Terrion Arnold
Brian Thomas Jr
Olu Fashanu
Taliese Fuaga
Byron Murphy II
Troy Fautanu
Brock Bowers
Amarius Mims
Jared Verse
 

[Ignatius 4000]

32 minutes ago, Fud said:

I think these 19 are probably gone before pick #23

Caleb Williams
Drake Maye
Jayden Daniels
Marvin Harrison Jr
Malik Nabers
Joe Alt
JJ McCarthy
Rome Odunze
Dallas Turner
Quinyon Mitchell
Terrion Arnold
Brian Thomas Jr
Olu Fashanu
Taliese Fuaga
Byron Murphy II
Troy Fautanu
Brock Bowers
Amarius Mims
Jared Verse
 

I’d move Mims and Thomas to the ‘maybe’ line and add Laiatu Latu to this list, but yeah pretty much everyone else is in play at 23. It’s too bad they don’t have the draft before free agency instead of afterward; I think most GMs would rather be able to just pick talent in the draft and plug roster holes in FA…

Edited March 3 by Ignatius

[Fud 9545]

1 minute ago, Ignatius said:

I’d move Mims and Thomas to the ‘maybe’ line and add Laiatu Latu to this list, but yeah pretty much everyone else is in play at 23. It’s too bad they don’t have the draft before free agency instead of afterward; I think most GMs would rather be able to just pick talent in the draft and plug roster holes in FA…

There’s no way Thomas Jr will be there. He might be gone by pick 15

I thought there was a chance Mims would be, but his measureables were even crazier than I’d thought 

Latu’s medicals could drop him 

[Fud 9545]

It seems like they're going to let someone else "overpay" for Greenyard, and use the money saved on a different player 

 

[TonyTexas 10481]

Thankful that this eliminates any possibility of him as a FA target. 

 

[Fud 9545]

Is Houston letting Greenyard go so they can pay Wilkins?

 

[Macklemore 2871]

We still need Greenard or another experienced Edge even if we sign Wilkins. I don’t like how Wilkins’ stats are an outlier in his contract year compared to the rest of his career. I don’t think it’s a bad idea to let Greenard hit free agency to assess his market value. I prefer Madubuike over Wilkins and hope he hits free agency.

Edited March 4 by Macklemore

[HtownHorn 14468]

2 hours ago, Macklemore said:

We still need Greenard or another experienced Edge even if we sign Wilkins. I don’t like how Wilkins’ stats are an outlier in his contract year compared to the rest of his career. I don’t think it’s a bad idea to let Greenard hit free agency to assess his market value. I prefer Madubuike over Wilkins and hope he hits free agency.

We may not have a choice depening on what other teams do with their FAs.

[Bevo 13517]

We need to trade down and pick up Sweat, Sanders, Jones, Watts, Brooks, and Sanborn.

[Fud 9545]

This lock has houston trading #23 for Brian Burns

That would be fun 

 

[TonyTexas 10481]

^^^ 

Tell me what I’m missing here. Otherwise, that doesn’t make a lot of sense as Burns will either be a FA or franchised by Carolina. 

[Fud 9545]

6 minutes ago, TonyTexas said:

^^^ 

Tell me what I’m missing here. Otherwise, that doesn’t make a lot of sense as Burns will either be a FA or franchised by Carolina. 

A franchise and trade presumably, similar to what KC is doing with Sneed

[Murfdogg21 4412]

55 minutes ago, Fud said:

A franchise and trade presumably, similar to what KC is doing with Sneed

Hard pass. #23 this year should yield a starting caliber OT, WR, DB, or DT on a rookie salary for 5 years (with franchise option on a 6th). The team would still have money to sign an additional high end free agent. Giving up the #23 pick for the right to pay Burns franchise money is not equivalent value over the next 5 years. 
 

Trading down a few slots and ending up with 2 Longhorns (Mitchell or Worthy and Sweat? Murphy and Sanders?) would be amazing 

[Macklemore 2871]

 

[Fud 9545]

7 hours ago, Murfdogg21 said:

Hard pass. #23 this year should yield a starting caliber OT, WR, DB, or DT on a rookie salary for 5 years (with franchise option on a 6th). The team would still have money to sign an additional high end free agent. Giving up the #23 pick for the right to pay Burns franchise money is not equivalent value over the next 5 years. 
 

Trading down a few slots and ending up with 2 Longhorns (Mitchell or Worthy and Sweat? Murphy and Sanders?) would be amazing 

Getting Burns for only a first (Carolina previously turned down two firsts and a second for him) then paying him still allows you to pay another big free agent. This is what taking advantage of starting QB on a rookie contract looks like, and how you build an title contending roster 

I’m fine making big moves if the value is right 

[Murfdogg21 4412]

42 minutes ago, Fud said:

Getting Burns for only a first (Carolina previously turned down two firsts and a second for him) then paying him still allows you to pay another big free agent. This is what taking advantage of starting QB on a rookie contract looks like, and how you build an title contending roster 

I’m fine making big moves if the value is right 

There is a salary cap with a certain amount of money. The salary of the first round pick is much less than what Burns will make. There is likely enough room for one extra impact FA more than whatever you could sign along with Burns. The Texans need as many new impact players as they can get on the roster. 

[Fud 9545]

56 minutes ago, Murfdogg21 said:

There is a salary cap with a certain amount of money. The salary of the first round pick is much less than what Burns will make. There is likely enough room for one extra impact FA more than whatever you could sign along with Burns. The Texans need as many new impact players as they can get on the roster. 

Burns plus, say, Wilkins would cost in the ballpark of what a market setting QB would cost. Houston can afford it if they can make acquiring Burns work. To me it's more about the draft capital you're giving up. If it's just pick #23, I'd go for it. 

Houston has a top ten QB on a rookie contract. It's go time. 

[TonyTexas 10481]

Burns is a very good player and #23 for him would be fine if a reasonable longer term deal with him could be worked out prior. But I wouldn’t like that deal if the Texans would have to continue going the subsequent franchise tag route. As far of the previous offers being higher, that Rams offer that Fud referenced was from 2022. 

[Fud 9545]

1 minute ago, TonyTexas said:

Burns is a very good player and #23 for him would be fine if a reasonable longer term deal with him could be worked out prior. But I wouldn’t like that deal if the Texans would have to continue going the subsequent franchise tag route. As far of the previous offers being higher, that Rams offer that Fud referenced was from 2022. 

I'd assume they'd have a long term deal worked out if they trade for him 

[Bevo 13517]

So what are we looking at after a deal like that? We will need TE, OL, WR, DL, RB and DB. I think I would take Sweat in the second. Sanders and AD would be good also. Any thoughts on what we should draft and what we should acquire as FAs?

[Fud 9545]

18 minutes ago, Bevo said:

So what are we looking at after a deal like that? We will need TE, OL, WR, DL, RB and DB. I think I would take Sweat in the second. Sanders and AD would be good also. Any thoughts on what we should draft and what we should acquire as FAs?

In the second round, best player available at anything but QB, RB, or C. AD Mitchell won't be there in the second. Sweat probably won't be there in the second. Sanders might be. 

At RB, I think you sign a cheap vet (re-sign Singletary?) and draft a RB mid to late (I like Ray Davis)

[Fud 9545]

So much for that

 

[Macklemore 2871]

Resigned Schultz. Solid move.

 

[TonyTexas 10481]

I’m happy. Both the FA market and the draft are weak for TEs this year. The Schultz contract is just slightly above the projections of 3/$34M. 

[The Earl of Texas 3131]

No reason not to do this really. He’s a known commodity who fits with Stroud and front office guys clearly like, that’s way better than using a draft pick on someone other than Bowers and hoping we get the same.

I like it. Also shows that guys who perform on one year deals can get paid.

Edited March 5 by The Earl of Texas

[The Earl of Texas 3131]

Also, regarding price tag, it makes sense:

 

[Bevo 13517]

Yes, it was a good deal. We can strike TE off the list of needs in the draft.

[HtownHorn 14468]

TE position is set for the next few seasons, Schultz and Jordan are a great tandem. 76-854-7 combined last season.

Would love to bring Diggs home after he was cut today by the Seahawks. Still very productive.

Edited March 5 by HtownHorn

[tx 3 putt 76296]

[billfromlaketravis 11357]

That’s not a great number for Schultz. Feels like a sweetheart deal. They could have saved a lot of money if they tagged him. I get it nobody wants to be tagged. He came to the Texans on a prove it contract and he’d be pissed if he got tagged, but it’s part  of the business. 
 

I would have used the tag threat as a hammer to get him down to like 3 years $27 million. 
 

 

[Fud 9545]

10 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

That’s not a great number for Schultz. Feels like a sweetheart deal. They could have saved a lot of money if they tagged him. I get it nobody wants to be tagged. He came to the Texans on a prove it contract and he’d be pissed if he got tagged, but it’s part  of the business. 
 

I would have used the tag threat as a hammer to get him down to like 3 years $27 million. 
 

 

He was the best TE on the market. The deal is fine 

[Fud 9545]

Tice and Mays mentioned Houston as their favorite potential spot for Quandre

[Eskimohorn 5610]

He was the best TE on the market. The deal is fine 

I’m largely unimpressed with his skills but thats what you pay a starter there.

[Hank Kingsley 20676]

I feel like playing with Stroud and Houston's offense inflated Schultz's contract value, but whatever. He's a solid vet and if CJ vouched for him we should all be good with it. 

Also get the sense that Texans might trade up in this draft. Caserio and Ryans were super aggressive last year, I think they might move into the teens to get who they want this year. 

Edited March 6 by Hank Kingsley

[Fud 9545]

A few interesting WRs who may or may not be available at pick #59 (I think McConkey and Coleman are probably long gone). The first three are the most interesting to me

Xavier Legette

Malachi Corley

Ricky Pearsall

Ja'Lynn Polk

Troy Franklin

Roman Wilson

Tez Walker

[Fud 9545]

 

[Fud 9545]

57 minutes ago, Hank Kingsley said:

I feel like playing with Stroud and Houston's offense inflated Schultz's contract value, but whatever. He's a solid vet and if CJ vouched for him we should all be good with it. 

Also get the sense that Texans might trade up in this draft. Caserio and Ryans were super aggressive last year, I think they might move into the teens to get who they want this year. 

Who would they trade up for? 

I see enough players who'll likely still be on the board at pick #23 who are good fits to where I think they might be fit standing pat (Darius Robinson makes a ton of sense, for instance) 

[Hank Kingsley 20676]

1 minute ago, Fud said:

Who would they trade up for? 

I see enough players who'll likely still be on the board at pick #23 who are good fits to where I think they might be fit standing pat (Darius Robinson makes a ton of sense, for instance) 

I don't know. But if they have targeted guys like Quinyon Mitchell, Brian Thomas, or even Byron Murphy, it won't take a lot to move up 4-5 spots to get them. 

Also curious what their plans are for Dameon Pierce.

[billfromlaketravis 11357]

Bowers doesn’t block for shit. I don’t think he drops to 23, but I wonder if that factored into the Schultz decision. 

[Fud 9545]

1 minute ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Bowers doesn’t block for shit. I don’t think he drops to 23, but I wonder if that factored into the Schultz decision. 

Bowers is a decent blocker if you're not asking him to in-line block DL 

There's no chance he'll be there at #23. He's unrelated to that move

It's a combination of keeping guys around Stroud who he has chemistry with and a lack of cheap options in free agency this year 

[Fud 9545]

 

[Fud 9545]

 

[Macklemore 2871]