Glass Half Full - Reasons to be excited about the upcoming season

Reasons I'm excited...

- Full Mallet experience

- Hoyer > Fitzpatrick

- Healthy Clowney

- Foster on a contract year

- Finally have an above average safety in Moore

- Weak schedule & division

If we can pull off 9 wins with last year's roster, this group's ceiling should be 11.

 

16 games of Mallet. Should mean more throws to the TE and the slot.

I will likely, for no apparent reason now, be excited by whomever the Texans draft.

Romeo's defense.

OBie's game planning.

 

Hopkins looks to continue improvement and has the potential to establish himself as a top WR in the NFL this year. Ridiculous hands and leaping ability. Had a great year last year with Andre. Should be featured even more in the passing attack.

Mallet with a full offseason with the team he'll play for. He already knows the NE system. Now he gets an offseason to learn the BOB version. I expect him to be the starter. But if he doesn't click ...

... Hoyer gets placed in a system he's familiar with. He showed flashes of a legit QB, and he wreaked of a career backup at Cleveland. He is put in a situation and environment to fulfill his potential as a QB, whatever that may be.

Opportunity for someone to step up on offense. Aside from our NEED for Hopkins to be the man, there has to be somebody to help alleviate the attack in the air now that Andre is gone. CJ? Demaris? Considering that BOB asked Andre to take a lesser role as the #2 WR, I'd expect more targets for the slot WR and/or the tight ends. It'll be exciting to see one of the young guys step up and become a staple next year's offense. I'm just waiting for CJ to be unleashed in the passing game.

More BOB guys means BOB will be a little more comfortable opening up his playbook. With more BOB players, coach should feel like he has personnel capable of running plays he didn't run last year due to the abilities of the players he inherited. Hopefully, we see more from this offense.

 

Drinking games on how many times Romeo has to pull his pants up during the game!

 

JJ
BoB
Defensive backfield seems solid with Moore signing, and continued development of Bouye, Morris, Rolle
JJ


Did I mention JJ?

 

Really feel like Mallet takes a big leap. Just have a good feeling about him.

Another year of O'Brien changing the culture of this team.

A lot can still happen to personnel between now and the start of the season. I'm not a guy that thinks were sunk already only a week into free agency.

JJ Watt with another year is seasoning. I expect him to get even better.

 

I don't know if Mallett will be an elite QB, but he has more potential than any QB we've had since...well, I won't mention the name but pre-Schaub. LOL.

I'm excited to watch a guy that at least has the possibility of becoming really good.

 

Bill O'Brien...I think we found our coach.

 

O'brien has his QBs at the helm. All on cheap deals, than can be gone with no harm after the season if nothing works out. He's not going all in on any of them, which is smart and shows that he knows when/when not to buy into someone. I also believe he's going to do great things for the franchise.

As far as this year's FA period, I'd say so far they're batting a 1000. Signed guys they needed back, let guys walk that weren't helping them win/or are easily replaced. Not over paying. Upgrading the safety position, and maybe continuing to do so if they bring Lewis back. They seem to understand their weakness on D with them targeting front 7 FA's(yet to sign any of them though).

With that weakness recognition, I would assume they will probably continue the train of thought throughout the draft. Continue to make the defense our strength, and HOPEFULLY add key picks to positions of need on O.

I don't see a step back for this franchise next season. We could remain with the same record when all is said and done, but I feel like so long as we're molding this franchise into O'brien's vision, it will be a successful.

Haven't liked the previous coaching regimes at any point, but I have had nothing but great feelings about O'brien. Just like his style.

 

successful one***

 

Glass half full, you're paying attention to the moves the team is making and the composition of the team.

 

Rahim Moore signing
Cap Management shift and future flexibility
Ryan Mallet's audition
Arian Foster's last year as a Texan
Another B'OB draft to add more talent and depth to a 9-7 team
Healthy Clowney

 

Is Clowney going to play this year?