It wasn't a high of risk for Denver, mate. They had a runningback in lieu of a starting caliber quarterback.
You are forgetting that we took a similar gamble in our expansion draft and betting on Tony Boselli. This gamble set us back for nearly a decade. And how did Ahman Green work out?
I have no clue why people are making up random stuff out of thin air just to make it seem the Texans had no money for anything. Since Schaub also signed a 5yr deal in 2012 just like Peyton, I think we can safely compare their cap numbers exactly. How much more Peyton makes more than Schaub per year 2012 - $6.3mil 2013 - $6.75mil 2014 - $3mil 2015 - $4.5mil(cap hit if released: $7mil for Schaub, $5mil for Peyton) Year JJ Watt becomes the highest paid non-QB ever 2016 - $2.5mil(cap hit if released: $3.5mil for Schaub, $2.5mil for Peyton) So assuming we're using Watt extension as the key point, that's an extra $16mil/3yrs the Texans had to come up with to give him a comparable deal. Comparable Texans player salaries Myers - $17mil/3yrs(4th year at $8mil likely sacrificed to Watt regardless) Owen Daniels - $17.2mil/3yrs. Cutting him would've saved only ~$15mil or so though due to SB. Arian Foster - $25mil/3yrs(+2 more at $18mil later) Antonio Smith $18mil/2yrs. Cutting him would've only saved $13mil/2yrs. But less room in 2014 to add players. So to recap, if the Texans had signed Peyton Manning instead of Schaub in 2012, they would've basically needed to lose one of Myers, Daniels, Foster(or at least his goodwill because he was only RFA), or Smith+some other stuff. Obviously the numbers won't be exact but it's ballpark. We'd have also likely had a 3rd round pick by trading Schaub to KC or Arizona or somewhere to replenish our depth. I honestly have no clue where all this "we have to give up the whole team to get him" comes from.
The timing of the two signings makes a huge difference meh, not to mention Schaub didn't sign a free agent deal, he signed an extension. Schaub signed his at week 1 after the rest of the team was done and the Texans could roll money to future years when they signed him. Peyton signed during the offseason when you needed all the cap money to bring him on. You also have to account for the fact that Schaub's EXISTING deal (before he signed extension) had guaranteed money. It's not like you could just dump Schaub for Peyton with no dead money that year. We had other dead money that year we were dealing with as well. I disagree with the idea that you had to give up the whole team or you wouldn't be able to resign JJ Watt, because when you have guys on your team already you can make things work with restructuring. You just couldn't make the numbers work that offseason for that type of free agent deal. None of that even accounts for the fact that you'd want the Texans to get rid of Schaub, who was playing very well for you, and sign a guy who was a question mark. I've always been a Manning fan and I really wish he were a Texan. When I played Madden I cut Schaub and got Manning. I recognize that the Texans didn't really have a choice in the matter though.
I blame McNair for loving Schaub too much. Manning had said he would take less money to go to a competitor. I'm looking forward to the next 3 games, if he manages to win 2 games, I will let it die. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/13/news/la-manning-houston-20120313
Manning went to a team that had won its division and a playoff game and still signed an enormous contract. Not saying it wouldn't have been worth it, but folks really need to drop the "he'd have signed for whatever to fit under the cap" narrative. It's just not true. Actions, not words.
A team that won a playoff game with Tim Tebow as the starting QB. The same Tim Tebow that hasn't started an NFL game since, couldn't beat out Mark Sanchez, & is currently without any offer to even be a backup QB in the NFL. He took the money and a contender.
Do you guys remember who he was picking from in free agency that year? Denver was the surprise winner among the final three that included San Fransisco and Tennessee. Now, two of those teams were playoff teams. The third was Tennessee, which was an ok team. But what was the common thread that those three teams had when you compare them to the Texans? That's right folks, cap space. All three teams had significant cap room to offer Peyton a mega deal with big money up front, something the Texans couldn't do.
Peyton Manning and the Broncos went exactly as far in the playoffs as the Texans. And you'd seriously be willing to let go of J.J. Watt, Brian Cushing, Arian Foster, Antonio Smith, and probably an offensive lineman or two all for 2-3 years of Peyton? This whole debate is completely absurd, and is grounded in so much speculation that calling it pointless doesn't even do it justice. NOBODY knows the facts, and like many of the more level-headed posters have said, his ACTIONS speak louder than words. And, for everything he SAID about being willing to take a paycut, he ended up going to the team that offered him the BIGGEST deal while still giving him a competitive supporting cast. The reason the Broncos could sign him was because Tebow was still on his rookie deal, so they had the cap space to offer Peyton a HUGE contract up front. It's the same reason why teams like Seattle and San Francisco can be huge players in free agency. As soon as Wilson and Kap get off those rookie deals, they are going to have make roster cuts just like everyone else. But, it's obvious that there are posters in this thread who have decided that facts mean nothing to them. Unfortunately, when it comes to sports in general, there are far too many people who do this.
You would not have had to get rid of all those guys. JJ Watt and cushing don't even make big money yet.
Cushing signed his extension this year, and Watt will sign his inside the next 2. Foster signed his last year. We might not have had to get rid of all of them, but we certainly wouldn't be able to keep a few.
Again, so much just assumption and no actual evidence nor any research. Schaub's contract in 2012 was $7.5mil in base salary. The Texans gave him a $10mil roster bonus in 2010, which effectively became a frontloaded bonus allowing them to not face cap ramifications in later years. So no, trading Schaub would not have cost the Texans any money. But a QB the caliber of Schaub for $7.5mil should garner a very nice market. One that would allow the Texans to get a juicy pick. At least a 3rd. Probably a 2nd. I never argued against this point. I wanted Peyton back then mostly because I thought he was the missing piece. But I understood the football reasons against it. I just don't understand why people have to make up stuff that are just plain wrong, like we wouldn't be able to re-sign Watt, that Foster/Daniels/everyone else would be gone, etc.
who is making up stuff? it's you guys that are messing with the space time continuum. Manning would still throw those ints and to make things worse, no trindon holliday to bail his arse out scoring 2 tds. we lose in the second game in a more dramatic fashion. as for this season, let it play out.
When did I say anything about Peyton's hypothetical play on the Texans? Or for that matter, when did I say anything about Peyton's play period?
Yes, and you are one of them. You are just too locked into your own world and wild thoughts to see it. You're the same as the people you are accusing, your thoughts and assumptions are just on the opposite end of the spectrum.
Link to a quote from Peyton where he says he chose the Texans? Surely that exists right? Otherwise we wouldn't have a multi page thread about it.
