There is no more potential in both these guys since they are already 30+ years old. Fitz has no potential. Hoyer has negative potential.
Potential FA Starters (i.e. started at least 1 game this year) Ryan Mallet Mark Sanchez Brian Hoyer Failed 1st rounder reclamation projects Sam Bradford Jake Locker Christian Ponder Blaine Gabbert Draft (assuming Mariota/Winston don't fall to the Texans) Connor Cook Brett Hundley I vote for one of the bolded names with Ryan Fitzpatrick as the primary backup. Could even pick Cook or Hundley in the 2nd round potentially as well to play third string (sorry Tom Savage).
I'd go with Mallett/Fitz -- they'll be better with another year in the system If we get a healthy Clowney back our defense should be stout. I'd like to see us work on the O-line in the draft
Mallet looked great in his first game. In his second game, he looked awful but was hurt. I would not mind giving Mallet a full season look next ... but ... Mallet is FA looking for a high dollar multi-year deal. It will be interesting to see what other teams offer him. Fitz I guess is an OK backup. I really would not want to see more than 1 or 2 games with him starting next year. It seems like half the games he starts that the Texans lose if the defense does not put up points. A better play may be to have Savage as the backup. If Savage does not have a future in the NFL, it would be better to find that out now rather than latter.
we should go with the Ryan squared duo, with mallet the starter. sign fattyfork when the patriots release him. he still has another 2 good seasons. then, draft an impact free safety with cover skills or move one of our Cbs there. start looking for arian's replacement before he turns 30. and of course some speed at MLB. if clowney comes back, we will be one of the best defenses. Crick has taken strides in being a perfect end for romeo's defense. he doesn't get the same leeway to freelance like watt but he does everything exceptionally well. Lol, i even thought he got away with 2 late hits on bortles because he looked like watt. the lazy analyzing by radiodudes like to point out we've only beaten the crappy qbs. if you glance and have no substance, yeah that was the case. But if you go back and see the performances you'll see that our defense turned those 'elite' qbs over into making mistakes. I'm sorry but I can't give big ben credit for making foster fumble, luck for making andre fumble without being touched or luck even kicking an onsides. i just can't. can't help but to get excited about our o line too. and for being this inept offense with a homeless man at qb, we're averaging 24 pts a game. team effort. that's 7 more points than tattooed jesus and the 49ers =/.
I guess the book is closed on Hoyer already after one season as a starter on the Browns, with no skill players and not running the BOB system.
You can say the same thing with about 15 starters in the NFL every single Sunday. However, Houston has the 12th best scoring offense in the NFL. Are they supposed to be top 5 to get any recognition. Fitz has had a better season this year than: Matt Stafford, Colin Kaepernick, Cam Newton, Jay Cutler, Alex Smith, and Andy Dalton.
If a QB that potentially could still be elite just magically happens to become available (sorta like when Brees became expendable, or Manning was available thanks to his injury), by all means the Texans will be required/mandated to be all over that. But without that situation, and only the draft, chances are they'll be standing pat... unless they are that enamored with Mariota/Winston to the point of willing to trade current/future picks for (but seeing as to what BOB likely values more in a QB... besides speed/arm-strenth... he would have to be totally floored by those other abilities).
Anyone who claims they wanted Mark Sanchez on this team last summer is lying. No one wanted any part of him.
Exactly. For all these "big name/big money" starting QB's around the league... there are still only 4-5 guys who truly are a franchise QB in every way/name/shape/form (guys that if you put them on ANY team, they'd probably do just as well and make that team significantly better). Currently, that list looks like: Rodgers, Manning, Luck, Brady... with Big Ben and Brees right on the edge of being elite. I'd keep Rivers in the next group, although he does a lot with what he has.
I say get a power running back and improve the OLine before going for WR. Can't ignore safety and ILB either. I really would like them take a risk on a quick kick/punt returner. I don't remember the last time the team returned one for a TD.
Yup, it just boggles my mind that people expect an offense that runs like the Broncos/Packers on a weekly basis. You're not going to get that if you dont have one of the top 5 QBs in the league. It's like there is no middle ground here...either Fitzpatrick has to be the best QB in the league for people to be happy...and if he's not, then he's a bottom 5 QB or possibly a "decent NFL backup". Or, people are saying he just needs to be average, but for some reason, their idea of "average" is actually very good QB play. Fitzpatrick has been decent this year. He's made his fair share of poor plays, but more or less, he's been doing his job reasonably well. I think the play call at the beginning of the season and the horrid play of the offensive line contributed to a lot of the problems and frustrations we faced on offense...and many people continued to think that the majority of the blame was on Fitzpatrick. Or, if we had better QB, then we wouldnt have faced those issues. In reality, all QBs are going to be playing with one arm behind their backs if the OLine sucks or if the play calling sucks. Having said that, the elite QBs you mentioned would have probably added at least 2 wins to our current total. Outside of those elites, not sure how much better the Texans would have fared. Meanwhile, Matt Ryan is leading his team to a 5-7 record in the worst division in football...while Drew Brees has a 5-8 record in the same division. Cam Newton, 4 wins in the same division. Jay Cutler, 5-8 record. The list goes on.
You have Locker or Mettenberger if you want 'em. Think Locker could get you to at least 9-7. Mettenberger probably 4-12.
The question to me is . .. . . Can we expect Fitz or Mallet to match Schaub in his best years? Exceed him? Is Schaub the Texans Standard for QBs? I think we should aim higher but Schuab [I admit begrudgently] did have some good years. We will AT MINIMUM need that level of play on a CONSISTENT basis I just don't know if Fitzie or Mallet have it in them . . . . otherwise we will just continue to tread water until we find THE GUY. I just don't want Mallet or Fitzie to become our BO'B's SCHAUB . . . . . Good enough for the team to be Good .. . but never enough to get over the hump Rocket River
