Ryan Mallett named the Texans starting quarterback

Just heard stat of the day on DP show, Matt Schaub teams are 0-24 in last 24 games. Curse of the Schaub.

 

It's not $20MM; it's $18.5MM ; might feel like hair-splitting but with a hard cap, every $ counts and you can’t bolster your argument by arbitrarily adding money.

You're projecting what YOU want Mallett to do, with the best interest of the Texans as your top priority. Which would be awesome if it worked out that way but it’s highly unlikely. If he has an impressive seven-game stretch, he will be a coveted free agent and some team is going to pay him. To argue otherwise is to admit you've had your head buried in the sand the past 30-40 years when it comes to the business side of sports. Teams routinely throw money and/or high draft picks at QBs. To think a 26-year old UFA is going to have to settle… I mean… it’s pretty silly.

You're just making things up, Nick. Their cap situation is not dire: the overall cap will increase as much as $10MM; they're done with Schaub's dead money ($10.5MM this year) – those two things alone pay for Mallett’s one year franchise deal. Otherwise, their UFAs - while priorities - are not bank-breakers... and they can likely shed salaries of players they likely cut regardless (AJ, JJo, etc.)

And IF they have a QB locked in for next year, they can dedicate every other resource, including all seven draft picks, to the areas you listed.

It's worse based on... your opinion of how things will play out? That’s mighty convenient. What if he proves to be a franchise QB? Is it worse then?

And, I’m sorry- I know you're dug in here but in no universe ever is a one-year deal worth $18.5MM worse than a 6-year deal worth $63MM with $28MM guaranteed - against the old CBA salary cap, no less. Come on, that's absurd.

You don't let potential franchise QBs - which is what Mallett would be if this scenario plays out - walk.

Way to go out on a limb, there. So anywhere between $3MM (Orton) and $18MM (Dalton)?

How’s this for a fair estimate: Matt Flynn scored a 3-year, $26MM deal with $10MM guaranteed three years ago. They wound up paying him $14.5MM for his single year there. So even discounting that that was three years ago and he was being paid for essentially one game (as opposed to seven), it is, as I argued, roughly the same thing – only in my scenario, there are no cap ramifications in 2016.

Ryan Mallett and his representation are not dummies; they will understand that signing a team-friendly deal here – because the team isn’t ready to fully commit to him – is the least viable option available. He’s better off refusing it and forcing their hand, either by franchising him or letting him hit free agency.

The ONLY incentive for him to sign that deal is if it’s economically better than either the franchise tag (so, IOW, guaranteed money beyond a single year) or what he can command on the open market.

 

Just stop. He's no longer here; you can let some of it go and admit, you know, we didn't have it so bad for a few years there. Schaub was *very* good in 2011: 96.8 QBR, 8.5 YPA, which is just insane. And when he got hurt, the Texans had just completed a four-game stretch in which they outscored their opponents 132-42.

Everyone not only completely understood how integral he had been, most thought his injury derailed the season.

You're going to run out of "yea, but"s here... so instead, why don't you just take a deep breath, relax a bit and be OK that Matt Schaub was once a really, really good NFL QB.

 

Didn't Michael come back like in the middle of the season or something like that... Pretty much just walked in off the street in started playing...

Anyway, I'm one of the few to believe the Texans lost to Baltimore because of Kubiak and not TJ... They could have ran the ball more. I don't think Tate even got a carry that game. It was no need for TJ (a rookie QB) to be airing it out so much. I don't know if the Texans would have won with Schaub. I don't get into the shoulda, coulda, woulda debates. But you guys get reminiscing about Schaub all you like. I'm just glad as hell he's gone.

 

Yarnnnn....!!!! I couldn't make it past your 1st couple os sentences.

 

Schaub was borderline elite in 2009-2011.

He moved the ball effortlessly down the field. I think we all realized things while seeing Fitzy back there this year.

The ball didn't move. The offense was stagnant, and then comes Mallet who gives you that fluid feel to the offense. It was really nice.

 

FYI, quarterback rating and QBR are two different things.

Why are you guys yapping about Oakland's 3rd string QB? It's over, give it up!

 

My bad... That's on me. I accidentally brought him up and the Schaub fan boys went crazy. Won't happen again.

 

Who is this Matt Schaub character?

 

Ryan Mallet's QBR rating according to Footbal Outsiders metric was a 81.9 (They use a different formula vs ESPN)

His DVOA (Defense-adjusted value Over Average) percentage was 45.5% which is very very good. 1st start, but still impressive over a top pass defense (Cleveland is ranked 7th).

Keenum played alright in his first start, 15/25 passing, 1 touchdown. Keenum made passes that game, but the offense flowed very poorly. Passing albeit important, is only one facet of an offensive flow.

Mallet had a very good flow in the offense and reading the defenses correctly.

The next step is to handle the various things teams will do against him. They are going to see how he does vs constant blitzes and other defensive schemes. His job is to handle each of these dilemmas.

If I'm BOB, I'm going to keep calling fast-developing somewhat conservative play-calling early on to give Mallet confidence and time to develop his footwork.His mechanics when he doesn't get his legs planted is pretty bad, but when he can get it set he can make accurate throws.

It may not be what fans want to see, it may cost us a game here and there, but it's probably best for Mallet's future development.

 

Thats all well and good but who are you developing him for? He is not signed. You win games period if possible.

 

I mean if he shows signs of being a great guy, you can franchise him. Yes he will be overpaid for one season, but Texans will have lots of cap-space and you don't have any long-term obligation to him if he busts

 

Im onboard for this. I'd rather spend 18 mil on a guy to find out if hes the real deal than 4 years 45million.

If hes great then it warrants the contract. If not, better you had drafted a qb in the first 3 rounds.

 

complete horse****.

read and be educated.

 

My entire premise is that the Texans are NOT going to find that out over the next 7 games... and there's a middle ground to not have to pay him $18.5 million next year to find that out, regardless of how well he performs.

I know the idea of a 1 year deal to figure it out sounds like a fun idea... but you're entirely downplaying the other needs of this team right now, along with the necessary roster moves to absorb an $18.5 million cap figure for an unknown.

Yes, he can and should hold out for a guaranteed multi-year deal... and if I'm the Texans, I'd offer him one with a signing bonus less than the $18.5 million dollars. I'd rather spread out the cap hit over multiple years anyways to possibly diminish how much talent that has to either be let go, avoided, or cut altogether.

 

They can shave $17.3MM off next year's cap (which, again, is rumored to be increasing $7-10MM) by releasing AJ and JJo - two moves most assume they'll do regardless of the QB situation.

Paying Mallett $18.5MM isn't ideal. But it's not a cap-crushing, either. They can make it work with minimal effort - if they have to.

In terms of needs, sure, they have holes. But they're not going to necessarily throw money at them. In fact, their MO has been to build through the draft. And, look - this isn't an elite football team, no matter how many wins they stumble into this year - but if they win 8+ games... I think the across-the-board needs might look a little less drastic. This is looking like a very competent coaching staff.

 

good lord. Can we at least put a 4 game moratorium on these contract talks. It's just arguing for the sake or worthless arguing.

 

Why, if people are enjoying the back-and-forth engagement, do you care? It's not the only thread in the forum; feel free to frequent those, instead. Or, if you want to talk Mallett, throw a post up of some substance.

 

It's all based on the hypothetical that he plays great for the remaining 6 games and what should the Texans do if that happens. Nobody is saying he should get the contract now.

 

I never said it would be impossible to give him the franchise... but all these people they're going to potentially get rid of (AJ, JJo, Foster, Cushing, Jackson) to make sure there's enough cap room, along with the opportunity cost of being unable to sign other team's free agents in areas of need (or to replace some of the guys you just let go) is just too great to lock in a QB at an extremely high rate just to evaluate him for one year.

I agree they can't continue to survive via getting absolutely ZERO production from an entire draft (as they have thus far).... but its a bit of stretch to say they'll be able to fill needs solely through the draft (and, btw, you still have to have cap room to sign the draft picks).

Just like you say they can magically make it work (franchising) him with minimal effort, I can just as easily say they can magically find a middle ground (not a long-term big money deal, but not a 1 year capped out franchise deal) in order to provide maximum flexibility.... and at no point, should they just cave and give him whatever he wants (including the franchise deal).

I must say, I'd much rather talk about this than talking about how Keenum was going to be the second coming... or how Manziel/Bridgewater/Bortles are all can't miss prospects.