Don't trust another Matt from Atlanta.. Don't want to watch Watt kill it on another team.. Would rather trade someone slightly less for someone slightly less. Foster for Stafford? *just a random suggestion.. feel free to edit.
Because the roster has talent, unlike what you think. The Texans have a better OL, LB corp, and secondary than the Falcons. Even without Watt, is the Falcons DLine that much better than the Texans? They have Tyson Jackson at DE who failed to register a sack last season...and a rookie at the other DE. Foster is better than all their RBs combined. Yes, he plays 12 games a year, but that's the same thing for Julio Jones. If you look at the Falcons roster, it's laughable.
Nick, how about we just make this easy...because the point of the question is a simple one. Lets say you have a team that has exactly the same talent at OL, WR, TE, RB, LB, DB, and kickers...However, one team has Matt Ryan at QB and a dud at DE while the other team has JJ Watt at DE and a dud at QB. Let's assume your team is the one with JJ Watt and a dud QB...do you make the trade for a top 8 QB? That's essentially what this thread is asking.
Speaking of trades, Give me Chancellor for a 3rd round pick. Give the guy a raise and he changes the whole secondary of this defense.
I understand what this thread is asking. IMO, the Texans are closer to having an elite/all-world defense with Watt... than a mega-powered/elite offense with Ryan.... regardless of what talent you see (and I don't see) on either side of the ball. We do know that either aspect alone can win a Super Bowl (although there are a lot more examples of super-powered offenses that fail vs. super-powered defenses that fail). So at that point, its about which player is in fact the more special/rare commodity. So we then also know which player is more "rare" than the other (despite what you've argued, I do not feel Matt Ryan is head and shoulders above the majority of QB's in the league... including the one we just had from 2006-2013). So, thus... if you honestly feel the only way to acquire a Matt Ryan-type QB is to trade the generational DE (that also happens to be the most popular/exposed/marketable Houston sports athlete ever)... then so be it. Even though at the end of the day, Matt Ryan on this team (without JJ Watt) does not "guarantee" anything.
Speaking of 3rd round picks... give me a player that actually plays/starts/makes an impact. When was the last impactful Texans 3rd round pick? (its Connor Barwin... followed by Brandon Brooks... two starters in 13 years 3rd round picks, some years they busted on 2 or 3 of them).
Ya I would. JJ is marketing machine right now but let's be honest, there is only so much a DE could do to affect the game.
No, its not JJs fault Rick and Bob have surrounded him with scrubs. Falcons were 2-14 a couple years ago.
JJ was super awesome a few years ago. The team went 2-14. You need more than one player on D to be good. A good QB can cover for a lot of problems.
This team needs to stop thinking they have to get the next Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning or drafting a quarterback is irrelevant.
Kyle Shanahan's nickname in Atlanta is "Fredo". Its also pretty clear that they've struggled once teams have completely learned how to adjust to the typical Kubiak-like non-adjusting offense.