Barring another DeAndre Hopkins-like talent at WR, or perhaps a huge internal grade for Ezekiel Elliiott, the Texans need to continue to focus on Defensive players with early-round picks. You can sign good FAs on the offensive side of the ball, but teams almost never let Defensive studs hit the market. And it's very hard to strike gold on defense in later rounds. The physicality required for defense is too well known and measureable.
Nah... The offense was OBVIOUSLY this team's downfall last season. For at least the first two rounds they should be going best OFFENSIVE player available that fills a need. Then look to improve the defense later in the draft and more so through FA. Exception being if there's a can't miss defensive lineman available early in the draft AND you'll still be able to draft your QB.
If I were to bet I'd probably say OL (likely tackle) and QB in rds 1 and 2. TE, RB, and to a lesser extent WR also need to be addressed. This should be an offense heavy draft.
With the depth we have at DB, as well as McKinney looking like he's going to be a real talent at the MLB position, I think we can afford to have one year where we go offense-heavy in the first 2-3 rounds. The two weakest units on the field are the quarterbacks and tight ends. That needs to be addressed with absolute certainty.
There are no QBs or RBs that are worth the money in FA (Doug Martin is not worth the money). You draft a QB and RB in the first 2 rounds, whatever order.
Almost never huh? Deion Sanders Charles Woodson Julius Peppers Darrel Revis Reggie White Simeon Rice Mario Williams Nd Suh Demarcus Ware
Back when the Redskins were spending BIG bucks on big name defensive FA's there was an interesting article published about how homegrown defenses built through the draft performed far better than those built in free agency. I'll never find it again but it resonated with me at the time. I've seen Randy Moss, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning move teams and explode. I've seen Haynesworth, Archuletta, Sanders (naming Redskins here) bust. But yeah, that thought can be countered with other examples. I'd lean defense though. With the Texans current makeup - I'd lead offense but take defense if there's someone special there.
My point was more along the lines of...if the Texans are taking defense the first few rounds...then they'll be right back to where they were last season. Our offense is a major problem and that should be addressed, both in the draft, and in free agency.
That's all they ever do. From 2007-present, Early rounds 1-2 4 offensive 12 defensive Middle rounds 3-5 17 offensive 15 defensive 1 special teams Late rounds 6-7 13 offensive 11 defensive
Such an oversimplified statement that no team follows. If you are the Texans and you are up for the pick and there is a QB on the board that you rate a 7 out of 10 and a 3-4 defensive end that you rate a 7.5 out of 10, are you really taking the defensive end? You have to balance need with BPA.
We draft defense every draft. Besides Hopkins, we have zero playmakers on offense. See the run by Alfred Blue (LOL) in the playoff game where he broke into the secondary....and then inexplicably STOPPED so the defender could tackle him from behind. That could have been a game-changing play with a RB with some actual speed. We have no team speed at all.
It's true. Also, I feel like the holes we have on defense right now are very fillable via free agency this year. Sign a safety, sign a defensive end and then use later rounds for depth. Get playmakers on offense. I don't mean this to defense Brian Hoyer or any of the other plethora of QBs that have played here, but it's hard to make an offense look good without guys who can make plays. And specifically in defense of Brian Hoyer, he surprised me how often he was accurate on a super deep ball only to have it dropped. We can't excel with screens and stuff because we don't have players who can do anything in space. Anyone who saw what the little munchkin Hunt did when he got the ball could see what speed would mean to this team.
It's oversimplified because the thought that positional importance plays into BPA is considered a given. Everyone already knows the greatest FB of all time is not going #1 overall.
Forget positional importance, need does matter. If the Panthers are drafting and the BPA on the board is a QB and the second best player on the board if an offensive linemen and the 3rd best player on the board is a WR and the 4th best player on the board is a RB, who should they take? The QB? Really?