so according to NFL.com there are only 6 unsigned free agent offensive linemen left.... http://www.nfl.com/freeagency#position=OL
I'm a doctor, kind of. Newton's chances of playing again, at an NFL level are low. Even if he plays, he won't be close to the guy we expected to see on Sundays. If the Texans want to keep him on the roster for another year, they're mostly doing it to be nice guys. However, I wouldn't expect him to have any impact at all for the Texans, or any other team.
Clearly you aren't either if you are betting that he's going to bounce back from tearing both patella tendons. Even tearing one of them at a fairly young age makes your return a crapshoot at best, tearing both of them at the same time at 29? You're done. I get that you want to hold out hope, but I'd be less surprised if David Quessenberry made it back from cancer than Newton from having both patella tendons torn at the same time.
You're not a doctor and you don't know his situation. I'm not counting on him being there next year...but no one here gets to tell that man his career is over. Yes the odds are against him, but he had successful surgery and is working his ass off right now. His situation will be evaluated at a later time.
Fair enough, you can double down on holding out for a miracle, but I'm pretty sure he'd be one of the only players to ever successfully come back from that injury and play worth a damn if that indeed happened as your professional opinion as a doctor indicates will happen.
Didn't he already tear one of them late in 2012 as well? And he came back the next year not looking like the same guy at all. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...oing-great-after-double-patellar-tendon-tear/ http://www.chron.com/sports/texans/...-on-Texans-tackle-Derek-Newton-s-10419779.php
I'm not sure it was a full tear last time, but yeah, he missed time and needed surgery to "repair" one of his patella tendons already. That makes his odds worse IMO (though not a doctor before someone points that out)
FA/Draft Needs QB, RT, OLB, CB, OG, NT I think Kareem moving to safety makes losing Demps not sting. Dillon, Pleasant, etc. There's still depth there.
QB- Yes RT- Yes OLB- They like Scarlett as the third guy but you can never have too many pass rushers CB- Can never have enough corners OG- Not sure that they see this as a priority especially with Martin being back allowing Mancz to compete at guard NT- Reader is good but it'd be nice to have a decent option behind him for flexibility and depth. Another guy who could play both NT and 3-4 end. I would add a hybrid DB like Peppers, Melifonwu, Baker, etc. I'd put that up with OT, RT, CB. I wouldn't mind adding a TE in the middle rounds in this very deep draft either. And why not a RB late in a good RB class? I can't wait for the draft. Order of need QB/RT = 1a/1b Hybrid DB CB TE DT RB
O'Brien's kind of guy who could probably be had in the middle of the draft........... Iowa TE George Kittle, not Alabama’s O.J. Howard, was PFF’s highest-graded returning Power-5 tight end for the 2015 season. Unfortunately, his season was marred by injuries and poor quarterback play, although he still graded extremely well as a blocker. Fast-forward to this past Saturday at the combine, and he was just an afterthought heading into the event. However, now healthy, Kittle put together one of the most impressive workouts of the week, regardless of position. His 4.52 40-yard dash was second-best in the position group, and he also finished third in the broad jump with a leap of 11 feet. He also posted a vertical of 35 inches, and looked fluid and natural in all drills. Based off what I saw from him in 2015, I was probably one of the few people not surprised by his performance on Saturday. While his volume as a receiver was low throughout his college career, he displayed the speed and burst to stretch linebackers vertically and consistently get separation downfield. It was, however, his blocking that really set him apart for me, as he consistently handled bigger defenders both at the line of scrimmage and at the second level. With so few tight ends in today’s NFL able to produce effectively as both a receiver and blocker, Kittle’s stock should be soaring at this point. Look for him to possibly sneak into Day 2, as he has the athleticism, physicality and competitiveness to be an every-down starter in the NFL, and should be able to get on the field early and often this fall. https://www.profootballfocus.com/dr...hose-tape-requires-second-look-after-combine/
Nobody is telling him his career is over... But that doesn't mean the Texans need to keep paying him millions of dollars. They can cut him... And if in a couple years Newton is ready to play, he can go to the team that gives him a chance. The guy won't be able to even run until April. Then he'll need months of training to get the muscle strength back in both legs. It's rare for athletes to return and play effectively with just one patellar tendon tear... When you do both, that means that Derek Newton will be the first person in NFL history to make a return from such an injury. I'm not saying he won't do it... But if he does, he won't be nearly worth the contract he's getting paid.
Haason Reddick is a highly intriguing prospect also. He's another one of those hybrid guys who brings a ton of athleticism to the table. He's like a Swiss-army knife. http://www.nfl.com/draft/2017/profiles/haason-reddick?id=2557887
