I've always defended this franchise, and I've stuck with them... but even a homer should admit that this franchise bottoming out last year, despite being capped out, reeks of mis-management. Sure, you have players that either don't play up to their salary (Schaub), or get injured and don't play up to their salary (Cushing, Foster). EVERY team has bad contracts... but the Texans seem to take the cake on bad contracts, zero depth, free agent busts, inability to retain/re-sign potential value players, and draft day failures. The Eagles sign Mike Vick to an egregious contract... and yet still get by (and continue to sign other players in both off-seasons). We've already discussed the Ravens. The Broncos/Seahawks/Niners I guess are all just "lucky" to have cap space around the time they're all "good", huh? Yes, its "all" connected... the cap, your draft, depth, bad/good contracts, etc. Its why teams should have GENERAL managers... not glorified "cap"-ologists who can't even manage that right.
Not terribly, no. They signed him to a reasonable extension that gave them a two-year window ('12 and '13) before the contract become either irresponsible (which is what happened) or worth it (which it would have been if he had led the team to playoff success in '12 and '13). Sticky situation; I certainly think there was a more responsible way to handle the contract from a team-first perspective - but it would have been disrepectful to Foster and potentially created a caustic situation around a team expected to contend. These aren't black and white decisions, and you can't conveniently use hindsight to scream, "SEE????" I think a lot of people had concerns about Foster's deal... but just as many had concerns they'd lose him. Again, you're jumping up and down on hindsight while not weighing the risk/reward in the context in which the deal was made. It was risky, sure - it also provided them an opportunity to extend him - ahead of Watt - at or below market value because of the circumstances. They did the exact same thing to Duane Brown and no one is saying a thing because Brown didn't go Skittles or blow out his knee. Contracts with good players always carry an inherent risk. But I don't think keeping together a nucelus that was in the midst of a 22-10 run represents irresponsibility. But those deals aren't killing the team's cap. Schaub, if released, will free up nearly $4MM in cap savings, and Cushing is counting $5.3MM against this year's cap. If you want to jump up and down and shout really loud, have it. But don't do so with your head buried in the sand.
Don't you think that's because the Texans are the team you follow with hyper-focus and therefore are witness to much more of this than you would be of, say, the Jets? Every team experiences this; to suggest the Texans are any worse than dozens of other teams is just silly. That contract was three years ago; they've already absorbed the worst of it. And, FYI, for their effort, they went 12-20 while paying him all that money. Yep; they're not in a terribly advantageous position and continue to bleed players from their Super Bowl roster. And they get to pay Joe Flacco $28MM in two years - not over the next two years: his cap figure in 2016 is $28MM. But, man - the Texans are terriblest!!! Your memory always seems conveniently selective – have you forgotten that the Texans made some pretty significant free agent additions around the time they got good (2011)? As for the teams you mentioned… the Broncos have already been addressed; what talent they did have was dealt away long before they had to make difficult contract decisions, handing Elway a virtual blank slate when he took over. They had $45MM heading into free agency in 2012. Why you (all) think they’re comparable to the Texans, I have no idea. Meanwhile, the Niners and Seahawks have been built primarily through the draft – and it’s been recent enough that a lot of their best players – many of whom were not first round picks – are still on rookie deals. They’ll both pay elite-level QBs a total of $2.4MM this year. Not a typo – total. Russell Wilson won’t even crack seven figures. The two teams together had 16 Pro Bowlers in 2013 and paid them a grand total of $63.9MM, or $3.99MM/player. Five of the 16 made more than $5MM; three made less than $2MM (including Richard Sherman, who topped out at $600M - ah, the advantages of hitting on draft picks after round 1...). Do you honestly think those three teams will be able to keep all of their talent *and* stay under the cap over the next 2-4 years? The cap is designed to penalize good teams, and I would wager those three specifically are going to start feeling its pinch far sooner than later. (Heck, it's already happening to SF.) I’ll continue to ask you, or anybody else, to list the onerous, irresponsible contracts that are crippling the Texans’ salary cap. As of this morning, they’re carrying less than $6MM in dead money for this year. Schaub (if released) would add $10MM - but would also put them roughly $18MM under the cap. As is, they’re $13MM under the cap.
Addition by subtraction. Guy was horrible. He led the team in tackles - like every other MLB with the most snaps. Did he have a single impact play in his entire Texan career? I don't remember one. Only one I remember is the trick play the chiefs ran against us. He got faked out of his shoes and gave up an easy TD. It was very impactful....for the other team.
I agree that we really haven't given out any terrible contracts. They've all been relatively fair value, save for maybe Jonathan Joseph who has been injured and/or regressed over the last two years. The issue is that our highest paid guys haven't been on the field enough (Cushing, Foster, Manning) and one of them forgot how to not suck (Schaub). The bigger issue is that the depth behind these guys has been atrocious, and that's a reflection on the draft.
Exactly. They haven't irresponsibly mis-managed the cap. They had a very strong nucelus that they unfortunately could not augment through draft and development; so they kept it together while adding to it with key veteran FAs. That type of build, unfortunately, has a much shorter shelf life, made even worse because the team underachieved for too much of its prime window ('09 and '10; '13).
Not holding my breath on the Texans getting much of anything for Mr Pick Six. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-off-on-cutting-matt-schaub-try-to-trade-him/
Schaub and a few later round picks/33rd for the 26th pick? I'd do Schaub, Hopkins, 33rd pick, and a few later round picks for Josh Gordon if I was running things(prob a good thing I'm not)
That would be a good trade. Browns would say no. Gordon had a 10 game stretch last year that not even Calvin has done.
You underrate Hopkins, as do many Texans fans here. Compare Hopkins' rookie year to Gordon's and they are pretty much identical.
He's no Josh Gordon....very few WRs are. His ceiling is a top level #2 WR. He is not a #1. But considering he was picked at the end of the fist round, I'd say that Smith got the pick right.
That's pretty hard to say, Hopkins could end up every bit the WR Gordon is. After all, no one would have said that Josh Gordon was a Josh Gordon after his rookie year.
Im quite sure heynow is either rick smith or cal mcnair. The spin job he's putting on would make nazi germany proud.
Bro I don't mean to be disrespectful, but you can't honestly believe that Hopkins will turn out like Josh Gordon....for one, Gordon is far more talented.
