Who exactly was available as a free-agent quarterback and 4th-round-or-lower QB that you would consider clearly superior to Fitzpatrick and Savage?
don't think it was ever "opened". He is a gunslingler still carrying a charleville musket. Hopefully our defense is back to 2011 form with more punch.
IMHO, it's hard to criticize his choice of QBs because he's essentially opted to not make a choice. It's not like he's making a long term commitment to any of them. It really looks like he didn't see any franchise QBs in free agency and he didn't see any in the draft either (or that while he liked Bortles, he wasn't worth a #1 and he didn't like any QBs after that). So rather than trying to reach for somebody and commit to a player who doesn't deserve it just so they can have a nominal "franchise" QB, he's chosen to tread water until there's an opportunity to get a really franchise QB. Now, if you want to criticize him for THAT decision, to not take a risk in trying to find a franchise QB this year, then fine. But don't act like Fitzpatrick and Savage were "chosen" to be long term solutions and/or that we've committed to them and that's going to prevent us from looking for better options. Are we really going to be pissed that we signed Ryan Fitzpatrick instead of Matt Cassel? Is it really going to make that much of a difference?
It was an "open" competition that started with Fitz WAY ahead of everyone else. It was always his job to lose so this just means that no one performed other-worldly and that Fitz didn't look completely hopeless.
Well, ideally, to get your team ready to the best of its ability in camp, you want to know who your starters are so that they can get the most reps in practice. If you know who your starting QB is, you'd rather him get the most reps in practice instead of splitting them equally with the other 2 QBs. And for a similar reason, it's likely that either Keenum or Yates will be cut before training camp. OB has said that it's hard to get 4 QBs reps in training camp, so one is likely gone before then.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Texans&src=hash">#Texans</a> just released TJ Yates, source says</p>— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/statuses/479018340434726913">June 17, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I wasn't judging, I was speculating. It is too early to judge. I thought it was too early to declare Newton and Fitz starters. We haven't even had training camp or one preseason game. I would have waited to declare starters right before the regular season. What can be learned from watching players standing around and throwing in shorts? What about waiting for game conditions?
I think I would have taken Vick or McCown over Fitz and certainly I would have taken Carr over Savage. I know it sounds crazy, but Vince Young looked good in Philley before he was cut. He could have been had for cheap and created quite a buzz.
fitz has never been on a team as good as schaub's. put schaub on those buffalo teams and you will see the same result as fitz.. probably worse.
Carr wasn't available in the 4th round. He went early in the 2nd. If you wanted him, the comparison isn't merely vs. Savage -- it's against our starting left guard as well. It's very possible that the Texans preferred Carr to Savage, but weren't high enough on either to use an early pick. And if that's the case, good for them -- the worst thing you can do is waste a pick because you're desperately hoping someone is a position fit. And as far as McCown, the Texans arranged a visit with him, but he chose to sign in Tampa before he got here. That happens sometimes. With regards to why they made decisions now, it's because teams need to distribute reps properly in training camp. BOB can change his mind tomorrow, if new information presents itself. Should Keenum outplay Fitz significantly in camp/preseason, I'm quite confident Case would start Week 1. But BOB has now had several offseason events to evaluate his players, and he needs to give some training camp priority to the guys he thinks are most likely to start.