The Texans will def. go WR in this draft; the question is ...when? There is just simply too much talent in this draft at WR for Houston to pass up the opportunity to fill that need. Allen, Hopkins, Hunter are all 1st round WRs that have a great chance to be there at #27. I'd be happy with any of the three. They'll be plenty of solid WRs in rounds 2-4 as well. As far as i'm concerned, RT and getting another pass rusher have to be the two biggest areas of need. ILB will sort itself out if we can add another OLB and move Brooks inside; or find some ILB depth later in the draft. The reason why our defense took a step back last year was because we weren't getting pressure on the QB. That can't happen again. We need better push up front (especially from our NT), and we need to improve our pass rush on the edge. I expect Mercullus to have a great year, but we need another weapon in the pass rush.
Part of the reason were weren't getting as much pressure on the QB was because Cushing was out and as a result, our OLB didn't rush as much as they did the year before. At least, that was Barwin's excuse. I think ILB is important not just to fill the 2nd starter role, but to have somebody capable of taking over Cushing's role should he go down again. You try to pick somebody up late and you're setting yourself up to be screwed again should something happen to Cushing again. We're very thin at the position. I believe we only have 5 LB's under contract right now. Cush, Mercilus, Reed, Sharpton, and Braman. I don't think the Texans are prioritizing RT. I think they want to develop Newton. They might be a little concerned since he's not going to be ready to start OTA's, but they're more likely to target a backup by re-signing Harris or making a similar move. They might end up drafting an OT, but it would probably only be if they're taking BPA and there's a guy too good to pass up, and not because they're going in looking for a RT.
If were not gonna sign a receiver we should try to get one early in the draft. DeAndre Hopkins could be a game changer
Appearing on NFL 32 Thursday, ESPN's Chris Mortensen "assured" the audience the Texans will draft a speed receiver in April. "I assure you they're going to add a wide receiver or two in this draft," said Mort. "Somebody that can run and run fast. Their highest priority." The Texans have the 27th overall pick and could consider Tennessee's Justin Hunter if Tavon Austin and Cordarrelle Patterson are gone. Houston is desperate for a vertical stretcher to book end -- and perhaps eventually replace -- 32-year-old Andre Johnson. *Rotoworld
Two? Eh, seems like Kubes only likes to carry 5 WR's. Posey is expected back mid-season. Andre, Jean, Martin, Posey, 2 Rookies? 2 rookies, 2 2nd year players, 1 3rd year player? If they did draft 2 receivers to keep on roster, likely that either somebody gets cut (Jean) or that they don't sign a vet. Awfully young receiving corp regarless.
Posey will begin on PUP. Jean may not make team. Draft pick (whoever it ends up being) will obviously be there. Chad Johnson will just simply get a tryout if anything. I think with all this being said performance will dictate how many roster spots the WR group gets. If we have guys who end up coming around and end up being gems I don't think they'd hesitate in keeping and taking along 6.
I think WR is going to be address in the 3rd or 4th. They dont know if Cushing is going to be back to what he was. They are going to probably draft MLB to Cover there rear like with Mercilus and Barwin. I hope we can get a WR like BEY young and fast and someone who Dre could mentor. Anyone we draft is going to take at least a year or two to be productive. Posey and Bey in a few years would be a great one two punch.
I definitely see them taking a ILB but I think there will still be plenty of value in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th for that position. Even though it's a pretty deep WR draft, you are probably going to have to get one in the first 2 rounds to get a true impact player.
That's what I'm thinking. You wait to look for one in the 3rd and 4th? That's what we did last year with Martin and Posey. They showed some flashes, but like many receivers taken in that area, they weren't ready to be contributors right off the bat. Maybe they will be later, but they weren't as rookies. Only 16 catches all season between the two. If the Texans really are drafting a WR, expecting him to step up as the #2 immediately, they have to take someone early, even in a draft that's supposedly deep at WR. The transition for LB is a bit easier and quicker, so you can wait a bit there and still find an immediate starter.
what i'd like to avoid at all costs is drafting projects in the first few rounds like we did last year. Posey is a project, but if we are going WR in this draft, we need someone who is gonna be able to step in and play sooner rather than later. We're trying to win a superbowl next year. A guy like Hopkins would be more in tune with what i'd like to see. Someone who can step in an play tomorrow. NT, WR, OT, ILB or OLB would all be fine choices in the first two rounds as far as i'm concerned.
What is the long term prognosis for the two guys drafted last year? Posey went in the third and Martin went in the fourth.
^ Posey is hard to say. He really impressed me with the way he picked up his play toward the end of the year and he was looking really good in the playoffs but the torn achilles is just a huge question mark. Just don't know how that's going to effect his speed and ability to get open. Martin...eh. I got excited by the buzz he created early but he just didn't impress me with his ability to get open. I know he isn't a speed demon but he was supposed to be very quick in and out of breaks and he just didn't wow me that much. Plus, he did drop a good amount of balls. I think he can be a rotation guy and a solid slot...but I don't think he's a full time #2.
Posey is a big fat "Who Knows" - blowing your achilles at a speed/acceleration/sharp cuts position can be a career killer, even for a young guy. No way of knowing what we'll have when he returns. Martin has flashes, but isn't a great route runner and dropped more passes than you'd like. He needs to make big improvements, especially since his returns were largely underwhelming (Marciano not helping him out) Jean had some nice moments, but the knee totally sent his season off the rails. He could win the job in the summer or find himself missing the roster cuts. Lots of pressure on him at this point. And I still wonder what Kubiak is thinking at this point. Is he holding firm to his block-first mentality with receivers or is he willing to open up his scheme to include some vertical plays? He was simply unwilling to send 3 deep last year, constantly setting up punts when pinned back. McNair has talked WR as a need.....I haven't seen Kubiak speak on the matter yet, but maybe I missed it.
They're both projects, however Martin was the most NFL ready going into last season. The problem with Martin is his size. He's not big enough to play on the outside. His hands were inconsistent last year. He has a chance to be a good slot WR and help us in the return game. Kubiak has thus far shown an unwillingness to heavily scheme in a way that features our slot WR so it's hard to know productive Martin will end up being. Posey, on the other hand, has the measureables to play on the outside and has the talent to be good NFL WR, but with the injury he suffered last season there's a lot of uncertainty. It's too early to say how high his ceiling is, but being out of football for a year prevented him from being ready to contribute the way we'd hoped last year. There was def. improvement from the beginning to the end of the season. He showed flashes of what he could be by season's end. I have high hopes for Posey, but he's a project. So basically, we're nowhere when it comes to our WR position. Its a really big need that i think gets addressed early on draft night, especially when you consider how much great talent there is at that position in the first three rounds. Prior to really looking at the draft, i was really annoyed by McNair's public comments about needing to look to the draft for our WR help this year. Knowing how long it takes WRs to develop and that our goal is a superbowl next year, i thought it was foolish not to go out and sign a vet. But looking at the draft closely, it's clear that we can def. come away with a player that can play on day 1. I'm optimistic that we'll get a shiny new weapon in the passing game this year.
Jean is really at risk of being cut. We have Andre, Martin, Posey, Jean, and you have to assume at least one draft pick. That's 5, which is how many we carried last year. You also have to expect the Texans to bring in at least one bargain FA WR sometime after the draft, especially since Posey won't be ready to start the season. When Posey gets back mid season, I expect either Jean or the yet to be signed FA to be cut. Those two will essentially spend camp and the first half of the year fighting for a job for the 2nd half of the year. It's kind of make it or break it time for him.
Absolutely, 100% agree I'd caution against writing Posey back in with certainty. He's not coming back from a case of the flu. He's got to rehab the hell out of that injury and pray that he gets back all of his speed and agility - zero guarantees there. Missing the entirety of camp and preseason puts him behind. Then he has to demonstrate that he can not only (a) come off the PUP list but (b) play at a higher level than the receivers on the active roster. I think he will be able to, but it's not a given that he's going to push Jean (or other players) out. He could potentially miss the year....if not wash out. Not saying that's especially likely....but I wouldn't make my 2013 plans with him written in ink just yet.
True. But heard Kubes quoted as saying that's when he expects him back so that's what I went with. I guess the Texans could just keep in on the PUP if they don't feel he'd be an improvement over what we have at that point, right?
