Nah, the best you can hope for is for this kid to play next year. They can stash him on the practice squad or IR him till next year.
Well, if they're that highly rated and successful, they're probably not backups. And I think you're forgetting about Weeden. He actually played pretty well for us last year. I'll take him over any of the marginal rookie prospects you mention here - at least in the short term. And short term is how we need to be thinking right now. JJ Watt's not getting any younger. Bringing in Brock eliminated the need to draft a QB this year at all, IMO.
The Texans drafted Savage in the middle rounds, just like Prescott, McCarron, Cook and Hogan. They like Savage. He got hurt last year. Had he not gotten hurt, perhaps he plays well enough to look like a decent backup QB heading into this year. Heck, there were people who wanted Savage to be our starter for this coming season! Also have Weeden who was a first round pick and played well last year. Not sure what else you want them to do?
Players like Hogan, McCarron, Kessler, even Prescott and Brissett were more successfull and rated higher than Savage was when he was coming out. Weeden is a 3rd stringer and was dumped by two different teams. Most teams would disagree with you on taking Weeden over the "marginal rookie prospects". The Raiders have Carr and still drafted Cook. The Cowboys have Romo yet still drafted Prescott. Chiefs drafted Hogan. Because of injuries and unknown drop in talent, it is still important to have a good backup QB. They all could have had Weeden for little to no money. I'm not really talking about performance because it seems like they can get production out of less talented players. But just imagine what they could do with more talent. When Savage was drafted, he was rated lower than Mettenberger and McCarron. And he was less known and less accomplished. Obviously they liked Savage more than most other teams and analysts. It's just an observation, not a complaint. They don't go for the big names.
I think you are missing on what those teams actually did. First of all, the Raiders have veteran backups that they like. For the Cowboys, Prescott wasn't about being a backup, the Cowboys were trying to find an heir to Romo. Additionally, teams like to take project QBs in the 4th and later to gamble on grooming them, having them show a lot in pre-season and then potentially trade them for a higher pick. Brandon Weeden got a real contract. I know John McClain kept pimping this idea last year that what Hoyer signed for was "backup QB money" but it wasn't. What Hoyer signed for THIS year is backup QB money. He got $2 million. That's essentially what Weeden got from the Texans.
Some of our UDFAs in action: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">New <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonTexans">@HoustonTexans</a> defensive lineman <a href="https://twitter.com/BScarlett17">@BScarlett17</a> is long, athletic... and still rising! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanfordNFL?src=hash">#StanfordNFL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTexans?src=hash">#WeAreTexans</a><a href="https://t.co/yKEcnqujXz">https://t.co/yKEcnqujXz</a></p>— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) <a href="https://twitter.com/StanfordFball/status/726928189369409536">May 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Houston <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> have invited <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KohlsELITE?src=hash">#KohlsELITE</a> punter Corey Carter of <a href="https://twitter.com/TSUFootball">@TSUFootball</a> to mini camp.<a href="https://t.co/GyWnuGqtRN">https://t.co/GyWnuGqtRN</a></p>— Kohl's Kicking Camps (@KohlsKicking) <a href="https://twitter.com/KohlsKicking/status/726898099805818880">May 1, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">VIDEO: Duke Thomas has signed as a free agent with the Houston Texans. Here are his highlights <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HookEm?src=hash">#HookEm</a><a href="https://t.co/Cht9zZlLtc">https://t.co/Cht9zZlLtc</a></p>— Longhorn_FB (@Longhorn_FB) <a href="https://twitter.com/Longhorn_FB/status/728645628872425473">May 6, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Texans have 16 players at rookie minicamp on tryout, including Cory Carter, Chuckie Keeton, Caleb Williams, Lee Hightower, Tomme Mark</p>— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/728649083292815360">May 6, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Second-year guys at rookie minicamp: Josh Lenz, Kenny Hilliard, Corey Moore, Tony Washington, Karim Barton, Eric Tomlinson, Dan Pettinato</p>— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/728649595064967168">May 6, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It doesn't look good for Kenny Hilliard, he better show up to camp absolutely on fire if he wants any chance whatsoever.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Texans rookie tryout punter Cory Carter (Texas Southern) booming punts during warmups, lots of distance, hangtime</p>— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/728657082199597056">May 6, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KHOU11?src=hash">#KHOU11</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TEXANS?src=hash">#TEXANS</a> Rookie Mini-Camp is underway at NRG Park <a href="https://t.co/29aL1q4eJ5">pic.twitter.com/29aL1q4eJ5</a></p>— Matt Musil (@KHOUSportsMatt) <a href="https://twitter.com/KHOUSportsMatt/status/728655893835829248">May 6, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
http://espn.go.com/blog/houston-texans/post/_/id/16243/texans-rookie-minicamp-features-all-draft-picks-15-undrafted-signees-and-16-tryout-players
He is one of the fastest football players ever. His story is long and complicated, lets just say that he is an incredible athlete (48 inch vertical) that is smallish and is a boom or bust player. Had things played out differently, he would have been in the top handful of picks.
Yeah at a regional combine he got hand timed at 4.19, while he was laser timed at "only" 4.32. He's definitely athletic.
It's going to take a major fall-off or injury to make the roster as a WR on this team. The top six right now are: Hopkins Fuller Shorts Strong Miller' Mumphrey He might be able to beat out Mumphrey but he'll have to beat out Ervin and Miller to be a kick returner. Best shot imo is practice squad.
WR will definitely be tough. They opened the season with 6 last year and honestly beating out Mumphrey is not as easy as it sounds. Coaches like him. I expect Stephen Anderson to make it as an UDFA and then the kicker and the punter are both battling for a job with the punter being a serious long shot. Depending on what happens with Devon Still and whether they sign a free agent, Joel Heath has a shot to make the team on the DLine. Maybe one of the two OLB can win a job but it will be a tenuous one. They'll have to contribute on special teams. The only other guy is Duke Thomas if he looks like a special teams ace. Honestly, if I had to bet, it would be that Stephen Anderson and the kicker make the team as UDFA and the rest strike out. (Practice Squad for some)
In agreement. Only thing that could get in Anderson's way is if he doesn't show the coaches that he can block.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>"It was a good first day. These guys are a hard working group." The head coach speaks. <a href="https://t.co/UCNaq2bzoU" title="http://bit.ly/24Colfz">bit.ly/24Colfz</a> <a href="https://t.co/HgLcGd8DXE" title="http://twitter.com/HoustonTexans/status/728713525405712384/photo/1">pic.twitter.com/HgLcGd8DXE</a></p>— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonTexans/status/728713525405712384" data-datetime="2016-05-06T22:30:17+00:00">May 6, 2016</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
