I think he is getting bad advice. When the whole thing came out about the franchise tag, my immediate reaction to Dunta's comments were that either he didn't understand or his agent did a bad job explaining to him what was going to happen. I find it hard to believe the Texans weren't completely up front about tagging him if he didn't sign long term...especially since everyone in the world knew this is what would happen. There was no way they were letting him walk. Apparently Demeco Ryans realized he was and fired his agent recently.
yep. even if they really, truly did say they wouldn't franchise him... surely he understood it was said conditionally, as in, "we won't franchise you... (assuming we can reach a long-term deal)" i understand why players hate the franchise tag. but as long as the texans negotiated in good faith and made fair-market offers - slapping the franchise tag on robinson is an indication of his value to the team, not an insult, and he should stop viewing it as such.
apples and oranges; one team showed a commitment, the other didn't... unless you meant "His agent is Jay Cutler's... if so, then that would explain quite a bit.
Texans’ strategy emerges But team stays silent on whom first pick will be By JOHN MCCLAIN Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle April 23, 2009, 2:17AM ike every team in the NFL, the Texans have set their draft board, and now they are trying to figure out what other teams may do in the first round on Saturday. General manager Rick Smith said the Texans have done at least 10 mock drafts. Unfortunately, he refused to disclose their consensus pick for the 15th spot. “Ask me anything except who we’re going to draft,” Smith told reporters who came to Reliant Stadium for his predraft news conference. Nobody in the Texans’ organization will admit publicly that defense is still their big need. Whether they stay at 15 or trade down, a defensive player is most likely to be the No. 1 pick for the second time in Smith’s three years of overseeing the draft. “I think there are a couple of them,” Smith said in response to a question about the possibility of getting a difference-maker on defense in the first round. “I think that there are some players in this draft that could definitely come in and impact our team and help our defense. “I think that we can improve our team in a lot of different areas, but to say if we don’t come out of the draft with any one particular position, we’re in trouble, I don’t feel like that.” The Texans’ biggest needs on offense are a back to complement Steve Slaton and an offensive lineman who can play center and guard. They might draft an offensive tackle late. On defense, the Texans need an outside linebacker, a pass rushing left end and at least one safety. Expect Smith to draft a cornerback even though it’s not a priority. “I think you can always improve your defense with corners,” Smith said. “I’m going to always take corners because I don’t think you can have enough guys who can run and cover and hit.” Smith said drafting another cornerback has nothing to do with Dunta Robinson being unhappy with being the franchise player. “Not to leverage the Dunta Robinson situation,” he said, meaning drafting a corner would have nothing to do with Robinson’s contract. Like most NFL experts, Smith expects a lot of trading Saturday. Mostly down. Count the Texans as a team that could trade down for more picks. “We’re trying to prepare for what we think may happen, and it’s not predictable, but you try to get as good a feel as you can for what you think might happen as the first round starts to unfold,” he said. On the ground floor of Reliant Stadium, the Texans are using their room where the team meets as their war room. It has amphitheater seating and a stage. Smith wants the coaches and scouts to be part of the draft, so there’s enough room for everyone. “The scouts have worked extremely hard and done a good job,” he said. “Coaches have jumped into the process and done a good job.” Before and during the draft, director of football administration Chris Olsen, director of pro personnel Brian Gardner and assistant director of pro personnel Bobby Grier will be working to see what teams might want to trade up with the Texans. “Those guys do a really good job of helping me assess what are the potential implications from moving,” Smith said about trading. “If it’s something we think is advantageous for us, we’ll do it.”
If I had to guess... (Rd) 1 - OLB* 2 - DB 3 - HB (3 - DT *) 4 - DB 4 - C/G 5 - TE 6 - DE 7 - WR (punt returner) *Trade down in the first round, pick up additional 3rd rd pick.
i'm officially on record: i think (assuming they don't deal) they're gonna draft a RB at 15 (another assumption: assuming both backs are still on the board). you look at last year and as bad as the defense was (and it was bad)... how many more games do they win with a competent, yardage-grinding, chain-moving back that could make things happen inside the red zone? certainly the first colt game. and the first tennessee and minnesota games both jump to mind quickly, too. if, at #15, you can find a guy that could conceivably directly impact your win total by 1-3 games... i just think that's too good to pass up, especially if these guys (wells and moreno) are viewed as top 5-10 talent, measureables-wise. i just don't see a defensive player likely available that has the goods to make that kind of splash. i'm wrong 99.9% of the time when it comes to the draft, but i just have a gut feeling...........
I think if they really didn't like anyone enough defensively in the first round, they'd trade out of the first altogether and stock up with another early 2nd rounder and a couple more later picks. Then they might take a RB with one of the 2nd round picks. I think more likely is they'll have a guy or two pegged that they like in the third round at RB, and if that's not there they'll have another couple of guys pegged in the 4th round. In this system with Alex Gibbs, I just don't see them getting a high-profile running back when it has proven time and time again that you can insert a solid mid-round guy and get near pro-bowl numbers out of them. Just look what happened in Denver with guys like Portis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, and in Atlanta with Warrick Dunn a few years ago. And our very own Steve Slaton last year in the first year of the new system. Not to say any of these guys were bad backs, but they all had career years under Gibbs. He could turn Slaton and Andre Brown/Glenn Coffee into one of the best 1-2 punches in the league.
you know, his track record in rounds 2-4 STILL astounds me. i heard lance z talking about this the other morning, arguing casserly was too deferential to his coaches. perhaps so - i have no clue... but how can you draft a player in round 3 that doesn't make an expansion roster??? easy to say now but i raise the red flag right there if i'm mcnair. just inexcusable.
My guess is 1. BPA defense 2. BPA defense 3. C/G 4. S In the first round BPA on defense could be Malcolm Jenkins, Peria Jerry, Vontae Davis, USC LB (three to choose from!!!).
here's the thing, though - portis wasn't "a solid mid-round guy"; he was the 50th pick in the draft and he was so, so much better than any other RB the broncos had during the post-MVP-level terrell davis era (1999 through kubiak's last year in 2005). here were the ypc & TDs for the bronco leading rushers, '99-'05: 4.2/7 (gary) 5.0/15 (anderson) 4.2/0 (t. davis) 5.5/15 (portis) 5.5/14 (portis) 4.5/6 (droughns) 4.2/12 (anderson) anderson had a great 2000 and scored often (he was a big, prototypical goal line back) but portis averaged nearly a yard more per carry than the others. he was significantly better. even a healthy davis - playing in gibbs' system - only broke 5 ypc once (5.1 in '98) in 4 years. systems can indeed thrive with unheralded players; but better players make the system that much better. i always use this - as good as haywood jeffires was in the run-n-shoot, would you have dealt him for jerry rice? of course.
So Chris Brown's career is over then? When I saw the Texans O struggling in the red zone and short yardarge, I kept thinking that either the ZBS scheme was failing or that we needed more down hill push from our OL.
Portis should have positively no-brainer been a Texan. That's when I knew we were going to be bad for quite a while. Jabar freaking Gaffney? Ric I agree with you, the BP(s)A @#15 are probably going to be Wells and Moreno even if NO passes on Jenkins. It bodes well for a trade down but I'd hate to see us passover talent for need. It's becoming too evident that in the NFL you have a distinct advantage with a two back system; in stamina during the game, in a change-up of styles and in continuity if one of your backs goes down. When did it start? If we do trade down and get an extra #2 then we should go for Andre Brown. He won't last to the #77 I don't think.
50th is a lot different from the 15th pick. Obviously Portis was sort of a diamond in the rough and should've been an early first round pick. If they see a talent like that with their 2nd round pick, I'd imagine they'd take it (say Moreno fell). I just don't see them taking a back at 15 unless there are absolutely no trade options and Jenkins is off the board. Even then they might still go OLB or surprise us with something else. Also, and this is a little bit of a side note, I think running backs picked in the top half of the first round are going to become a lot more rare unless it is a no-doubter like Adrian Peterson. Now that the trend is to go with two backs instead of wearing down a guy in 4 or 5 years with 30 carries a game (Larry Johnson, Shaun Alexander, LT possibly), teams may be less willing to spend a high pick on a "part-time" guy. If I'm the Texans (or any team), I'm looking for a full-time starter for 5-10 years with the first round pick, not a guy who's going to either be part-time or be done in 5 years.
The Texans still had a shot draft Portis but instead they drafted Chester Pitts. Part of me still hates Pitts for that reason. The other part of me hates him for his constant false starts and his drive killing penalties.
I meant people to laugh. It was a joke. I thought the idea humorous that Dunta gets francised, goes to his agent (Jay Cutler) and asks him what to do. Cutler: "Cry, Dunta. It works everytime. Those b****es screwed you over so you have to make them look bad. And don't listen to the media or those whiny fans. They're b****es. Oh, and about those voluntary workouts..." Not really trying to criticize Cutler (been over that and over that), not really trying to compare their situations. Just trying to make a joke.
It's far enough in the rear view mirror that that's starting to sound just funny. Your 3rd round pick didn't make WHAT? wtf? haha!!!!
