Why are theses qb threads coming up? Schaub isn't going anywhere. 4-year deal worth $64 million. He's not going anywhere. Texans need to re-sign Glover Quin, let Connor Barwin walk and address some pressing issues on the offensive line, maybe a big TE threat, DT, and OLB. They also need to add depth at ILB, CB and WR. With Posey out for maybe an entire year, Texans desperately need to address a playmaking threat. Lestar Jean and Keyshawn Martin survive one more year. And for the love of what is all mighty, please get rid of Kevin Walter, Brandon Harris and Alan Ball.
I was referring to specific players or schemes or coaches or whatnot - in this case, Schaub. He's the definition of average - it's not bad to have an average player at a position, but an organization should always still be looking up to upgrade from average at any position. Instead, they locked up average in a way that makes it difficult to improve that position - they institutionalized mediocrity. Mack Brown has a long history of this at a variety of positions. The Texas admin has the same issue with Mack Brown himself - they won't replace him because they are scared of the potential downside instead of looking at the upside.
Matt & Adam made great points on 790 this morning about Foster and Schaub's contracts and how the Texans had so much leverage and didn't use it. Both of those guys could be riding one year deals right now (i.e. we'd have money to spend to fix the OL and D) and nobody could fault them except the players themselves. The CBA gave them the upper hand, and the Texans gave it away for the sake of some feel-good-warm-and-fuzzies.
How are we supposed to attract good free agents when we have a QB and RB in Lame duck status? Signed, Bob McNair
Or another example here is the fans and Schaub - and the number of people saying "but who's out there clearly better?!". That's a fear of the downside. But if the goal is to win a Superbowl, and if you don't think the team can win a Superbowl with Schaub (I realize you disagree with this part), then you at least have to look for alternatives and maybe you take a chance and see if you hit something. This goes back to The Cat's point: if you know that what you have isn't going to work, you try something different. You don't stick with it just because you're scared the alternative might not work either. It's a bit more complicated than this because there are multiple goals - making the playoffs, then winning in the playoffs, then beating the great teams / winning a Superbowl. Schaub is ideal for #1 on this team, OK for #2, not likely the answer at #3, in my mind. So for past years where the goal was #1 and #2, Schaub was fine. But if the ultimate goal of the team now is #3, then every year you continue to stick with Schaub is essentially wasted. Again, I'm not sure you agree that Schaub isn't ideal for #3, in which case this is all moot for you - but that's the viewpoint I come at it from.
This. Another way to break it down is in percentages. With Schaub here, I'd give the Texans a 75% shot at winning the AFC South for the foreseeable future, but maybe a 10% shot at winning a Super Bowl. If we could raise that 10% to even 20%... I don't care how much the 75% declines. That number doesn't matter to me that much. It's about having the upside to win a Super Bowl.
Love this because this is how winners think. It's a good to great principle. Being satisfied with good keeps you from being great. I don't know what the alternatives are...and I'm not saying you make a move for the sake of making a move....but you keep yourself open to possibilities, and you don't close off the possibility of improvement.
I've never heard him make that argument. He hinted at that when Kubiak was retained, but never outright said it.
When I said the same thing for the past few weeks, I remember reactions being primarily negative against this line of thought. I feel Texans fans are just like Kubiak and McNair, incredibly afraid of taking risks and accepting above average even if that's the ceiling. Oddly enough, the exact opposite of GARM. Where I remember the feeling on the potential Gasol/Nene signings as being primarily negative. Where the thought was either try to build a true contender or don't even bother.
I heard them talking about it - there was certainly no urgency to re-up Schaub. But I think there is some merit to the idea that treating Foster that way could have damaged your locker room and/or you franchise's reputation. He risked his career for two years, playing at an elite level. To merely offer him a bare minimum tender as his reward - with the threat of injury still hanging over him... Yes, from a football perspective it makes sense but not from a human one... They had to either pay Foster or let him walk, IMO.
All is forgiven if we beat New England last week. Unfortuntely, we didn't. So it opens the door for criticism. Realizing how much leverage the Texans sacrificed makes IBTL's "MCNAIR IS TEH CHEAP" thread even more hilarious.
The problem is that there are legitimate consequences that go along with the risk. Trade, cut or keep Schaub - it doesn't matter, you're going to have to pay him a large chunk of money. That impacts what you can do, in terms of seeking alternatives. It also impedes your ability to shore other, potentially greater holes in your line-up. I'd rather have, as a for instance, Schaub and Bowe than altQB, Schuab's dead money and the same WR corps. I think option A gives you a much better chance to win. I also don't think we're near entitled enough to start unilaterally dismissing 10-12 win seasons as a bad thing. I much prefer this season to 2009, for instance. I can remember quite a few in here signing up for a one-year winning anomaly if it'd just end the constant losing. And lastly, let's not discount the importance of making the postseason. You never know what might happen. Look at New England - they probably never anticipated hosting the championship game against not-Peyton Manning. Or the Ravens last year drawing a 3rd string rookie QB. Lucky breaks and favorable bounces are part of a winning season all the time - and you can't get them if you're sitting on your couch. So I don’t think sticking with Schaub, trying to get better around him, and cashing in another 10+-win season represents fear as much as it does the quickest path to achieving your ultimate goal.
