eagle eye Posted March 25, 2014 Author Share Posted March 25, 2014 Houston received 3 compensatory draft picks in this year's draft and they are pretty good picks as well. Much better than the 3 seventh rounders Dallas got. Here they are; Fourth round – 35th-135 Sixth round – 35th-211 Seventh round – 41st-256 Houston will have the first pick in each of the seven rounds plus the sixth round pick acquired in the Matt Schaub deal with Oakland and the above 3 picks giving Houston a total of 11 picks. The compensatory picks cannot be traded but it gives Houston some ammunition to use their own picks to move up or down as they choose. There is a real chance Houston takes Clowney with the first pick and just as equal a chance Houston will go after an A J McCarron or Terry Bridgewater who are both now projected a early 2nd round picks. Head coach Bill O'Brien said today that Houston WILL draft a QB but it won't necessarily be with the first pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted March 28, 2014 Author Share Posted March 28, 2014 It's just being reported that Houston is making an effort to trade down in this years draft. On NFL.com they feel like Buffalo may be a candidate but on a yahoo sports mock they have Houston trading down to No 5 with Jacksonville. The speculation is turning to a bit of reality if Houston is shopping their No 1 pick. Last week WR Andre Johnson suggested that's what Houston should do. Trade down and accumulate some more picks. If they could get a decent package they could end up with 13 or 14 picks or maybe get a high pick next year. Not a bad strategy but it's entirely possible if they trade down Houston would lose out on Clowney. It's also being reported that Houston has asked S Danieal Manning to take a pay cut to make him a more friendly cap hit. He is scheduled to make $4.5 mm this year and $6 mm next year, his final year. No word from Mannings camp but Houston has scheduled a meeting with Miami Dolphins free agent Chris Clemens. Clemens was a 5th round pick by the Dolphins in 2009. Manning will be 32 this year coming off a knee injury last season. Clemens will turn 29 in September. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted March 29, 2014 Author Share Posted March 29, 2014 I posted earlier in the week that the Texans were talking with free safety free agent from the Miami Dolphins Chris Clemons and today it was announced that the Texans signed Clemons. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. This is second free safety Houston has signed in the past week. Last week Houston signed Kendrick Lewis who comes to Houston from Kansas City. So, what does this mean for veteran S Danieal Manning? It's hard to say because it basically depends on how willing Manning is to accept the pay cut Houston has asked him to take. Manning was a good player for the Chicago Bears and he's been excellent for the Texans since they signed him as a free agent in 2009. He was injured most of last season and at age 32 the Texans may just be willing to let him go if he won't adjust his salary hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 Today new Texans head coach Bill O'Brien held a town hall meeting with suite holders and fans at Reliant Stadium. Texans web site columnist Deepi Sidhu gives a recap of some the questions O'Brien answered for the crowd. http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Bill-OBrien-answers-questions-at-Town-Hall-/9f4e4014-c694-46a7-9b8a-a430e8d621b2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted April 3, 2014 Author Share Posted April 3, 2014 Jadeveon Clowney's pro day at South Carolina was yesterday and NFL.com took notice of the fact that Houston's DC Romeo Crennel was front and center asking for Clowney to go through pass coverage drills and perform drills in space because Houston is hoping Clowney can be a Willie McGinist type of player that Crennel had when he was DC in New England and winning Super Bowls. I posted about a month ago that if Houston selects Clowney that he should be a DeMarcus Ware type of player as a weak side OLB, a pass rushing specialist, because I thought it utilized his talent better than if he played DE in a 3-4 scheme. It seems like I may have hit the nail on the head this time. Here's a link to the NFL.com article and it also features a video of Clowney's pro day. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000339132/article/can-jadeveon-clowney-play-mcginest-role-for-texans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 The Texans have signed another unrestricted free agent but, like TE Garrett Graham, he's one of Houston's own. CB Elbert Mack was signed today. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Mack has played in 73 games in his six year career with Houston including 6 starts. He has also been a contributor on special teams. 34 days until Houston drafts Jadeveon Clowney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted April 7, 2014 Author Share Posted April 7, 2014 So I was talking with Wes, a big Texans fan, this morning and he said he doesn't want Jadeveon Clowney. He agreed with me that he's a freak of an athlete but he's seen him in interviews and was not impressed and he's seen him in games and it looked to him like Clowney takes plays off. To sum up his feelings Wes said he just doesn't like Clowney's motor. This gets me to thinking, is Clowney being over hyped? Is the perception of Clowney based solely on that one huge play in the bowl game vs Michigan in January of 2013 in the Outback Bowl? That No 1 pick, man, it's a terrible burden it there isn't a consensus player like Andrew Luck to choose. You could get a big arguement started about whether Clowney is consensus or not. That ain't good. It's my feeling that without a clear cut No 1 caliber QB how can you pass on Clowney? I'm glad I'm not Rick Smith or Bill O'Brien. You miss on the No 1 pick it could ruin your chances of keeping your job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted April 8, 2014 Author Share Posted April 8, 2014 The Texans have made a late move in free agency and it's someone who can possibly help Houston's running game. That is if he can stay healthy. The past two seasons Brown has had campaigns come to a screeching halt when he suffered broken legs that ended his seasons. He's been productive when healthy though and should provide a nice compliment to Arian Foster, assuming HE stays healthy. Houston's backup situation became a priority when Ben Tate signed a two year deal with Cleveland earlier in free agency. All Houston had to back up Foster were the unspectacular trio of Deji Karem, Jonathan Grimes and Dennis Johnson and it looked like Houston was going to have to dedicate a pick or two if nothing was done in free agency. I think we're all hoping Brown and Foster both are past their recent injury problems. 30 days until Houston selects Jadeveon Clowney with the first pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted April 9, 2014 Author Share Posted April 9, 2014 Here's an article from NFL.com that's reporting that the back surgery RB Arian Foster underwent to relieve nagging back issues was not as serious as it was made out to be. Foster was medically cleared to whatever extent that means for a guy coming off back surgery about a month ago. From the article it sounds like Foster is ready to get back in the thick of things. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000340219/article/arian-foster-surgery-wasnt-as-major-as-it-sounded OTA's for NFL teams with new coaches are able to begin 2 weeks before the rest of the NFL teams which means that Houston began OTA practices yesterday. Here's an article from Texans beat writer Drew Dougherty's interview with OL Duane Brown after the Texans practice yesterday. He discussed changes made since Bill O'Brien took over as head coach including adding MMA training to the Texans off season weight training program. http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Weight-room-changes-MMA-tactics-new-in-offseason/ef8fb25f-cee5-4a96-ab73-f39e7930ad59 Brown also spoke with another beat writer, Deepi Sidhu, about how he's coming into OTA feeling better than ever despite gaining 20 pounds in the off season. http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Duane-Brown-adds-20-lbs-feels-stronger-than-ever-/27539a4f-2f8c-49f3-a6d6-2ee8e420717d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 Don't you just love the games teams play during the weeks prior to the draft? The latest is in regard to projected top pick Jadeveon Clowney by an unnamed GM in the NFL saying quote, "He's never worked hard a day in his life, now all of a sudden you're going to give him a bunch of money and expect him to work hard. I don't see it.". As I said the GM's name or the team he works for isn't named but it's a little suspicious that the comment comes within a day of his workout for the St Louis Rams who just happen to have the 2nd pick in the draft. Hmmm. Andre Johnson was honored by being elected to the Miami Hurricanes Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday evening. He was given his HOF jacket by fellow Hurricanes alum Michael Irvin. Here's a video of Johnson's HOF speech. http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/Andre-Johnson-Miami-HOF-speech/252fe994-e7f4-4bc2-baa1-fdf4f046173e I posted earlier that among the Texans new workout regimen included MMA training. Here's a video on LT Duane Brown's take on the new program among several comments in an interview. http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/LT-Brown-on-Texans-MMA-workouts/3264d92b-8f84-4d9e-8607-c72acb2ecb75 I know it won't make any difference because if you intend to see the new Kevin Costner film "Draft Day" you're going anyway but the movie features the debut of RB Arian Foster in his big screen debut. http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/Whos_Arian_Fosters_favorite_actor/d2e25cf6-9c82-485b-a6be-864d4e694429 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 The only real news out of Texans country is that the mock drafts can't deside on who Houston will take with the No 1 pick. The general consensus is it's either going to be Blake Bortles or Jadeveon Clowney. I'm hoping Clowney and I'm hoping that if they do the Texans will use him as the weak side outside linebacker. The tandem of JJ Watts and Clowney at opposite ends of the line feels like a dynamic pairing especially is Brian Cushing is able to come back from the devastating knee injury he suffered last season, his second in as many years. Here's a link to brief new item from NFL.com where Cush is sounding stong and confident his rehab has gone well and he's ready to play via his twitter posts. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000342000/article/brian-cushing-says-hes-100-percent-healthy-for-texans Another item of note; the 49ers are being reported on NFL.com that they are open to trade talks concerning LaMichael James the former Oregon RB drafted by Frisco in 2012. I know that Houston signed former NY Giants RB Andre Brown last week but with Brown and Arian Foster both coming off injuries it would be hard to pass on a former blue chip RB especially if the price was right. Why are the Niners willing to get rid of James? Because their 4th round choice from last season, Marcus Lattimore, is healed after a lengthy rehab from the knee injury that ended his final year of college at South Carolina. Lattimore is one of those guys touted to be all world coming to the NFL. He has speed, power and explosion or he did before he tore up his knee. If he comes back and lives up to the hype then San Fran has Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter and Lattimore which makes James expendable. This could the sleeper pick of draft if Houston could land James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted April 21, 2014 Author Share Posted April 21, 2014 With the NFL draft only 2-1/2 weeks away (did I say "only"???) there is really nothing new to talk about. Well, maybe a little something. The Texans are still expected to choose one of two options. Either South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney or a quarterback probably NOT Johnny Manziel have been the talk since the end of the Super Bowl but now a new name has replaced that unknown QB. Lately, in mock drafts and published accounts speculating on who the Texans will select has been one Kahlil Mack linebacker from the University of Buffalo, considered to be the biggest catch of the draft from the linebacker perspective. Fox Sports, ESPN, Profootballtalk, and various other outlets are suggesting that Texans GM Rick Smith actually prefers Mack to Clowney. Now, you and I both know that GMs and coaches are pathological liars this time of year but Mack has been touted at a top 5 pick for a while. He has the combination of size, speed and athleticism that make him "that" guy. Mack may be a better fit in a 3-4 simply because he has played the linebacker position and is used to not having his hand on the ground. That would be the chance the Texans would be taking if they select Clowney, that he could make the transition to linebacker much the same way DeMarcus Ware did with Dallas. It makes no sense to make Clowney a defensive end in a 3-4 because it would compromise too many things he able to do on the field. Clowney certainly has the ability to transition to LB but you just never know how a player will respond once the pads go on. So now, let the debate begin--Clowney vs Mack--and may it be enough to get us through the next 17 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 The draft begins next Thursday and it looks like the Texans website is going to run a series of articles to give a position by position look at the current Texans depth and potential draft prospects all the way through the 7th and final round of the draft. In this article Texans.com's John Harris looks at the running backs. http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-RB-Draft-Board/74c64598-9a40-471f-9608-aaa3dd0b22ff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted April 30, 2014 Author Share Posted April 30, 2014 Here's the next installment of the Texans.com position draft analysis. Today John Harris looks at wide receivers. http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-WR-Draft-Board/7861d392-b08f-405c-b136-ea27e165c8cd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted May 1, 2014 Author Share Posted May 1, 2014 The pre-draft analysis continues with a look at the QB position. From Texans.com. http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-QB-Draft-Board/2572de74-2101-4f14-be8c-0adc69b316f8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted May 2, 2014 Author Share Posted May 2, 2014 The next installment of the Texans Draft Board looks at the offensive line. As before, it looks at the current depth chart on the Texans roster and player draft possibilities from Round 1 through Round 7. http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-OL-Draft-Board/22f327e2-8696-432b-b5c5-dba82c350fb3 6 days to the NFL draft! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted May 3, 2014 Author Share Posted May 3, 2014 The Texans.com pre-draft preview features a look at the defensive line. It lists the current depth chart and round by round possibilities of who they could draft to help fill needs. http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-D-Line-Draft-Board/119aa23d-243f-40ae-8317-56b6aeb8e1d0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted May 7, 2014 Author Share Posted May 7, 2014 One day left and we will find out just what the hell Houston will do with that first pick. I'm tired of the talk, it's time to get this party started. In the mean time let me catch up on the Texans.com draft board preview. I'm a little behind so I'll post what is out there to date. First up is the linebackers: http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-LB-Draft-Board/54a1f2a6-72ba-4092-b28a-54eba987cd4d Next are the defensive backs: http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-DB-Draft-Board/b2f30b12-5b90-4fe4-923b-11fab23d1d79 A Houston Texans fan has won an ultimate fan experience trip to New York and will participate in the draft procedings. Here's the article from Texans.com. Admit it, you're a little jealous of this guy. Me too. http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Texans-fan-wins-ultimate-Draft-experience/eb4081a5-48cd-4cfe-ae05-c53a38d46900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted May 9, 2014 Author Share Posted May 9, 2014 Houston didn't do anything but stand pat and take the best player in the draft Jadeveon Clowney. I don't know who they will target to begin the 2nd round but I'd like them to take Notre Dame DE Stephon Tuitt to play opposite JJ Watt or his Notre Dame teammate NT Louis Nix III to play nose tackle. If Houston takes either one of these guys they have seriously upgraded their defense. It's entirely possible Houston grabs a QB to start the round. Most feel like AJ McCarron is the likely candidate and I'm good with that because I think McCarron is a lot better than he's given credit. The 2nd round begins at 7 this evening. Hopefully, I can catch a little nap sometime today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 If Houston's first four picks in the draft are as advertised Houston just had a helluva draft. Of course there's Clowney. I don't need to say anything more that hasn't already been said. The 2nd round pick, guard Xavier Su'a-Filo was the top guard in the draft and should help what has been a rather porous O-line. So far win-win. The 3rd round pick should help solidify the O-line. TE CJ Fiedorowicz fills the need for a blocking TE which can help unleash Arian Foster and the other RB's. Houston traded up to get another 3rd round pick and they chose NT Louis Nix III from Notre Dame. If Nix returns to his 2012 form then Houston has that anchor on the D-line they have been needing. That's just the the first 4 picks out of the draft but it could be the 4th round pick, Houston's fifth, that could push this draft class to the excellent level regardless of what the other 5 picks do. The Texans took Pitt's QB Tom Savage and the guy steadily climbed the draft boards leading up to last weekend. He has the size and the skill set that new head coach Bill O'Brien likes and he can develop for a couple of years under newly signed QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. I'm excited to see how this all shakes out. Assuming he is really healthy now, fantasy owners may be able to lean on Arian Foster as their bell cow in their fantasy leagues given the upgrades both on offense and defense. Nice job under Rick Smith and in Bill O'Brien's first year at head coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 Houston drafted 10 players and since the draft ended Saturday evening Houston has signed 18 undrafted free agents bringing the total of at least 39 players due at the rookie mini camp this weekend. The UFA's have one name I've heard of and that's Michigan State LB Max Bullock. I saw a lot of his name on the fanspeak draft simulator mainly around the seventh round. Here's the entire list of UFA's: Chris Boswell (K--Rice) Kevin Forsch (OG--Houston) Bryan Witzmann (OT--South Dakota State) Chris Martin (OT--Central Florida) Matt Feiler (OT--Bloomsburg) Travis Labhart (WR--Texas A&M) Anthony McClung (WR--Cincinnati) Anthony Denham (TE--Utah) Chris Coyle (TE--Arizona State) Chris McAlister (LB--Baylor) Terrance Lloyd (LB--Baylor) Chris Young (LB--Arizona State) Max Bullough (LB--Michigan State) Jason Ankrah (LB--Nebraska) Sullivan Grosz (DT--Cal Poly State) Tyrone Ezell (DT--Pittsburgh) Leon Minto (DT--Johnson C. Smith) Austin Brown (DT--Miami (Ohio)) Marcus Williams (CB--North Dakota State) BTW, there was a big ballyhoo on 97.5 this afternoon because WR Andre Johnson said in an interview today that considering his age and the state of the team he wasn't sure Houston was the place to be for him going forward. I think it's much ado about nothing because Johnson is due to make almost $16 mm and his salary cap hit would be just shy of $12 mm. Houston absolutely can't afford to cut, release or trade him so Johnson will have to deal with the fact he will be a Texan for at least the next two years. Right now he's avoided mini camps but in June when the first mandatory camp is held I have no doubt he'll be there. He just needs somebody to explain NFL economics 101 so he understands how the cow ate the cabbage. Personally, I think he's getting some bad advice from his agent probably in an attempt to milk more money out of the Texans which I don't believe will happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUSportsFan Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 I enjoyed watching Travis Labhart play. He was an unrecruited walk-on who earned a scholarship. He has an interesting back story. Here's a link to an ESPN article about him. He is a prime example of the saying "where there is a will, there is a way". http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=sec&id=74380&src=desktop Congratulations to all the UFAs that get a chance to continue the dream. Sent from my Android device using Tapatalk2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 Thanks for the article LUSportsFan. It is a great story and I won't forget Labhart's name as I watch when practices start this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 With all the hoopla over last weekend's draft and the signing of UFA's this past week there is one item of news that was pretty important to a high school student. The student, a fan of Texans cheerleader Caitlyn, won the opportunity to have her as his date at his prom when he got enough retweets of his desire to have Caitlyn as his prom date for her to agree to go with him. Click on the link in the Texans.com page for a video of the event. This young man had to be on cloud nine and he undoubtedly had the hottest date at the prom! http://www.houstontexans.com/index.html The event even made national news. Here's an article from the New York Dailey News about the student's big evening. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/texas-hs-senior-takes-nfl-cheeleader-prom-article-1.1788918 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle eye Posted May 17, 2014 Author Share Posted May 17, 2014 The Texans began their rookie mini camp, the first under a new coaching staff headed by Bill O'Brien. Here's a video snapshot of the Texans first practice. http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/1st_Look_Rookie_minicamp_1/5d296d72-c616-4635-88b0-959fec462154 Here's video of day 2 of rookie mini camp. http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/1st-Look-Rookie-minicamp-2/9036b8aa-f023-4af9-a92c-a6d3f74de07c Here's an up close and personal look at NT Louis Nix III. http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/Extended_Cut_NT_Louis_Nix_III/06217ea2-2791-42d7-92ef-a2f3c67a45ab Here's an interview with top draft pick Jadeveon Clowney. BTW, it heard on the radio today that Clowney has gone all Tony Dorsett on us. For those who might remember when Dorsett was at Pitt you pronounced his name DOR-sett but when he got to the Cowboys he wanted to be called dor-SETT. I really don't know how to phonetically spell the way Clowney says you pronounce his first name but I know it's not ja-DAY-veon. http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/NFL_Network_Clowney_on_new_teammates/58593ca1-3508-40aa-992d-135b495caf2b Here's a video of Bill O'Brien's presser following Friday's practice. http://www.houstontexans.com/tv-media/videos/EC_OBrien_on_rookies_first_practice/c59cf048-cac4-4f49-b040-bcba83c3cda7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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