Houston Texans play matchmaker on offense – TD sports debate p2
By Dan Salem
Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Even with a quarterback at number one in the NFL Draft, the Houston Texans still need help on offense. Chris Johnson, I’d like you to meet Johnny Manziel. Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in part two of this week’s TD Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate the NFL and sports.
[Part one – Texans find their quarterback]
TODD:
I completely agree that quarterback shouldn’t necessarily be the selection if there is not one Houston believes wholeheartedly in. However, this is the NFL. A team is in limbo, unable to move in either direction if their QB situation is unresolved. While Keenum and Yates have shown flashes of competency, they aren’t needle-movers.
I personally think Jadeveon Clowney should be selected first overall. If Houston is not going to take him, it should probably trade down and collect another asset. Clowney was by far the best player in college two seasons ago. Last year, he seemed like he was holding himself back or not exerting full effort simply because he was playing for his NFL career, not his college one.
With that said though, I think most teams around the league would still rather have a solid, mid-tier quarterback over a top defensive end. While a rush end is perhaps the second most valuable position on a football field, it is closer to third than it is to first. Even if Clowney was a guaranteed Pro Bowler and whichever quarterback went first was just a mediocre franchise guy, like Joe Flacco for example, I still believe the overwhelming majority of franchises would select the quarterback knowing that future.
Football trades are tough, but who says no first to a Robert Quinn for Joe Flacco trade? It has to be Baltimore. Thus, the slightly above average quarterback is the better value than the borderline elite defensive end. That is what Houston is working with in regards to the 2014 draft’s top pick.
The reasoning is sound really. A team can win with holes elsewhere as long as their quarterback is reliable. The situation does not work in reverse. The Tennessee Titans were an example of a pretty good team last season everywhere other than quarterback. They didn’t do so hot. And in a league where so much changes so quickly, it is also very hard to ask a franchise to wait another season on that QB of the future while building up the rest of the squad. In another 12 months, the rest of the squad may no longer be good. That is sort of why the Texans have the first pick in the first place. The rest of their team fell apart in less than a year’s time.
DAN:
Excellent insight; I can’t disagree with your logic behind going for a mid-tier quarterback with the first overall pick. Quarterbacks are game changers and do bring stability to floundering franchises, while star defensive players simply shine for at most 50 to 75% of the defensive plays. Their impact is definitely less than any level of quarterback.
The Houston Texans have a problem, all be it a good problem. They are staring at three potential Joe Flaccos and one potential Reggie White. But I’m not convinced any top pick alone can save this team in 2014. Building for the future success of your franchise means looking beyond any single player and beyond the next season. That’s the job of the General Manager, assuming he gets to keep it long term. With the news of Chris Johnson’s release from the Titans, I see a big opportunity for Houston’s offense in 2014 and 2015.
The Texans should go all out to sign Chris Johnson. He has at least two solid seasons left, but more importantly, pairing him with Johnny Manziel is taking two gold nuggets and making a diamond. Their skill sets compliment each other so well its scary. Add in Andre Johnson and that’s three playmakers on offense, giving Houston fans something to root for and the team something solid to build on.