Houston Texans Pre-Season 2014 - NT Bowl 2.5...Battle For Roster Spots

Houston Texans exercise fifth year option on J.J. Watt’s contract

The Houston Texans have been up and down it seems as they’ve been both Super Bowl caliber in the past few years but also capable of laying an egg like they did last season. But while the team still needs to figure things out, and will be doing so under a new head coach, there is at least one thing to be very excited about in the future.

According to Field Yates from ESPN.com, the Texans have exercised the fifth year on defensive end J.J. Watt’s rookie contract and will keep him under that affordable deal through the 2015 season.

This means that the Texans won’t have to worry about breaking the bank to sign Watt long-term until at least next offseason when he enters the final year of his rookie deal. All that really does is delay the pain as Watt as two more seasons to accumulate his Pro Bowl numbers and raise his price tag even further.
 
Dat scedule release :pimp: :pimp:

700


Only two primetime games, but I'm not even mad after that disaster of a season last year.
 
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I'd be so amped if that schedule was for the 2011 or 2012 roster. But since this is basically gonna be an entirely new roster with an entirely different culture change, I'm just waiting on that 53 man roster come September. I usually make game by game predictions right after the draft, but I don't even think I'll do that this year.
 
Peep Game said:
I'd be so amped if that schedule was for the 2011 or 2012 roster. But since this is basically gonna be an entirely new roster with an entirely different culture change, I'm just waiting on that 53 man roster come September. I usually make game by game predictions right after the draft, but I don't even think I'll do that this year.
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I'll do it right now. 16-0.

Manziel wins rookie of the year, MVP, and Super Bowl MVP.
 
Bell Tolls: Texas-sized dilemma for Texans, Johnny Manziel

Honor the board.

That's not merely a mantra in NFL Draft war rooms at this of year. It is like a golden rule, defining principle and martial law for the big-time decision-makers on the clock.

Conceivably.

The Houston Texans, with the top pick in the draft burning in GM Rick Smith's hands, have this truth-or-dare dilemma that challenges the whole concept of honoring the board.

MORE: Texans owner offers insight to plan

I dare you to open the draft by selecting Johnny Manziel.

Lord knows, the Texans need some Johnny Football. The NFL is a passing league now, which is a reason Bill O'Brien is the new coach, and Manziel can sure sling it. He's the most exciting quarterback in the draft, a rock star with the added value of making Bob McNair's easy-to-ignore franchise matter on the national scene like it never has.

Sure, Manziel — not built as solidly as another short quarterback with whom he is compared, Russell Wilson — looks as though he can be snapped in half by one Gregg Williams-designed double blitz.

But hey, there's always risk.

And with risk, there's the possibility of reward — or heartbreak.

One thing for sure: If the Texans were to snag Manziel with the top pick, it will be open season for criticism because that's the slot seemingly reserved for pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney.

Taking Manziel might even cause an earthquake, with the epicenter at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Passing on Clowney might shake the foundation of the draft process as we know it.

You know McNair can already feel tremors. McNair founded the franchise and can't forget how its inaugural pick in 2002 of quarterback David Carr backfired.

MORE: USC WR says he'll be a No. 1 receiver in NFL

During an interview with Fox26 in Houston, McNair called Clowney the top player in the draft, but added, "If he's a quarterback and the best player, it's easy, but that's not the case.

"So can that defensive player have a greater impact on the success of your team that one of these quarterbacks? It's not a sure thing that he is."

Clowney has emerged as the safe pick at No. 1, despite just posting three sacks last season for South Carolina. That itself says so much about his out-of-the-world potential.

Pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney has emerged as the safe pick to go No. 1 in the draft.(Photo: Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports)
There are 32 big boards across the NFL and even in an environment overflowing with smokescreens and propaganda, the consensus is that Clowney is at the top of most, if not all of the boards.

That's why a draft-and-trade scenario might make the most sense. That worked out for the San Diego Chargers in 2004. They drafted Eli Manning in the top slot, then dealt him to the New York Giants, who filled San Diego's need by selecting Philip Rivers fourth overall.

In 2001, the Chargers handled it in another manner. They traded out of the top spot to allow the Falcons to draft Michael Vick, then in the fifth spot that was originally Atlanta's, landed LaDainian Tomlinson. With the pick gained from Atlanta, the Chargers opened Round 2 by filling their quarterback need with Drew Brees.

No wonder Smith declared during a pre-draft press conference last week that he knew exactly who he wanted to draft ... and also that he is open for the business of talking trades.

Of course he is.

Maybe Atlanta will be the team to leap to the top spot for Clowney. Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff, slotted sixth, moved up 20 slots to draft Julio Jones in 2011. You know he'd pull the trigger again.

The Falcons don't need a quarterback. They need Clowney.

Houston can parlay their slot into more picks, although they could also run the risk of not getting Manziel if moving back to, say, the sixth slot.

Sure, Houston could very well draft Clowney, turn him over to D-coordinator Romeo Crennel, put him on the same unit that already features maybe the league's best D-lineman in J.J. Watt, and watch quarterbacks quiver on a week-to-week basis. Maybe.

Clowney blazed to a 4.53-second clocking in the 40-yard dash at the combine that was faster than the fleet-footed Manziel's time (4.68), so imagine that speed coming off the edge on third-and-long.

The Texans can draft Clowney, then grab a quarterback with the first pick of the second round — I'm still not buying that Teddy Bridegwater will fall that far, but there's a logjam of arms out there with potential — and build from there.

But what if Manziel becomes the next Brett Favre? The Texans would rue that for years.

Is there any guarantee that Clowney will become another Bruce Smith?

Then again, Manziel could flop like Joey Harrington, Vince Young, Jamarcus Russell or Carr.

Yeah, it's an inexact science. Think of all the teams that honored their boards and passed on Watt, who wasn't chosen until the 11th pick in 2011.

Besides, the board on Thursday night won't look like the 20-20 hindsight board in a few months or years. Boards are so fluid. After the fact, they never look like they should have.

That's why the Texans' decision really needs to hinge on whether their evaluation has concluded that Manziel is a bonafide franchise quarterback. The opinions on that run the gamut, but the best-case view is he is a star in the making. If the Texans agree, they should adjust their board accordingly.

If not, so be it. Take Clowney, and let the chips fall.

What they can't do is talk themselves out of taking Manziel — if they see him as a potential star — because he's not their top overall prospect and they are being true to their board.

It's a league driven by great quarterbacks. They need to draft with that in mind.
 
The 2014 NFL Draft will begin on Thursday night, with the Houston Texans kicking off the festivities in the No. 1 overall slot. Whether or not they'll stay in that spot and who they will take, however, remain a complete mystery.

The rumors have often linked South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney to the Texans as the first overall selection, but now that might not be the case, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. Rapoport says he spoke to Texans general manager Rick Smith, and believes the top pick could be for sale or spent on linebacker Khalil Mack.

All of this information seems to be in sharp contrast to only a few days ago, when on May 4 an NFL.com article quoted Houston owner Bob McNair discussing Clowney.

"You take a guy like Jadeveon Clowney," McNair said. "He's obviously the best player in the draft, but he's a defensive end. He's not a quarterback. If he's a quarterback and the best player it's easy, but that's not the case. So can that defensive player have a greater impact on the success of your team than one of these quarterbacks? It's not a sure thing that he is."
While that quote does not spell out the Texans selecting Clowney, it certainly lends itself to that impression. The quarterback class has more depth than star power, with rumors that Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel, Derek Carr or Teddy Bridgewater could all drop in the first round.

As McNair points out in that same May 4 article, all of these signal-callers have issues.

"You got three quarterbacks and all of them have some holes in their resume," McNair said. "A quarterback that goes out and performs for you and is a franchise quarterback is more valuable than a player playing another position, but there's a lot more risk there. It's a more difficult position to play and there are lot more failures."
The draft is full of smoke screens, so who truly knows what Smith, McNair and the rest of the front office is thinking. Back in late April, the esteemed Peter King wrote that he believes Houston is higher on Mack than Clowney, per SB Nation's Battle Red Blog. Yet SB Nation's new mock draft has Clowney going first overall, and the latest mock from ESPN's Mel Kiper and Todd McShay has the same result.

But wait! Only six days earlier, Battle Red Blog has a post written off the premise Clowney was already told he will be the top pick in the draft, per Matt Miller of NFL Draft Scout. Is that true? Who can tell, but it is an interesting notion.

Gil Brandt, a long-time NFL personnel man, believes Mack will be picked ahead of Clowney, per Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback.

King also weighed in on what he's hearing about the fate of the top pick.

The buzz about a trade-down or Khalil Mack to Houston instead of Jadeveon Clowney won’t die. The Texans are doing a good job of sending mixed signals to the GM community, that’s for sure. Mack’s in the dark, which is to be expected. I can’t see Atlanta mortgaging the farm on any player, so if the Texans want to trade down, the return likely won’t be a ransom.
Drafting Mack instead of Clowney would make sense from a scheme point of view. The Texans hired defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel who employs a 3-4 defense. Clowney could play outside linebacker but is more suited to play a 4-3 defensive end in the eyes of most. Mack would be a perfect fit as a 3-4 linebacker, his natural position.
 
:x :x
If we pick Manziel with #1

Clowney should really be the only option at 1

If we were to trade down then I really don't care who we pick lol
Itll either be Mack, Manziel, Tteddy, or Bortles

I doubt Mack would fall to us but if he did :pimp: :pimp:
 
If we are able to grab Clowney and Bridgewater with the first 2 picks...I wouldn't eem care for the rest of the draft.
 
^Pretty much. If they continue to lowball Teddy, I'm down to take Clowney with the 1st, and Teddy with the 33rd. I just don't want to see any mess like taking some random guy from Southern Northwest Kelvin State University.
 
Clowney at 1 and Teddy at 33 would be :pimp: :pimp: :pimp:

Highly doubt Teddy would fall that much tho I'm not really buying it
The media has been driving him downhill cuz that's what they do to players lol

I feel like teams still value him and he'll go like top 25 or sumn

If he's still there before the browns pick and if they don't draft a QB at 4 I wouldn't be opposed to jumpimg and snagging tedDy
 
Johnny better be a Texan at this time tomorrow night. Lettuce be cereal here... If Manziel can turn Texas A&M around, he can turn the Texans around.
 
I'm just hitting team threads giving respect. So while you are a new franchise (in the grand scheme), you've had some real impact players and gotten some playoff wins which is better than what most newer franchises can say. Have a good draft, glad you guys knocked out the Who Deys those couple years. Way to help out the AFCN :lol: :smokin


PS random memory that 2005 game Pitt had vs Houston, Troy went crazy, one of the best defensive performances I'd seen in a while. Carr had no chance :lol:
 
I'm so conflicted going into this draft, I want Manziel but logically speaking I'd like them to trade down and acquire more picks.
 
Clowney + Bridgewater will be a dream draft IMO

or a trade that gets us Manziel/Mack + a 2nd this year + a 3rd this year + 1 future 1st.
 
dmxfury said:
I'm just hitting team threads giving respect. So while you are a new franchise (in the grand scheme), you've had some real impact players and gotten some playoff wins which is better than what most newer franchises can say. Have a good draft, glad you guys knocked out the Who Deys those couple years. Way to help out the AFCN :lol: :smokin


PS random memory that 2005 game Pitt had vs Houston, Troy went crazy, one of the best defensive performances I'd seen in a while. Carr had no chance :lol:
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My favorite Hou/Pitt game was Watt nearly tearing Big Ben in half in the endzone, and Jason Allen intercepting him on one of the very last plays of the game :lol:
 
Anybody remember the Pitt game that we won with under like 100 total yards or some crazy stat like that? haha
 
Luck better have his head on a swivel
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- Clowney when asked if Texans pick him and pair him with JJ

:lol:




@McClain_on_NFL
In a trade for top pick, Texans are hoping to get a 1st-round swap and picks in 2nd and 3rd rounds this year and a No. 1 in 2015..
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Per Schefter: We are one of many teams looking to trade back into back end of the 1st round
 
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