The Houston Texans have been in quarterback purgatory for the last few seasons. On that note, owner Bob McNair has made it known that the team will plan to target a top quarterback in this year’s NFL Draft.
Even with veteran free agents potentially available, it would appear the Texans are tired of traveling that road. John McClain of The Houston Chronicle confirmed the team’s desire to start fresh with a rookie quarterback and offered a unique phrase to illustrate this point:
“They want to draft (a quarterback) in the first round. They’re tired of using retreads. They played five this year, started four. Last year they played four and started three. So they need a quarterback, and they want one that they can develop.”
Why settle for the car with the patched-up, used tires when the Texans can get one with brand new wheels?
With quarterbacks such as Robert Griffin III, Sam Bradford, or perhaps even Colin Kaepernick and Brock Osweiler potentially looking for new teams, it would seem the Texans have already locked their front door.
McClain projects Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg to be back to working with his former coach, Bill O’Brien:
“I think Christian Hackenberg is going to end up being reunited with Bill O’Brien. I think that’s going to be their quarterback. I think O’Brien loves the guy. I don’t know that, but I just think he does based on what I’ve heard.”
McClain also dismissed Bradford entering the Texans’ mix:
“People that think Bradford is coming here, chances are they’re going to be mistaken.”
The Texans currently possess the 22nd pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Therefore, their chances of landing a top passer such as Memphis’ Paxton Lynch, California’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz are extremely slim. However, this means Hackenberg could fall to the Texans, just like McClain is projecting.
It is about time the Texans finally had their light bulb moment and are seriously addressing their ailing quarterback position. Just think, they could be in comfy cruise mode starting Derek Carr for his third year if the team had drafted differently in 2014.
Instead, they selected defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who due to a plethora of injuries has unfortunately started in only 11 games over his first two seasons.
Out with the old and in with the new is surely the Texans’ motto come April 28 when the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft kicks off in Chicago.