The Houston Texans have been trying to sort out their quarterback woes for years by signing or trading for backups rather than drafting a rookie to groom as the face of the franchise.
Continuing with the trend of a plan that hasn’t worked out so well, the Texans’ latest attempt to bandage their ailing quarterback position came by signing former Denver Broncos backup quarterback Brock Osweiler.
The Texans apparently have the utmost faith in Osweiler after seven career starts because they offered him a whopping four-year, $72 million mega deal.
Osweiler makes for the fifth backup quarterback slated to start for the Texans since they drafted David Carr in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft.
HOU has a history of going after backup QBs:
Matt Schaub
Brian Hoyer
Ryan Mallett
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Brock Osweiler pic.twitter.com/31jUAA9MiT— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 9, 2016
Looking back to 2007, here is a brief look a the Texans’ backup to starter quarterback plan.
Matt Schaub, Atlanta Falcons
After starting only two games for the Atlanta Falcons, the Texans signed Schaub to the squad in 2007, and he remained on the roster through 2013 after starting in 88 of 112 games.
During his tenure, Schaub had a few splashy seasons when he posted no fewer than 4,008 passing yards and 22 touchdowns. He also participated in two postseason games when the Texans lost in the Divisional playoffs in 2012. Eventually Schaub dealt with injuries, and his performance went south long before he departed from the team.
Interestingly enough, Schaub has landing back with the Falcons via free agency, the team that selected him him in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, free agent
A backup and starter for five NFL teams from 2005 through 2013, Fitzpatrick spent a lukewarm 2014 season with the Texans, starting in 12 games and posting a 6-6 record.
During that time, Fitzpatrick completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 2,483 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions before sustaining a broken leg.
In a case of what “breaks you makes you stronger”, Fitzpatrick rebounded after signing with the New York Jets in 2015, leading the club to a 10-6 record. Along the way, Fitzpatrick recorded career-highs in passing yards (3,905) and touchdowns (31) leaving curious minds wondering what Fitz would have accomplished had he stayed with Houston.
He now is one of the more appealing commodities in free agency.
Ryan Mallett, Baltimore Ravens
Acquired in a trade from the New England Patriots in 2014, Mallet’s tenure with the Texans was very brief when the quarterback started in only six total games for the team.
After posting a 1-3 record last year, Mallett never started again and was replaced by Brian Hoyer. Immature and unsportsmanlike behavior, coupled with a poor attitude, found Mallett out on the streets after Week 6.
Late last season, Mallett found a home with the Baltimore Ravens when he started in two games as a fourth-string quarterback in the absence of starter Joe Flacco.
Brian Hoyer, Houston Texans
After playing backup from 2009 through 2012 in New England and Arizona, Hoyer started in 16 games for the Cleveland Browns in 2013-2014.
Having thrown for only 3,941 yards, 17 touchdowns and 16 interceptions during his tenure in Cleveland, Hoyer landed with the Houston Texans in 2015. He eventually started in nine games in 2015 after the short-lived Mallett experiment failed, leading the Texans to the Wild Card playoff game.
Unfortunately, Hoyer choked big time when the Texans were completely shut out 30-0 by the Kansas City Chiefs. Fresh in everyone’s minds are the five ridiculous turnovers Hoyer committed during that game.
This leads us full circle to the Texans signing Osweiler long term in an attempt to revive a failing quarterback situation.
As preseason practices and training camp unfolds, we should have better insight as to whether signing Osweiler to the team appears to be a good or not-so good thing.