Andrew Buller-Russ
Sitting in a good spot with the second overall pick in the NFL Draft, most expect the Houston Texans to select a quarterback. If so, it would address arguably the team’s biggest need, with Davis Mills unable to show enough to prove Houston doesn’t have a problem.
But their head coach hiring could lead to Jimmy Garoppolo pairing up with DeMeco Ryans, who was in San Francisco for the past six seasons, just as Jimmy G was.
That’s the word from Michael Silver of Bally Sports, who recently spoke with multiple NFL general managers at the NFL Combine. Specifically, Silver lists the Texans as Garoppolo’s “likeliest destination” ahead of NFL free agency.
He notes Garoppolo has also been linked to the Carolina Panthers, who may find adding the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback to be much simpler and more cost-effective than getting aggressive by trading up from the ninth pick.
Despite Garoppolo’s connection to coach Ryans, the Texans do feel like an incredibly odd fit for the 31-year-old Illinois native. Already in a safe position to at least land one of the top quarterbacks in the incoming draft class, the Texans deciding to eschew that plan for a veteran would be shocking, to say the least.
Yet, if a proven commodity is what the Texans seek, they could do a lot worse than Jimmy G, who holds a career win rate of 71% in the NFL.
Not to mention, maybe their plan is to select a raw prospect, like Anthony Richardson, allowing the 21-year-old QB more time to grow into the starting role.
If there’s one thing Ryans saw first-hand in San Francisco, just because a player is selected in the top three, it doesn’t guarantee they’ll turn into an instant star. Perhaps Garoppolo is a contingency plan with a very high floor.
Related: 2023 NFL mock draft: Chicago Bears trade down multiple times, QBs fill top 10
