Most likely those problems go by the name Kubiak and Schaub...

That would explain why they haven't taken an ILB so far. If the young OLBs can step up, that front seven would give Wade all sorts of options to play with.

Last year we were pretty strong setting the edge vs rushing plays with Barwin & Reed, so I wonder how much of a drop-off they might risk with Mercilus and a rookie in their places ?

It does seem curious that they're apparently going to rely on a pair of rookies at OLB when they were so reluctant to give Mercilus a lot of time last year despite his production.

Texans on the clock........

Trade!

with Rams...

Thinking about this a little more, if Reed does go inside, what does the nickel front look like?

DE/OLB Montgomery
DL Watt
DL Smith
DE/OLB Mercilus
LB Cushing
LB Reed

Not only is that a lot of pass rush ability on the field, but also a lot of versatility. I could see Wade moving Reed in particular around to create some real mismatches.

As soon as someone figures out what we got for giving up that pick please let us know.

We traded with the Rams...

Texans get the Rams two 6th round picks in the trade radio is reporting..... That means the Texans have four 6th round picks....

Just gonna have a single inside backer in the nickel.

NFL.com draft tracker is showing two 6ths, #184 and 198.

Texans trade No. 160 pick to the Rams for picks No. 184 and No. 198.

If Reed is one of those ILBs, though, do they take him off the field on passing downs?

So ticked Seattle took Luke Willson in front of us. That's 3 players so far (Brown, Lemoneire and Willson) that I wanted the Texans to get that we're snagged right before our pick.

Texans trade No. 160 pick to the Rams for picks No. 184 and No. 198.

Good problem to have, IMO.

Traditionally, yes. I think Warren's point is that Wade has the ability, the personnel, to get more speed on the field in passing situations. That's the whole point of the 3-4 to begin with. Do you think a QB looking at 3rd and 8 would be more troubled by Brooks Reed or Earl Mitchell?

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

It might just be a matter of necessity. Last year they had the luxury of spotting Mercilus behind Barwin and Reed, who were both coming off productive seasons.

Unless Mercilus missed a bunch of assignments in the running game that I'm unaware of for some reason I think it's plain that he outplayed either of them. Playing a rookie sparingly at the outset seems fine to me but when he demonstrates that he makes things happen on the field he should stay there.

Anyway, that's water under the bridge.

Round 5 complete:

1 Kansas City Sanders Commings (CB) Georgia
2 Jacksonville Denard Robinson (WR) Michigan
3 Philadelphia Earl Wolff (S) NC State
4 Seattle Jesse Williams (DT) Alabama
5 Seattle Tharold Simon (CB) LSU
6 Indianapolis Montori Hughes (DT) UT-Martin
7 Arizona Stepfan Taylor (RB) Stanford
8 NY Jets Oday Aboushi (OG) Virginia
9 Tennessee Lavar Edwards (DE) LSU
10 Buffalo Jonathan Meeks (S) Clemson
11 New Orleans Kenny Stills (WR) Oklahoma
12 San Diego Steve Williams (CB) California
13 Denver Quanterus Smith (DE) W Kentucky
14 Tampa Bay Steven Means (OLB) Buffalo
15 Carolina A.J. Klein (ILB) Iowa St
16 St. Louis Brandon McGee (CB) Miami
17 Pittsburgh Terry Hawthorne (CB) Illinois
18 Dallas Joseph Randle (RB) Oklahoma St
19 NY Giants Cooper Taylor (S) Richmond
20 Atlanta Stansly Maponga (DE) TCU
21 Washington Chris Thompson (RB) Florida St
22 Minnesota Jeff Locke (P) UCLA
23 Cincinnati Tanner Hawkinson (OT) Kansas
24 San Francisco Quinton Dial (DE) Alabama
25 Seattle Luke Willson (TE) Rice
26 Green Bay Micah Hyde (CB) Iowa
27 St. Louis Zachary Stacy (RB) Vanderbilt
28 Denver Tavarres King (WR) Georgia
29 Washington Brandon Jenkins (OLB) Florida St
30 Chicago Jordan Mills (OT) La Tech
31 Miami Mike Gillislee (RB) Florida
32 Detroit Sam Martin (K) App St
33 Miami Caleb Sturgis (K) Florida
34 Green Bay Josh Boyd (DT) Miss St
35 Baltimore Ricky Wagner (OT) Wisconsin