I'm not saying a trade won't happen. I'm saying a trade won't happen unless it's to the place Romo wants to go, because no team will employ him with that contract. So no trade happens without his say so and ensuing renegotiation.

So he will pick his team either via trade or FA.

By the way I'm fine with sending a late conditional pick if he wants to come here.

Of course. His contract is not tradable. Anyone trading for him would have to rework it, and I'm sure he'd want to rework it, too, because if I recall correctly virtually none of it is guaranteed.

If the Texans want him and he wants to be a Texan the easiest and surest way to do it is capitulate to Mr Glitter and send that asshat a pick.

I think the Texans are gonna wait, here. I don't think they want anything to do with giving Jerrah a pick or dealing with Romo's present contract. I think they're interested but any deals will be on their terms.....

I like Mahomes but he's very raw and (IMO) will need much NFL schooling. He just flat out looks young, like he's still 18 or 19. Good arm, though...

McClain thinks if they get Romo, they'll still draft a QB. I think it will be one or the other.... Next year's QB class is supposed to be better....

That's what they said a year ago. A year ago Watson was the crown jewel. The longer these college QBs are in the spotlight, the longer we get to find things wrong with them. And the longer you wait to draft a QB, the longer you are good but going nowhere like most of our last decade.

The last QB we drafted in the first 2 rounds was David Carr. In the last 10 drafts we have used a 4th, 5th, and 7th on 3 QBs. During that same time the Patriots have had GOAT Tom Brady and still used a 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, and 7th on 5 QBs.

And right now we are hoping to be lucky enough to sign a guy who played 4 of the last 32 games and lost his job to a 5th round rookie (who we could have drafted). The Patriots still have Brady and have a cheap young guy that a dozen teams would probably prefer to their starter.

If we don't draft a QB we ought to forfeit the franchise.

I'd just like to highlight this post for its excellence and to underscore the difference between an organization run by people who want to win and an organization run by people who are content to milk money out of ignorant necks.

Buford's all-time favorite Texans quarterback was drafted in the third round, you know. Good old Dave Ragone. Second round pick that year? Anyone? That's right, Bennie Joppru, tight end. I believe he has as many catches for the Texans as I do. Other third rounders that year? The team had three for some reason. Seth Wand, who is, by far, the best Texan ever from Northwest Missouri State, and Antwan Peek, who is nowhere near the best Texan pass rusher from Cincinnati.

To be fair, Rasputin somehow picked Andre Johnson that draft. Of course word was he wanted Willis McGahee instead. Drafting a running back third overall seems like a very Rasputin thing to do. But in that draft he also selected Domanick Whateverhisnameis, who had a couple of pretty good years for the team, which is about right for a running back, which is why it is generally insane to draft one at number three overall.

Look at me. I'm slowly turning into Buford, lecturing all seven of us about shit everybody knows that happened years and years ago. Kids born the year AJ was drafted would be terrifyingly close to being able to drive a motor vehicle on public roadways by now. Hey, get off Buford's lawn! Oh, I forgot, Buford doesn't have a lawn. Step away from Buford's LeSabre! Put his cassettes back where you found them, you punks!

I think all seven of us think this too is an excellent post.

Like a generation of children who had never known a white president until two months ago, there is a generation of children who have never seen the Texans draft a first or second round quarterback.

#DoItForTheKids

#DoItForTheKids

#FinallyAWhitePresidentWhatTookSoLong

#PutThatLeoSayerGreatestHitTapeBackWhereYouGotIt

smh

Truth be told, the Texans (either Casserly or Smith) have been rancid with their second and third round picks since the beginning in 2002. Technically, their best one was Demeco Ryans but since he was the first pick of the second round, my brain made him an honorary first-rounder.

We gave up a pair of seconds to get Schaub which was either genius or retarded depending how you felt about the Schaub years and about the value of second-rounders.

Watson could use some polish but he has been the main cog in two runs at the National Championship so we know he plays/produces in big games. The other QBs we're discussing have never even sniffed a big game, much less stepped up in one. If he were an inch or two taller, Watson would be up there with Cam Newton.

This whole situation is so bad, I'm starting to warm to the idea of signing Jay Cutler, insulin pump and all.

I'd go so far as to draft 2 QBs this draft. One high (perhaps Mahomes) and one later (perhaps Webb or Kayaa) and may the best one win an opportunity. We piss away late picks on players that never amount to anything so why not gamble on QBs? Shoot, we might just get lucky where one is the franchise answer and the other brings some future trade value or is at least a serviceable backup.

It's mindboggling to see how many QBs this franchise has passed on over the last 5yrs. They drafted one a few years ago (Savage) and then never gave him a real shot at playing other than when they finally realized they had the worst QB in the league. If Savage has been that bad or questionable over the years, then why is he on the roster? If you didn't think Savage had a shot, why would you not take a draft flyer on a QB from a major program and who's had fairly good college success like a Cousins, Dak or McCarron? Romo fits the mindset of this franchise so perfectly you know it's happening (and will likely be an immense failure).

Kudos to Barrett for compiling the draft picks used by the Texans and Patriots on QBs during the Tom Brady era. I actually was wondering this very thing the other day but never got around to looking it up.

At this point, I'm completely perplexed by the Texans. They've botched the QB position at a Cleveland Brown-level for virtually their entire existence. And there is no doubt that they have squandered 2nd and 3rd round picks by the bushel. But I'll be damned if it's not a pretty good roster aside for the QB position (which I admit is kinda like saying "other than that, how was the play, Ms. Lincoln?").

For instance, one of the discussions I've had with some friends lately is what team would you trade rosters with, if you leave out the QB position. We were all having a hard time finding one. Maybe Denver? Pittsburgh? This is all to say I don't know what to make of the Texans. While I can find plenty to fault them for, if they somehow stumbled into an above-average QB, I think they're one of the best teams in the league.

What was so bad about Weeden? All he did was win when we gave him a chance. I don't think we are finding our QBTF this year. We're just looking for someone to give us a fair shot in the postseason.

The Texans would have won the Super Bowl last year with average quarterback play. Who is average? Savage? Weeden? Cutler? I don't know, but the team sure as hell needs to find one, quick.

If they somehow found a quarterback that could win games for you? Well, I have no idea what that would be like.

That is how bad franchises operate. "Why bother with a QB when we might get a guy off the scrap heap to be average?"

That is how you end up bad at QB for a decade instead of a season.

They were making the point yesterday on the radio yesterday that we Texan fans seem to look at the drafts in a vacuum - and we do. Compare the Texans recent drafts to any other team.....nobody has perfect drafts.

True, not too many QB's drafted in the last 10 years but you have Senor Schaub taking up about 7 of those years. He wasn't losing his starters job especially with Kubes in command. Following that era, you got OB trying to convince us that Fitz/Hoyer/Mallett, et al were good QB's. So, post-Schaub, they've tried to fill the position - they're just not very good at it.... All this culminated with the Oz mistake - heavily paying for a guy who was unable to dink & dunk.

So, while we're all honing our critiques, how would YOU fix the QB position?

Draft? A young guy will most likely will need a year or two to develop.... Romo? Kinda broken...
Savage?

Yes we had Schaub. And the patriots had TOM BRADY and kept drafting QBs. That was my point. It's almost like a GM ought to consider more than just the current year. You don't not draft a rookie because he will take a year to develop. You draft a rookie now BECAUSE he will take a year or two to develop.

It's embarrassing we're this bad at QB. It's more embarrassing how little we've done to try fixing that.

So what would I do? I'd draft a QB on the first 2 days of the draft every year until I had one that could win a super bowl for me. Then after I had that one, I'd still draft one every other year or 3, because decent backup QBs cost tons of money on the market but are cheap to draft. I guess I'd consider copying the team that beats the rest of the league every year.

Ya, all those drafted Patriot QB's and how much game time did they see? Cassel got some time one year during a Brady injury, that's about it. "2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, and 7th on 5 QBs". At least they had good seats to watch the GOAT. I'm guessing during the Schaub era, the Texans figured other areas of the team needed attention....

Besides Garapollo, not too many people are coveting back-up Patriot QB's. Well, except for the Texans... Cassel/Hoyer/Mallett, meh..

I'm not embarrassed. That's their ****-up, not mine.

That may or may not work. Worst case, you turn into Cleveland. Best case, you find one - possibly a gem like Dak Prescott (who I will be very interested to watch in his sophomore season).... They really should draft one this year. Just hope whoever he is can see some action before the defense goes into a down-cycle...

Well, we are New England South afterall. All we lack is the GOAT coach and the GOAT QB....

In 2015 New England probably had the best team but they stumbled late, blew home field, and couldn't go on the road and win at Denver in the playoffs.

This year they played 4 games without Brady and two of those drafted QBs won games in a 3-1 start (Brissett crushed us). If they go 0-4 with a veteran castoff at QB they don't get home field and their odds of winning the superbowl plummet.

But forget those wins. The main point is that you hope you never need your backup QB, but as a GM you think moves ahead. You don't just look at this year's roster. You don't just look at your starting QB. You have backup plans for your backup plans. You don't plan for your GOAT QB to play at this level until he's 40, but you're happy when your plan to replace him at 38 turns out to be unneeded.

The bottom line is a competent team never gets caught out at QB. They never don't know who's supposed to take snaps next year and the year after. They don't try to fill gaps at QB like you do at CB with guys off the street.

There are maybe 20 guys in the world who can play NFL QB, and you treat the position like that. You don't try to hide a guy there like you might hide your 4th CB.

It's a QB league. If you have one you have a chance, if you don't, you're wasting time. I wish we'd stop wasting time.

I got your point a long time ago. Yep, the Texans have neglected the QB position via the draft.

You want Brissett? I don't.

I can defend them during the Schaub era. We had TJ Yates for most of that time. TJ was serviceable when Schaub had health problems.

But then Schaub and Kubes were both gone. Enter OB. We get Fitz and maybe OB is a little reluctant to take Garoppolo @ 2.1 that year. First gig, first draft, maybe he doesn't want to get himself tied to Jimmy Garoppolo (who was a total unknown at that point - small school guys sometimes don't get the NFL). The following year, a lot of us had high hopes for Mallett while Hoyer was OB's choice (the Hard Knocks year). And then we got Brock last year.

So, I understand why they did what they did. In each instance, the QB "problem" was thought to be solved. But there really is no excuse for not drafting a high round QB over the last 3 years.... A lot of us liked Prescott last year but they had just signed Brock. Hindsight now says they shoulda pulled the trigger....

I said nothing about liking Brissett.

Again, how would Schaub's or Yates' presence mean you weren't looking for the QB of the future? Why would Mallett or any of the castoffs paraded through here affect what we do at QB? Why would you believe a guy in the league that nobody wanted would suddenly fill the need like we're talking about stealing reps at dime back with a street FA? Why would $72 million to Brock affect drafting a QB like Prescott with our 5th rounder? There is almost no way to pay a QB less than to draft a guy in the 5th round. We ought to have a day 3 QB as our 3rd stringer every year on the chance we like one and have a super cheap backup.

I seriously don't understand how you can look at what we've done and say "I get it."

I keep reading this and thinking "Boy weren't we stupid not to have Tom Brady and Bill Belichick?" The Patriots didn't have a QB controversy because they got lucky on Tom Brady before the Texans were even in the league (!!!). Without Brady, they could recycle all the QBs they wanted and look just as bad as we do. And we've seen up close what the Patriot assistants bring to the table without Belichick to lead them - not exactly MENSA members.

I think everyone is in agreement that Osweiler was a mistake and that getting veteran QBs wasn't as smart as perhaps using a top pick to grab one of their own (IMO, Teddy Bridgewater was the most logical choice out of the past three years).

The problem is that we're at the worst drafting position (25th) and in a bad QB class to be thinking about drafting a franchise QB. A good one would be long gone and a crappy one likely just be a ticket for more crap.

Someone asked "what would you do?" As of March 18th, my straategy is this:

1) Sign Jay Cutler to a 2-year deal that is manageable within the cap. Don't expect a lot but know you have a guy who can run an offense and make the big play on occasion.

2) With the 25th pick in the draft, get the best LT candidate out there regardless who else is on the board. In order, that would be Ramczyk, Robinson and Bolles. From the mocks, I don't think they'll all be gone by #25.

3) With the second-round pick, get the best QB candidate on the board which I am hoping and praying will be Davis Webb. I might even get itchy and trade up for Webb with my extra fourth if he gets close enough.

If by some crazy coincidence, DeShaun Watson lasts until #25, I'll take Watson and get my OT in the second (Roderick Johnson a possibility).

Nothing else matters besides securing a current and future QB and finding a LT. Everything else can wait until that is settled.

I think barrett's point made many times years ago was and is valid - that BOB didn't want to commit himself to a rookie quarterback early in BOB's tenure with the team so he deliberately brought in second (at best) rate guys in order to get his sea legs. I do get the thinking behind that.

Although it's idiotic, of course, and any competently run organization would have a GM who would overrule that sort of foolishness and draft a freakng QB anyway.

Why would you rather have Cutler than Romo?

It was a flip question. Roll with it.

Because I was OK with what they were trying at the time. I'm not going to use the marvelous benefit of hindsight to condemn them when I was OK with what they were trying at the time. Fitz struck out. Hoyer struck out. Mallett struck out. Osweiler struck out. Savage can't stay healthy. If any of those guys would have hit over the last 3 years, then the QB position has an answer for the #1 and it wouldn't have mattered who they drafted to sit on the bench.

I'm not going to play 20 questions with ya, barrett but they did draft Savage during this time to develop and to be, at minimum, the #2.... One of (big) problems is, they haven't found their "win now" (#1) guy, yet. Once they find a good #1, whether that's a FA or through the draft, then they can start throwing draft picks at replacements every year. It's like, some people (not necessarily you) think every draft is full of Dak Prescotts and the Texans think every draft is full of Jared Goffs, i.e., non-plus types.... There is no resolve between those two schools of thought...

When did you start agreeing with this Bob?

And as for the best option in the last 3 years I'll pass on Bridgewater. If we weren't afraid of our fans and bad PR we could have come away with the best young QB in the NFL and Jadaveon Clowney in the same draft. But we preferred a fat guard who can't play. It's so hard to find competent interior line play after all.

Especially an organization with a GM who has authority to sign QBs the coach never met.

I have said the exact opposite but you're not listening. The reason you keep drafting guys is because it's so hard to find one. So you throw resources at it and fake other positions. You don't try to get away with faking QBs. You can't get lucky on a QB if you never try. And you can increase your odds of getting lucky if you try often. And obviously the rewards and consequences are so obvious that you try often if you have a brain in your head.

And as for hindsight, I think I've been very clear for years now that we should have been drafting QBs all along. Even among the choir of Brock applause last summer.

And the Texans have thrown mucho bodies at the QB position over the last 3 years. Not via the draft as is your preferred method but FA "maybe" guys. Unfortunately, every stinkin' one of them turned out to be below average..... Once again, if they had hit on one of those guys, then we're not having this conversation..

So, yep, one more time I will agree, the Texans long term QB plan sucks. But it's not like they haven't tried or your words "faked it". 72 mil is some serious faking....

Unlike the Pats, the Texans don't have the stability of a #1 (you listening?). At this point in time, they don't have the luxury to set up a draft/groom/you're-gonna-be-a-star, kid program but they can start right now with this draft. I doubt whoever is drafted though will be the opening day starter - it's probably going to be a FA or Tom Savage, IMO....

Cost. Cutler is not under contract so it's just a straight money deal. I think he would come cheaper than Romo and is marginally more likely to make it through an entire season than Balsa Wood Romo.

I disagreed with the way it was done from the beginning. I chose, however, to accept what was done instead of reaching for a thesaurus to find every negative word I could find to describe our quarterback play. I tried to be an optimist and remind people that there were positives (including a playoff win) with Osweiler at the helm.

Environment being what it is, I seriously doubt Derek Carr would be the Pro Bowl caliber QB in Houston that he's been in Oakland, particularly when you factor in our stinking to holy hell offensive line which they never bother to improve. It's alot easier to look like a great QB behind three pro bowlers on the offensive line.

He plays for Jack Del Rio. On the Oakland Raiders. That alone shows he can overcome any obstacle. Del Rio is like poison to offense.

I think there should not be just one plan. Make a plan for an opening day starter and then make a plan for the next decade's opening day starter at the same time. The low financial cost of young QBs means there is no conflict of interest.

And yes, trying to sign existing unproven players is faking it at QB. You can get a castoff or a street FA, or a project at the other positions, but decent QBs don't hit the market unless health forces them to. So no, signing countless journeymen does not equal a plan. I will give to you that Brock was a sincere attempt even if it was idiotic and against the entire financial structure of the NFL. Somehow the approach got copied this year with Mike Glennon, so there are dumber front offices than us.

Well, I suppose Fitz and probably Hoyer (now) fall into the "journeyman" category. But Mallett and Osweiler were both youngish, had limited work when they became Texans and were still unknown as full time starters. Some of us had hope for those two so I'm not quite sweeping along with that generalization....

In 2014, they picked up Savage in the draft while Fitz was mostly the starter that year. 2015, no QB in the draft but they spent (wasted?) the year finding out what they had in Hoyer and Mallett. 2016 was spent finding out what Brock was all about. IMO, Savage was kinda the "groom" guy during this 3 year period. Weeden hops on board towards the end of 2015, sticks around for 2016 and one could make the case that he was a safer bet to keep on the roster than drafting some 3rd round rookie QB.

Yet, during this parade of horrors, the Texans somehow go 9-7 all three years. Man, they could be really good with just an average QB....

So, what were we talking about again? Oh yeah, how the Texans suck at drafting QB's..... Include Schaub's "magical" 2013 and it's been a really painful four years of watching Texan QBs. I'm not sure I'll know how to react to competent QB play if I ever see it again...

Savage's groom year should have been in 2015. Instead, they IR'd him the full season for what amounted to a hangnail on the severity scale. Maybe Savage sucks. Maybe he's good. I have a feeling we'll never really know. When your franchise has sucked at QB for as long as the Texans have, you draft a QB at some point in the draft every year. Why not take a gamble that you might hit on a QB rather than a TE, K, S, etc? I thought they were idiots for not drafting McCarron as late as he went. They were idiots for not drafting Conner Cook, who, by the way, went to a team with a young star at QB. Maybe these guys suck. Maybe they're good. At least have them on your roster and see for yourself.

Side note to this drafting a QB discussion... If the Texans plan on drafting a QB with their #1 pick and really like a guy who happens to be falling, say Trubisky or Watson, they should trade up a few picks to get him. IMO, pick #25 is a prime area where someone (Browns, Chiefs or Steelers, maybe?) will jump over us to grab him. There are 3 or 4 teams in front of us that I could see trading their pick and moving back a few slots. I'd even try to jump the Giants at #23 with Eli getting up in age. Maybe try to work a deal with Miami at #22 or Detroit at #21. #19 to #22 seems to be a sweet spot for the right deal. #16 and #17 look workable too but will likely be too costly.

This year's 1st round should be quite interesting. I'm expecting high drama....

Been awful quiet on Kirby, lately...

Problem is every team knows the Texans need a QB, so any other QB-needy team is going to jockey around them to get one they want. Happened with the Pats getting Garrapolo.

So yeah, if there is a QB the Texans have their eye on, they probably will have to at least consider some maneuvers to get him. Will it be a "value" pick then? Probably not, but the team can only blame themselves for getting into this mess.

And there's your catch 22 as the most plausible way to move up in the first round is to give up your second rounder and we also need to get an offensive lineman before the third round.

If Watson is falling, it makes sense to go get him. Otherwise, I'd prefer to draft a LT then wait for round two and trade up if needed for Webb or Mahomes.

Jeff Darlington tweet per CBS Sports now reporting that, according to Romo, it's Houston or retirement.

Texans seem resolute to wait out the Cowboys and probably wait for a June 1st release then sign Romo. Dallas still hoping they can trick Houston into giving up draft picks.

The Broncos, it is said, have not closed the door on Romo but are not actively pursuing him either.

Of course, Dallas may decide that they can keep Romo since Dak Prescott is still under a rookie contract but releasing him and getting the cap savings makes more long-term sense. But then Romo can retire and get the Fox gig he's been promised if he takes the offer rather than be a backup.

Frankly, for $21 mil or whatever it is, I would be happy being a backup - but that's just me.

I think I could be persuaded to keep that gig also.

Apparently, CBS is now also wooing Romo for an analyst job, not just Fox.

I think the Texans are still going to commit a high draft pick to a QB, Romo or no Romo but it they *know* they can sign Romo (or if they tire of waiting and sign Cutler or Kaepernick) then QB doesn't have to be their #1 need.

BTW, I'm seeing several mocks now that have Notre Dame's Deshone Kiser falling to us at 25 if we want him. Some of these mocks are also showing Kiser being passed over for Mahomes.