Official 2014 NFL Draft - Round 4-7 Thread
 

Today is the day we find the next developmental QB for the Texans. Will it be Savage? McCarron? Someone else?

Continuing the QB thought...

I have a sense, between Savage and McCarron at least, that the Texans would prefer Savage given his arm strength and size. Someone to develop, something of a poor man's Blake Bortles in this draft, who I've heard was the team's #1 QB on the board.

I would think though, that McCarron is more of a poor man's Teddy Bridgewater. I like his smarts and decision-making. His arm is not as strong as Savage, but McCarron has a lot of what O'Brien wants in a QB.

Barring a trade, Texans are picking:

4.35
6.1
6.5
6.35
7.1
7.41 (Mr. Irrelevant)

Picks should happen at a pretty good clip today...

-----------------------------

I'm thinking if they take a developmental QB, then there's probably not a deal for Mallet...that would be too crowded @ QB.

My money is on Georgia QB Murray. Subject to availability.

Some of My Guys that are still available. I could also see Aaron Murray.

CB Keith McGill Utah
ILB Jordan Tripp Montana
QB AJ McCarron Alabama
QB Zach Mettenberger LSU
RB Lache Seastrunk Baylor
WR Kevin Norwood Alabama
RB Tyler Gaffney Stanford
TE Arthur Lynch Georgia

I don't think a QB precludes a Mallet deal. Any or all of the 3 QBs we have now could be cut if it came down to it (including Fitzpatrick). Fitzpatrick's gauranteed money is not bigger than his salary so it would have no cap ramifications.

It just comes down to if O'Brien actually likes Mallet or if NE is just flooding the media with rumors to try to stir up interest in him. But if a 6th or 7th went for Mallet and a 6th or 7th for any of the available QBs, that is not overly crowded. You would have 2 guys competing for the job and a 3rd low round pick who was destined for the practice squad (or the #3 spot if you fall in love with him in camp and think you can't sneak him by).

And I like Mettenberger or Murray. I might even draft Murray and then just bury him on IR and let him take it all in mentally this year.

Wonder if anyone would give us a draft pick or trade for Yates or Keenum?

Seems so far we are getting big, tough, smart type players.

I was always intrigued by Logan Thomas. I agree that if they go QB they'll look for a big guy with a big arm.

I was thinking that he might be a developmental guy for B O'B. It will be interesting to see how well Bruce Arians can coach him up.

Sign a guy (Fitz) and then cut him within months? That's not good business.

Yates/Keenum are already here. Yes, they could both go but then you have who for backup... Fitz backing up Mallet? Mallet backing up Fitz? Two so-so QB's both getting paid more than they are worth? Meh.

Mallet is not all that (the Pats realize this, hence Garropolo) and is inexperienced - hasn't seen many real bullets. He's really just an older rookie who has good physical tools but can be inconsistent. At Arkansas, he could look great and then he has these WTF moments.....

Anything is possible I suppose. I'm just saying, if they draft a QB, any QB, the odds of them going after Mallet are greatly diminished...

Twitter report says Arians asked Logan if he would be OK with a move to TE if he fails at QB and he agreed. Nice gamble move.

I kept drafting S Marqueston Huff and WR Kevin Norwood in the 6th and 7th rounds of mock drafts. I thought they were undervalued and Seattle and Tennessee got good football players.

Now taking bets on the Texans getting scooped again on a QB...

SAVAGE

THought so.

I had heard about this possibility too and hoped we would pull that off.

I see a qb, (McCarron or Savage), rb, or possibly Christian Jones with this comp pick.

My OC Stork came off a bit early too.

Well, he has the strongest arm in the draft. And we now know who the rookie QB is.

Me too. Like it and surprised Savage still there. Big, tough, smart.

I got the impression that O'Brien liked Savage since he always used to mention him when talking about the QB prospects.

When did we get scooped on a QB? Maybe your mock draft got scooped, but is there anything to indicate we wanted any other QB or got out maneuvered a single time?

Whoa, I've been a fan of Savage for, pfft, at least 5 minutes....

Big arm, tall... sounds like OB has his project....

I like the pick and I like that we waited. BOB can attempt to develop him with no pressure to force him if he doesn't work. A risk free QB with a big arm that will not keep us from pursuing other QB solutions. And waiting allowed us to get 4 very good players that will help if we ever have the QB we need.

If you didn't believe there was a QB worth drafting at 1.1 then this was the best possible outcome.

He was the "Ryan Nassib" of this draft. Everyone talked about him as a 5th rounder then as we got closer to draft day, there were rumors he could be a 1st rounder and 5-7 QBs could go in the 1st round. I know he transferred from Rutgers and Arizona to wind up at Pitt. He didn't want to compete with The Eagles' QB Foles (who played very well last year for Chip Kelly). He sort of reminds me of Joe Flacco (who also transferred to leave Pitt when he didn't want to compete there with Drew Brees' backup).

There's no pressure with being the 4th rounder.

I'm not in the war room, barrett, but I'd say the Texan brass blinked a little when Bridgewater went one pick before their pick and Garropolo went 2 picks before their pick...

Maybe you have information to the contrary?

Agree with this.

I never saw anything that indicates we had any interest in Bridgewater. It seems of the 3, he was the least likely. Sure, they could have hid their interest, but sitting at 33 shows a lack of interest in Bridgewater more than it does getting "scooped." I am sure the Texans knew a trade up was in play for half a dozen teams from picks 23-32, and yet they sat and watched. That does not look like a team that got scooped. It looks like a team that didn't want Teddy Bridgewater.

If he had lasted to 33 do you think we would have picked him? I think we would have traded down with someone who wanted him.

Savage left Arizona because they hired Rich Rodriguez, whose offenses are built around running QBs like Pat White at West Virginia. Foles was gone by the time he would've been eligible to play there.

Soooo much happier with a prospect like Savage over Mallett.

Now we have drafted a NT and QB, I'd like to get an ILB. Jordan Tripp would be nice or even Avery Williamson or Ronald Powell. Just saying.

Can't believe DT Caraun Reid is still on the board.

Thanks for the info, Warren. I stand corrected.

Me too, Popanot

The case against drafting QBs on Day 3 from Bears GM Phil Emery:
I still think it's worth a shot, though.

It was initially a joke. Did you not see the groaning in this forum when we got "scooped"?

From what I've heard... Texans would have considered moving up if Bortles began to slip. And they had interest next in Garappolo, so if anything, the Pats jumped in front to take him.

Aside from that, they gave up their 5th to move up for Nix... evidence they had a small cluster of guys they figured one of which would be there at 4.35.

I would have preferred McCarron myself, but given the team liked Bortles over Bridgewater, it doesn't surprise me they liked Savage over McCarron (or Murray or any other QB still on the board).

I don't get why O'Brien favors these big guys with strong arms (Mallett, too maybe) when he says he wants a smart guy making good decisions. Savage is a project. He is projectable and maybe he develops, but if he plays significant snaps in 2014, the team won't be winning a lot of games. Give him a year, which should be easy as a late 4th.

I really like the pick too, but it makes Mallett now a bit redundant. Savage offers the same arm strength with more mobility than Mallett.

Rick Smith made a fairly strong hint in a Q-&-A the other day that Reed is now likely to go inside next to Cushing since we've now got JD & Mercilus at OLB.
OK so I'm wondering about O'brien's possible interest in a slot receiver in the Texans remaining picks, a subject/position he's been known to talk about.

I think this Coach has in his mind the type of QB he wants. Savage is a Fitzpatrick clone. Very strong arm. Savage played horrible early in the year and got better near the end of the season. He took time to learn the new offense since he had not played with Pitt having transferred from Rutgers and Arizona. I believe the plan is Fitzpatrick starts the season until Savage gets up to speed. Meanwhile, improving the OL with Xavier, improving the NT position with Nix, taking the most talented player in Clowney, and getting the best TE in the draft to play in this Offense makes the team better.

Okay, with that in mind

WR Michael Campanaro Wake Forest 5' 9" 192 4.46 6.77 4.01 39 20 10' 2"

What about another RB or TE?

RB Lache Seastrunk Baylor
RB Tyler Gaffney Stanford
TE Arthur Lynch Georgia
RB David Fluellen Toledo
RB George Atkinson Notre Dame

Miami took my Bulldog TE. Really happy we got Feidorowicz now.

4th round in the books (w/ESPN grade):

1 Jaylen Watkins DB Eagles 70
2 Bashaud Breeland DB Redskins 75
3 Devonta Freeman RB Falcons 71
4 Jalen Saunders WR Jets 61
5 Bryan Stork C Patriots 48
6 Bruce Ellington WR 49ers 79
7 Justin Ellis DT Raiders 66
8 Cassius Marsh DE Seahawks 50
9 Ross Cockrell DB Bills 59
10 Maurice Alexander S Rams 48
11 Russell Bodine C Bengals 69
12 DaQuan Jones DT Titans 71
13 Andre Williams RB Giants 69
14 Aaron Colvin DB Jaguars 69
15 Shaq Evans WR Jets 57
16 Keith McGill DB Raiders 73
17 Ka'Deem Carey RB Bears 61
18 Martavis Bryant WR Steelers 76
19 Anthony Hitchens OLB Cowboys 30
20 Logan Thomas QB Cardinals 61
21 Carl Bradford OLB Packers 64
22 Marqueston Huff DB Titans 66
23 Kevin Norwood WR Seahawks 66
24 De'Anthony Thomas RB Chiefs 65
25 Walt Aikens DB Dolphins 51
26 Khairi Fortt OLB Saints 49
27 Pierre Desir DB Browns 72
28 Tre Boston S Panthers 57
29 Dontae Johnson DB 49ers 68
30 James White RB Patriots 38
31 Brock Vereen S Bears 67
32 Kevin Pierre-Louis OLB Seahawks 39
33 Nevin Lawson DB Lions 60
34 Brent Urban DT Ravens 76
35 Tom Savage QB Texans 75
36 Larry Webster DE Lions 54
37 Dakota Dozier OT Jets 40
38 Lorenzo Taliaferro RB Ravens 42
39 Prince Shembo OLB Falcons 52
40 Cameron Fleming OT Patriots 60

I'd like a RB. We have 1 guy coming off of back surgery (has any RB recovered from that), and the other guy is less durable then the guy with back surgery.

Got it. .

RB or CB. You can never have too many guys competing for a CB spot.