Clowney to IR, Ending His Rookie Season

[HPF Bob]

Clowney goes to IR and I presume we'll be hearing all week how the Texans screwed up not drafting Blake Bortles. It may turn out to be so but, for the QB, we know that being healthy enough to play isn't the same thing as playing well. Despite not being the starter when the season began, Bortles leads the league in interceptions (15). I'm sure some of that is due to playing behind so much and not having great weapons.

It does make you wonder how this season might have been different if we had drafted Bortles 1/1 but I don't want to conclude yet that the Texans made a mistake. If we're getting the same lack of production out of Clowney next year, I could be convinced it was a wasted pick but not yet.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Clowney goes to IR and I presume we'll be hearing all week how the Texans screwed up not drafting Blake Bortles. It may turn out to be so but, for the QB, we know that being healthy enough to play isn't the same thing as playing well. Despite not being the starter when the season began, Bortles leads the league in interceptions (15). I'm sure some of that is due to playing behind so much and not having great weapons.

It does make you wonder how this season might have been different if we had drafted Bortles 1/1 but I don't want to conclude yet that the Texans made a mistake. If we're getting the same lack of production out of Clowney next year, I could be convinced it was a wasted pick but not yet.

I don't see how this can now be a Clowney vs Bartles Draft question just because Clowneys rookie season was a disaster, unless it's because it happens to coincidently be the week that Clowney goes IR is the same week we play the Jags ? I can think of 2 or 3 rookie QBs that I'd rather have than Bortles and least several other non QBs and it's only because of perhaps of one team drafting very high that wants Bortles that he's takin in the top half of the first round.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

I can think of 2 or 3 rookie QBs that I'd rather have than Bortles

Really? Which ones? I still think Bridgewater and Bortles are my two faves from this draft class and would have been happy with either. I wanted Teddy over Clowney and others then, and I'd still take Teddy now. In spite of the picks, I've been a bit impressed with Bortles. He's just got hot garbage around him for playmakers right now. I think he'd be considerably more effective if he had Foster, Hopkins, AJ, etc. around him.

[HPF Bob]

It seemed to me that the Texans took Clowney because they couldn't justify passing him up rather than being in love with guy. I think they were in love with Bortles even though the fan base was in love with Manziel. So, I think it is fair to say that if Clowney had not been available, the Texans would have taken Bortles.

Then you figure no trade for Mallett, Fitz has a rather permanent seat on the bench and the Texans are probably 5-11 while we watch Bortles make a lot of mistake and excuse them because he's a rookie and still learning. It's a whole different season.

Now, I'm speaking from the standpoint of someone who fully endorsed drafting Clowney so this is no "told you so" post. It's also too soon to say the Texans made a mistake but I would expect the "we should have taken a QB first" chorus to chirp up with news of Clowney being done for the year.

As I've said before, it's amazing to see the improvement this year when you realize we got almost nothing from our first five draft picks.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Then you figure no trade for Mallett, Fitz has a rather permanent seat on the bench and the Texans are probably 5-11 while we watch Bortles make a lot of mistake and excuse them because he's a rookie and still learning. It's a whole different season.

You think Bortles would have started from Game 1 in this scenario? I don't. I think we would have seen much of the same thru Fitzy's benching three weeks ago. Bortles might have been handed the starting job around the same time as Mallett (during the bye week). At least thru the first 11 games, I don't think the season would have been much different. Since the Cleveland game though, yeah... total unknown how Bortles would have done, but I suspect not as well as Mallett did, but who knows.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

You think Bortles would have started from Game 1 in this scenario? I don't. I think we would have seen much of the same thru Fitzy's benching three weeks ago. Bortles might have been handed the starting job around the same time as Mallett (during the bye week). At least thru the first 11 games, I don't think the season would have been much different. Since the Cleveland game though, yeah... total unknown how Bortles would have done, but I suspect not as well as Mallett did, but who knows.

Maybe the QB position would have gone the same, but do you really think we'd have the same record without Clowney's contribution?

[Keith]

Mod note: Split the Clowney IR discussion from the Jags game thread. Hope I pulled away all of the relevant posts on this topic.

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

it's amazing to see the improvement this year when you realize we got almost nothing from our first five draft picks.

It's tough to truly assess a draft less than 3 or more years out, but when you already have a sinking feeling that a draft (like this one) is nearing total disaster less than 1 year out, it's a bad sign.

Clowney - IR
XSF - backup
CJF - backup
Irish Chocolate - IR
Savage - project QB

... At least in the case of the first four listed, it will be like having two rookie classes in training camp in 2015 when these guys all come back. That's the glass half full way of looking at this. The other way is to shudder in thinking that the same knuckleheads who came up with this class are likely putting the names on the cards again next year.

[HPF Bob]

Despite what I said, I'm still okay with the draft. XSF and CJF will play bigger roles next year. Clowney and Nix, I hope, will be healthy and big contributors (not too big for Nix since he needs to lay off the fried chicken). Savage? Well, the job is wide open and he probably will have two years minimum to leave an impression.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by Keith

Really? Which ones? I still think Bridgewater and Bortles are my two faves from this draft class and would have been happy with either. I wanted Teddy over Clowney and others then, and I'd still take Teddy now. In spite of the picks, I've been a bit impressed with Bortles. He's just got hot garbage around him for playmakers right now. I think he'd be considerably more effective if he had Foster, Hopkins, AJ, etc. around him.

Bridgewater, Carr, & Garappalo. Did not like J.Football - average arm, besides he's gonna end up in one big cast.

[nunusguy]

In a Draft absent any apparent elite QBs or any who O'Brien liked, Clowney was obviously the most highly rated player. Now whether or not he's the best remains to be seen, but I just think the Texans took the best player (according to what the xperts said) who in effect was thought to be the safest pick, who also played a premium position that was a big need area for the Texans. The only question I have about the Texans Draft stradegy was why they were holding out for so much to trade the #1, if the reports were true.

[barrett]

Bortles looks terrible. He also looked terrible about half the time against AAC competition last year. He didn't start looking great until the football games stopped, the draft process started, and he was being evaluated in shorts instead of pads. I'll be shocked if we ever regret not drafting Bortles. And I think we will crush him this weekend.

[popanot]

One man's perspective of what Clowney will go through:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ey-is-screwed/

[Keith]

Update on Clowney:

"Hopefully he'll be able to get out on the field sometime during training camp," head coach Bill O'Brien said in a Monday morning NFL Network interview with Tiffany Blackmon. "Maybe at the beginning of training camp if he continues to work at the pace that he's been working."

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/ar...a-c48fdd079395

Hopefully this means he is not rushing back, and hopefully this is not more inaccurate medical evaluations from the team.

Even if you are a 'wait and see' camper like me, this isn't at least bad news about his progress.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by Keith

Update on Clowney:

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/ar...a-c48fdd079395

Hopefully this means he is not rushing back, and hopefully this is not more inaccurate medical evaluations from the team.

Even if you are a 'wait and see' camper like me, this isn't at least bad news about his progress.

I don't fault faster recoveries; only slow ones or misdiagnoses.

[Arky]

Clowney seems to be a likable enough fella and I do believe he sincerely wants to earn his check and carry his weight. Sounds like this type of injury/rehab is a toughie to overcome, though.....

[Warren]

O'Brien on another DL who was injured as a rookie:

"I have not seen Louis Nix," O'Brien said. "I don't know. He’s working out somewhere in Florida I guess. Haven’t seen him. But that’s their prerogative, so don’t read anything into that. When they show back up here for the offseason program, especially the younger players, the younger players need to be ready to roll. So hopefully he’s ready to go."

I asked what he needs to see change from last season in Nix.

"I would say the ability to make it through a practice," O'Brien said. "That would be the biggest thing I need to see."

Nah, we shouldn't read anything at all into that...

Speaking of the D-line, I was listening to the team's podcast today and they were saying not to rule out a return by Ryan Pickett. He hasn't officially retired, has been working out, and has made his permanent home in the area (his wife is from Missouri City). He definitely made a difference last year. A NT rotation of Wilfork (who will also see some time at DE), Pickett, and Nix would be pretty strong. The two vets would be able to stay fresh with Nix's role limited unless he earns a bigger one or one of the older guys gets hurt.