1st Round QB trade up

[Keith]

Given the whole world knows the Texans are targeting a QB for their first pick, it seems inevitable the team will have to trade up in Round 1 to get the guy they like.

And after months of scrutinizing these guys, they will inevitably fall in love with one over the others. In that case, giving up #22 plus next year's first rounder isn't terribly expensive to get THE quarterback this team both wants and needs. Just have to hope the team falls in love with the right guy, whomever that may be.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by Keith

Just have to hope the team falls in love with the right guy, whomever that may be.

You said a mouth full there.

[painekiller]

I have been doing more looking into a few guys

Jacoby Brissett has an arm and is athletic. We have never had a strong armed QB who can run. Watch the video.

NFL.com has the following blurb about him

Bottom Line With his size, arm and competitiveness, there are times when Brissett will remind you of Jameis Winston, but Winston understood the nuances of the position early in his college career while Brissett is still learning. Brissett’s overall ability as a passer is NFL-****caliber and he should continue to show rapid improvement on the next level with better weapons and protection. While an NFL staff will need to help him overcome his bad habits and learn to be more consistent with his pre****snap recognitions, Brissett has the tools to become an NFL starter.
-Lance Zierlein

And I have relooked at Cook. Watch the video.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlien has this to say

Bottom Line As a four-year starter, Cook has the big game experience and the production from a pro-style attack that should warrant early consideration.The concern is that his short and intermediate accuracy has never shown the improvement and consistency that scouts expected to see. His inability to take over in big games this year could hurt his cause. Cook flashes the potential of an NFL starter, but he has the makeup of game manager over playmaker.

If the team likes either of these guys and can get them, I think I would be ok with it.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by painekiller

And I have relooked at Cook. Watch the video.

This video shows off a lot of the good stuff I like about Cook's skillset. Vision, poise, size, strength, mechanics. NFL ready, at least from the neck down. LZ compared Cook to Hoyer in that article, which is an AWFUL comparison. Just terrible. Cook is nothing like Hoyer.

Couch scouts and draftniks hate that he skipped the Senior Bowl. Big frickin' whoop. Real scouts will see him at the Combine and his pro day, plus Cook has AMPLE game film from winning so many games at Michigan State. The negatives bantered about regarding his leadership... maybe it's Cutler-esque in that regard, but not Leaf-like. Not sure how much these off-field knocks on Cook will truly stick in NFL warrooms.

Cook has a teammate in this link aggressively disputing these notions.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...qb-connor-cook

"I don't buy any of that, one bit. I feel like, as he is my brother and he is family to me, it's kind of my obligation to try to kill some of that noise," Harris said. "Hopefully I can do that by getting people to understand from the inside of that locker room that we loved him and that he was the best quarterback in the country, no doubt about it.

"It's been a mystery to us, and it's really unfortunate. He's a great guy who comes from a great family. It's hurtful to me as well because he's part of our 2011 class that's been able to do so many special things at Michigan State. I know him, I know his parents well, his sister, I know everything about him. We talk all the time. For how close and tight-knit the team was, to me it's been kind of blasphemous, the amount of things that have been said about him."

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by Keith

In that case, giving up #22 plus next year's first rounder isn't terribly expensive to get THE quarterback this team both wants and needs.

I would be more willing to trade #22 and next years #1 for a QB, but only if the team is sold on that guy being the QB we need to lead us going forward. Then get him some OL help, a RB, a slot guy and a TE. (I hope the team spends some money in FA on the defense).

And I am hoping for Wentz or Lynch, if they trade up.

[popanot]

I think the Cowboys and the Bears are the wildcards at the top. I think the Browns will go QB for sure. But if the Cowboys and Bears pass on QB, which could be the case since they have more critical needs elsewhere, we might be safe to move up into the pick #12, #13, #14 range and still get QB2. I think we need to jump the Rams if we're targeting QB2 or QB3 depending on how the QB's fall in the draft.

The Eagles are an interesting trade partner, IMO, if they decide to re-sign Bradford. They don't have a #2, but have some extra picks in the later rounds. So maybe our #1 and #2 for #13 and one of their mid-round picks?? The Saints are rebuilding too, so perhaps they'd be willing to work a cost-friendly deal. If you look at it, the teams that own picks #10 thru #13 look primed for a trade-up scenario. It's just a matter of how the QB board falls and cost.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by popanot

The Eagles are an interesting trade partner, IMO, if they decide to re-sign Bradford. They don't have a #2, but have some extra picks in the later rounds. So maybe our #1 and #2 for #13 and one of their mid-round picks?? The Saints are rebuilding too, so perhaps they'd be willing to work a cost-friendly deal. If you look at it, the teams that own picks #10 thru #13 look primed for a trade-up scenario. It's just a matter of how the QB board falls and cost.

Trying to trade up from 22 into the Top 10 on Draft Day will be difficult, but I think trading up with the Eagles at 13 for our 1st and 2nd *before the draft* makes perfect sense. Once we are there, we can entertain a second trade to go get the QB we really want using next year's #1 or #2 as the bait or, if the cost is too high, we can use that spot to get the best OT on the board in order to beef up our porous OL or consider Ezekiel Elliot if he is still available.

There is also the possibility we can trade back down if we don't like our options and somebody else wants to overpay to move up. But Chip Kelly's gone and we need to see who in Philly is calling the shots.

We gave up two #2 for Schaub way back when. If we give up this year's #2 and next year's #2 to move up into position to draft the QB we want, that seems worth the sacrifice as long as the kid is the right one.

Out of Goff, Lynch and Wentz, Goff seems the guy with the smallest bust potential but also the guy with the smallest ceiling. I watched Lynch play against UH this year and he was just oozing with talent, had a sensational first half then seemed to disappear in the second half when his team needed him to make the big play. I really like him because I've seen the tools he brings and they are special but if he's not focused on/off the field, we can't have another Mallett.

Wentz, all I know is the same thing everyone else reads. Really risky to grab a QB from that level of competition but then you have guys like Flacco who rose from poor college competition to NFL stardom. I'd have to be really sold to invest three draft picks on something like that.

[nunusguy]

I think it's a zero-sum proposition when trading up in one big move or vs. two smaller, separate incremental moves, and I doubt that the Texans do it because it cost too much and I think the owner, no matter how much he wants a so called "franchise" QB is basically of a risk aversive mentality, i.e., he's unwilling to risk multiple first round picks on a single player.

[barrett]

We actually get something for our first round picks, so I would be against trading them away. But we waste rounds 2-4 like nobody in the league, so i'd love to give all of those away and spare us all the frustration.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by barrett

We actually get something for our first round picks, so I would be against trading them away. But we waste rounds 2-4 like nobody in the league, so i'd love to give all of those away and spare us all the frustration.

Scooby, we hardly knew ye.

[Roy P]

This QB conundrum is possibly the difference between the Texans making the playoffs and being a competitive team for the next five years or so. Obviously it is a huge decision to be made and the public opinion and patience is growing thin concerning developing a project. However, who is worth drafting when they'll be selected? The player with the tools and attitude to become a Franchise QB is Dak Prescott, in my opinion. However, I'm not sure that the Texans would be able to maximize his talent in their system. The consensus opinion is that Goff, Wentz, and Lynch are the top 3 and most likely first round picks. So, is there a guy like Kirk Cousins or Russell Wilson who can eventually be the guy without spending a 1st round pick on or needing to trade up for? Using my untrained eye, my fit for the Texans is Stanford QB Kevin Hogan. He is smart and athletic and an accurate passer from a "pro-style offense". If he had the volume of pass attempts that Goff had, I believe that his stats would project favorably. He just was not asked to throw as often due to the running game of McAffery. I would like to see opinion on this guy and if I am missing something here?

[barrett]

A huge part of playing QB is mental, so a big part of the evaluation process is the face to face interviews, research into background, discussions with former coaches and teammates, etc... Unfortunately we get access to about 5% of this info. And on the flip side, measurables, which we have full access to, matter less at QB than any other position. This makes it way harder for fans to project QBs than any other position.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by barrett

This makes it way harder for fans to project QBs than any other position.

I agree. I'm just going by what I see on the field and tidbit interviews.