News from OTA's.. AJ absent, unhappy with contract

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

But reporting to organized team activities this week, each of the four starters had shed a significant amount of weight. All told, they lost a whopping 59 pounds. Leading the way was right tackle Amobi Okoye, who lost 32 pounds by conditioning twice a day in Katy with his younger sister during his time off.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/7011653.html
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Say what ? Okoye dropped 32 lbs this past offseason. Too much (or too little) of a good thing ?

Kubiak said Okoye weighed in at 286, about 15 lbs less than he played last season. They want him to be a little heavier but Kubiak said the hot weather and the hard work that the big guys all where doing had made them shed lbs.

watch the video

[painekiller]

When I watched the Senior Bowl practices and then the game, Dorian Dickerson was a guy I saw as a player with no position. He was to small to play the traditional inline TE, and he did not show the skills of a split out WR.

Now I read Lance Zierlein's blog, and he said this about Dickerson

• Rookie tight end/wide receiver Dorin Dickerson runs more like a TE than a WR over the first 10 yards of his routes, which is something he needs to work on since cornerbacks will jam him at the line and just sit in his pocket after he releases from the line. He's much more high-cut (bigger upper body) than I expected so he might need to drop another six to 10 pounds to get that WR quickness he'll need if he's going to transition from TE.

Is this coaching staff going to be smart enough to find a spot for this talent? Time will tell.

[NBT]

One of the Draft mags had Dorin going at the HBk position, but Casey is already doing that gig. Dorin supposedly has unusual speed for his weight, so I wouldn't bet against him.

[Bigtinylittle]

Well, he IS a late rounder. Sometimes you just take a flyer on a guy like that.

The Texans drafted 9 guys this year. No way they all make the active roster.
If Dickerson shows any promise at all he will probably go on the practice squad. But even that's not guaranteed. I think we have finally reached the point where we will have to cut ties with people we would have kept in past years.

[Nconroe]

Sounds like AJ and Texans are talking and AJ is back at OTA's. Good for them.

I think Kubiak said he hopes to let Dorian line up as WR and learn to be WR from AJ.

[painekiller]

Funny thing is Shannon Sharpe was one of Kubiak's players and Dickerson would appear to fit that mold, but yet they are putting him at WR, a position he so far has shown little skill for.

My eyes are what I am basing that on, the kid was swallowed up at the senior bowl at WR. Showing little skill for the position. Put him inside in the slot like Sharpe and he becomes a mismatch problem, and a possible red zone threat.

[Mike]

Here is an update from ESPN and quotes from his interview with Berman.

I still believe you can win with great players who have character (Demeco, Andre) and not be turds. When the player is reasonable and acts with respect towards the team, extends the olive branch, then the team will work with them. Works like that in most business negotiations. AJ is still all about helping the team.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5204044

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by Bigtinylittle

Well, he IS a late rounder. Sometimes you just take a flyer on a guy like that.

The Texans drafted 9 guys this year. No way they all make the active roster.
If Dickerson shows any promise at all he will probably go on the practice squad. But even that's not guaranteed. I think we have finally reached the point where we will have to cut ties with people we would have kept in past years.

I'm not sure that Dickerson will clear waivers if he shows anything at all in the preseason. Now he did fall to the 7th round, but teams like the Rams and the Lions could use a player like him, even the Browns and Bengals, just to name a few.

TE and WR are a strength of this team, and it blows my head how they keep adding to those groups while passing on FS and NTs. Geno Atkins (not a NT) and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah were available when Graham was taken, I'm just saying....

[Bigtinylittle]

Originally Posted by painekiller

I'm not sure that Dickerson will clear waivers if he shows anything at all in the preseason. Now he did fall to the 7th round, but teams like the Rams and the Lions could use a player like him, even the Browns and Bengals, just to name a few.

TE and WR are a strength of this team, and it blows my head how they keep adding to those groups while passing on FS and NTs. Geno Atkins (not a NT) and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah were available when Graham was taken, I'm just saying....

You may have a point about NT, but I'm not so sure about FS, unless you are talking about taking one in an earlier round than Dickerson was picked. The Texans already have three or four young DBs who probably would be at least as good or better than what they could have picked up in the seventh round this year.

And based on the first two DTs that Smithiak selected (Okoye and Okam), maybe they are just downright nervous about using a high pick on another one. I do know Smith loves picking CBs. I know it because he's said so publicly.

As far as TE goes, I'm wondering if the Texans wouldn't mind letting Owen go to another team. They may believe the system is making Owen look better than he really is, and that they can replace him with someone almost as good for five million a year less. And if I'm correct, the Texans would get a third round compensation pick if they lose Daniels. In other words, they could get another cheap, good player. Isn't that what New England does? To me, it's an interesting philosophy because it apparently works.

What I'm saying is that there may be method in their madness.

[Big Texas]

"method to their madness"

You have it right on the nose, it is madness. If you planned on letting OD go, you pick 1 TE to replace him. No not the Texans they pick 4 TEs to replace him. WTF. Really? You are correct it is madness. Maybe it is a diabolical scheme to march 4 TEs on the field at the same time. They will never see it coming. Pardon the pun.

I am just saying if you are looking for depth or competition sign a free agent. Don't waste a draft pick on experiments. We have more pressing needs than TE.