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

NBT · #1 05-19-2010, 04:10 PM

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 · #2 05-19-2010, 10:27 PM

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 · #3 05-20-2010, 10:29 AM

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 · #4 05-20-2010, 11:06 AM

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 · #5 05-20-2010, 11:23 AM

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 · #6 05-20-2010, 11:22 AM

Quote:

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 · #7 05-20-2010, 07:59 PM

Quote:

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 · #8 05-21-2010, 08:21 AM

"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.

Bigtinylittle · #9 05-21-2010, 09:42 AM

We had a TE retire and replaced him last year with Hill. We drafted Casey as an athlete more than a tight end and apparently the Texans are not considering him a TE anymore. He is mainly a FB now from what I hear, with possible other uses in special formations. So you could say that last year we added our future starting FB and we added a blocking TE. In other words, one TE gone, one brought in.

This year we took a flyer on Dickerson in the seventh. We took a player who was about 10 positions from being an UDFA. I'm not going to fret about who we picked at that spot, no matter what he plays. And the almost undisputed fact is that he was picked to be a WR, not a TE.

This year we also actually did select a real TE, Graham, someone who greatly resembles OD. Someone who exactly fits our system. So this year we added one replacement for OD as protection if he leaves, someone who fits our system better than Dreesen. Dreesen is a real tweener in this league--not a great a blocker and not really speedy enough to fill the function that OD fills for us. Dreesen also is a LS but I'm thinking Casey is our future LS.

We also signed a free agent TE recently and some people freaked out about that. I haven't even bothered to remember his name because to me he is just camp fodder.

Since Smithiak took over, I really don't see any of our picks wasted because of the position of the player. I DO see a lot of them wasted because we misjudged guys (Frye, Okam, Brink, Harrison, etc). But hey, that happens to all teams.

NBT · #10 05-21-2010, 12:45 PM

We carried WR Glen Martinez all last year, so if Dickerson can unseat him it will be all to the good. We also have 6 RBs and 9 TEs. Apparantly Kubiak would rather have too many in his skilled positiions than draft a FS or NT who he feels cannot unseat those people we already have playing those positions. Just shows we are getting ever so close to having the team the way Kubiak really wants it.

painekiller · #11 05-21-2010, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtinylittle

We had a TE retire and replaced him last year with Hill. We drafted Casey as an athlete more than a tight end and apparently the Texans are not considering him a TE anymore. He is mainly a FB now from what I hear, with possible other uses in special formations. So you could say that last year we added our future starting FB and we added a blocking TE. In other words, one TE gone, one brought in.

Where did you see that Casey was a FB now?

This is Kubiak on day 3 of the OTA's

Quote:

(on what he expects to see out of TE James Casey) "I'll tell you what, I'm already seeing it. He's gotten tremendous reps because of our situation at tight end. James is showing right now what you should see, a second year player who is hungry for some more time on the field and a chance to be a dang good player. I always say good players make the biggest step from year one to year two, and if this offseason has been any indication, he's heading in that direction."

Not seeing him being mentioned as a FB? Please let me know where that info came from?