Rumor: Texans trying to Trade DJ
 

Well that relationship went downhill real fast. They won't get much, if anything, for him. Gee, no red flags here, right? I guess S is in play at #16 now...

Texans also met with S Steve Brown last week:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...-j-swearinger/

Need to review trade up possibilities w/DSwag as part of the package...

Was his pit bulls biting Clowney the final straw?

RD1: #16 + DSwag (plus a #7??) might get them up Pick #11 on the high end, Pick #14 on the low end (no reason to move up to #15).

RD2: #51 + DSwag might get them up reasonably high in this Rd.

RD3: Could they get a #3 even up? After RD3 you would think they'd be looking at a 2016 pick as compensation.

Either way, having this news come out now probably doesn't help the cause - whatever their goals is.

Apparently DSwag has been cut or traded. At least according to him he has...

https://instagram.com/p/2iJsGpjB68/

I've never had a huge problem with him, but I'm sort glad this is happening because I don't think he's a good influence on Clowney.

PDS ‏@PatDStat 11m11 minutes ago
There has been a deal in place for Swearinger since last week. Still hearing a player is coming in return. #Texans

Highly doubt it, but hopefully it's for someone decent. Philly has been trying to trade Kendricks, Kelce and Boykin since before the draft. I'd take Kendricks or Kelce in a heartbeat, and either one would be an immediate starter. It would be a coup if they could get Kendricks. However, Kelce and Boykin are probably more in line value-wise. Kelce is older and makes some good cash and I think his contract expires at the end of the year. Boykin was getting toasted at the end of the year, but at least he's young and cheap and might be worth a shot in hopes he can improve with a change of scenery and coaching.

Rapoport feels no firm deal is in place at this time. Thinks it's a situation similar to the Yates deal last year. We shall see. I'll probably be somewhat ticked if they cut him or get a low 2016 draft pick after they spent a #2 on him.

Isn't Boykin a CB ? We should be set there. But Kelcy, their center ? We could only hope for that ? I think they'd want some "boot" with DJ for Kelcy.
Why do you even think it's Philly ?

Just playing connect-the-dots, haven't heard or seen anything. Philly is the one team that seems to want to move a few players according to reports. Chip Kelly has been trying to deal those guys hard for awhile now and I'm sure there are some hurt egos at this point. But more than likely, we get a low RD pick for Swag (if anything).

Chip Kelly who has gone out of his way to draft and acquire smart players with college degrees is going to trade for Swearinger? That would be one way for him to shed the racist tag morons like Stephen A Smith want to put on him.

I always liked Swearinger. He's an idiot, but he's a harmless idiot who intensely cares about football. If he rubs off on Clowney and Clowney acts a little dumber but cares way more about football that is a good trade off in my book.

I agree with this mostly but I just don't think Swearinger is a very good football player. Neither, apparently, does the front office. Which is too bad since those slapdicks wasted yet another second round pick on this guy.

It is absolutely incredible how incompetent this team is in drafting players.

The pick I've had the most trouble un derstanding was the third round pick out of LSU a couple years ago, Sam Montgomery ? He not only didn't seem very interested in plying NFL ball. He was lazy and in terrible shape when he got to Houston. and he was clearly a 4-3 DE, not a 3-4 DE or 3-4 OLB. He was not a fit for Kuiakcwade Phillips defense. really weird pick. The LSU HC said the same thing on local radio - couldn't understand why the Texans drafted him ?

I think he has value in a specific circumstance. Kam Chancellor can't cover anyone, but when you put him next to Earl Thomas and let Thomas cover the whole field while Chancellor kills guys and makes every opposing player have alligator arms, you have something.

Swearinger was terrible in coverage. Not only could he not cover, but he also blew assignments regularly. If you partner him with an elite center fielder type he has some value as a head hunter, but we obviously don't have anyone like that. So for us he was basically Dime LB that didn't know how to wrap up.

Dammit ! I'm afraid they are just gonna release him with nothing in return, no trade, just cut him, not even a conditional 6th or 7th round pick.

Mark Berman ‏@MarkBermanFox26 3m3 minutes ago
Texans release DJ Swearinger

Incredible! I don't give crap what any of these "expert" NFL writers, talking heads, or front office people say, Rick Smith is an incompetent nincompoop when comes to being a NFL GM - certainly as it pertains to college talent evaluation and the draft. We basically have one, yes one, usable player out of that draft now. Granted, no one could have predicted what happened to David Quessenberry (at least I HOPE Rick Smith didn't know about it), but it's not like he was a sure fire starter before he went down. Laughingly, the other decent player out of that draft, Chris Jones, we cut and he just won a Super Bowl.

Definitely not a good look for the '13 class, that's for sure.

There's GOT to be something behind the scenes that will surface soon. With the lack of depth at the S position, you would think they'd put up with mediocrity for another season rather than just cut him loose. Is he really worse than anything they'd pick up off the street right now? Can't imagine so. That's why I think there's more to the story, but time will tell.

Rick Smith drafted players still on the team per/draft year:
2007 - 0
2008 - 1 (Duane Brown)
2009 - 1 (Brian Cushing) - They let Barwin and Quinn walk.
2010 - 1 (Kareem Jackson)
2011 - 2 (JJ and Derek Newton) - They let Reed walk.
2012 - 5 (4 if KMart gets cut) - Granted, they got some usable player in 2012. Nothing great, though.
2013 - 2 (Nuk Hopkins and Ryan Griffin - DQ not on the team, really)
2014 - TBD, but we all know what a disaster it was as far as productivity out of that rookie class last year. Not looking good.
2015 - TBD

Almost all of the above picks were taken in the 1rst Round, where you're supposed to at least get a productive player. The 2nd Round on down has been atrocious as far as drafting and retaining players. Just awful. Hate to say it, but people kill the Jags, Titans and Browns for being awful franchises, but the Texans are not far behind.

I agree there's probably more to it than what he does on the field. The thing that bothers me is they and everyone else knew DSwag was a loose cannon as far as his personality and his playing style, yet, they still decided to use a high pick on him.

I tell you what, 2012 was a draft for the ages! Why, the Texans hauled in six guys who have actually seen the field on a fairly regular basis! None of them is particularly good, mind you, but at least they suited up and got on the field. That is a banner year for the Godfather.

Regime changes result in moves like this. Swearinger was a Kubiak/Phillips/Smith pick. He had a year to win this group over and he didn't. He played OK (created lots of turnovers but gave up big plays), but he also acted like an idiot. Now he is gone. It is not the least bit surprising.

NFL HCs like to have "their" guys. O'Brien appears to be taking 2-3 seasons to clean house instead of doing it all at once. In most places guys like Foster, AJ, Joseph would have been gone as soon as the new coach showed up. That and the lack of urgency at QB says O'Brien is super confident he has 4-5 years minimum. With McNair's slow trigger that is probably a safe assumption.

I'm just waiting for 1) the vote of confidence McNair gives Rick Smith and 2) the cries of racism if he's ever fired.

Nice try, but no. If Quanell X happens to be a Texans fan he will join the conga line like everyone else.

I don't disagree with this. I just wish that if you're drafting a guy in the 2nd RD and then jettisoning him 2 years later, that he SOME redeemable value you can get in return (useable aging vet, 4th/5th/6th RD pick - something). This is all Smith, and I wish I could say I'm shocked McNair puts up with it.

All he has to do is look at McNair's tolerance for incompetence at GM and past HC's to know he has a boatload of time. Finish average or above average and he has the golden goose in hand.

fwiw, I think DJ created the situation where he had to be let go , couldn't wait, once he sent out his texts.

Sounds like perhaps DJ started his own downfall last year during OTAs by not wanting to be on special teams.

I also think McNairs patience is a positive overall.

Now we need to replace our top 3 Safeties of last year who did fairly well, but are not back.

They surrendered only 19.6 points a game (7th best in 2014), were first in the NFL in takeaways with a safety position that created 6 forced fumbles, 4 interceptions, 14 pass deflections and 1 touchdown.

And DJ claimed by Tampa Bay. If he can mature , he can be a solid contributor. Wish him well.

I'm not sure his problem is largely maturity. He plays a position where you need to tackle and he sucks at tackling.

Yep. He had limitations and strengths that would offset each other and make him a valuable in the box safety if he tackled. But he doesn't so every game he doesn't force a big turnover he is a minus.

I think that is exactly the 'straw that broke the camel's back' - this HC does not like entitlement. He believes that players have to earn their position on the team everyday. The past is not worth anything, it's what you contribute today.

For those who hadn't heard the story, the Texans were in a team meeting. The floor was then handed over to the Special Teams Coach to go over some things and a couple of players got up and left. O'Brien went outside to confront them by asking "Where the F*#K do you think you are going?" He didn't like the response, "We don't play on Special Teams." That pissed off the coach even more, "You don't play on Special Teams?!?" He couldn't believe that the Player was Telling Him where/when he played. "That's right, I am a Second Round Pick and I don't have to play Special Teams to make this roster."

So, essentially the Head Coach hates players who feel like they have their job in the bag and don't have to compete for it. He really isn't a big fan of complacency. So, you add that all up, and D. Swag is a Buc.

BOB is starting to grow on me.

Here's more on the story Roy talked about, with audio from O'Brien: http://www.houstonpress.com/news/dj-...-audio-7431332

Curious if J.J. Watt had done that what O'Brien's reaction would have been? Of course, J.J. actually does play special teams (ask Cleveland's punter) so it's a moot point.

I can't imagine he cares that much if his top players play special teams. He cares if a player thinks it's up to them if they play special teams. NFL coaches are control freaks and any player that bows up to the new coach like that is an idiot.

If you listen to the audio, O'Brien's opinion was that JJ has been a exceptional player, but still acts as if nothing he has done in the past assures him. He continues to grow and develop into an even better player even though there is the opinion that he is the best player in the NFL.