Freeman: Would you?

[popanot]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

We bitch and moan about every pick Schaub throws and then when somebody who threw five more of them last year than he did is about to be dumped, we're in a hurry to give up draft picks to get him?

Nobody said picks (plural). But yeah, I'd give up a #6 or maybe a #5 for him. I don't see the harm in that. We'll probably get a #5 or #6 back as compensation for Quinn leaving anyway.

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Schaub is good enough for us to win 75% of our games but we want somebody who'll make it 90% so we can beat teams like the Patriots, Ravens and Broncos (not to mention the Colts). Does Freeman look like that guy?

Does Yates or Keenum? You might think so, but I highly doubt anyone in the NFL does. I'd even question if Kubiak and Smith do. If we could get Freeman on the cheap (low pick and reasonable contract value/years) and Kubiak can clean him up, the potential reward far exceeds the risk, IMO. Not saying I'd start him over Schaub this year, but I'd certainly open up competition next year and let the best man win. I wouldn't mind a bit paying Schaub to ride the pine and be the backup if he lost out.

[Joshua]

This is getting pretty far afield from the thread topic, but me and a buddy ran down the league yesterday and tried to guess which teams would trade for Schaub if the Texans decided to put him on the trade block. Even as a Schaub pessimist, I was surprised at how few teams I could make a credible claim for trading for him. By my count, I don't think there are more than 3 or 4 teams who would do so.

AFC South (Indy - no; Tenn - maybe but I doubt it; Jacksonville - maybe but I think they would rather tank and draft one)

AFC North (Pitt - no; Balt. - no; Clev - maybe but I think they would rather tank and draft one; Cincy - no)

AFC East (NE - no; Miami - no; NYJ - maybe but I doubt it; Buff. - no)

AFC West (Denver - no; KC - no; Oak - maybe but I doubt it; SD - maybe but this looks like basically a push)

NFC East (Dallas - no; NYG - no; Philly - no; Wash. - no)

NFC West (SF - no; Sea. - no; Ariz. - maybe; St. Louis - no)

NFC North (GB - no; Chic. - no; Minn. - probably; Det. - no)

NFC South (NOLA - no; Atlanta - no; Carolina - no; Tampa - probably)

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Joshua

This is getting pretty far afield from the thread topic, but me and a buddy ran down the league yesterday and tried to guess which teams would trade for Schaub if the Texans decided to put him on the trade block. Even as a Schaub pessimist, I was surprised at how few teams I could make a credible claim for trading for him. By my count, I don't think there are more than 3 or 4 teams who would do so.

AFC South (Indy - no; Tenn - maybe but I doubt it; Jacksonville - maybe but I think they would rather tank and draft one)

AFC North (Pitt - no; Balt. - no; Clev - maybe but I think they would rather tank and draft one; Cincy - no)

AFC East (NE - no; Miami - no; NYJ - maybe but I doubt it; Buff. - no)

AFC West (Denver - no; KC - no; Oak - maybe but I doubt it; SD - maybe but this looks like basically a push)

NFC East (Dallas - no; NYG - no; Philly - no; Wash. - no)

NFC West (SF - no; Sea. - no; Ariz. - maybe; St. Louis - no)

NFC North (GB - no; Chic. - no; Minn. - probably; Det. - no)

NFC South (NOLA - no; Atlanta - no; Carolina - no; Tampa - probably)

GMs and HCs get judged first off wins and losses and 2nd off their ability to obtain and develop a QB. Occasionally you can miss 1 time, but missing twice generally gets you fired. Because of this the teams that would be interested are not necessarily the teams where he would be an upgrade.

An interested team would need to view him as an upgrade AND have a coach who is approaching the end of his deal and needs to win now rather than 2-3 years from now. Although even in that setting some coaches try to get a rookie QB in there to convince ownership they should be given more time and patience since they are developing a rookie QB and nobody knows how that will turn out (clearly what Schiano is doing).

Aside from those situations, you would need a team to really invest in Schuab as their guy of the future and I cannot see any NFL team giving up draft picks to do that, even if he is better than what half the teams in the league have. Far more likely is Schaub ends up cut if we ever replace him.

[HPF Bob]

I'm not saying Yates and Keenum would put the Texans over the top only that they cost us nothing in terms of lost draft choices to find out. Yates does have better mobility than Schaub and (it seems in limited exposure) a stronger passing arm. What Yates lacks is experience. Keenum, to me, is a harder sell even though I rooted for him at UH. But he does seem like a valuable backup and the Texans must agree because they chose to keep him rather than expose him to waivers.

[Nconroe]

My opinion is I would not try to make Josh Freeman our QB of future. His own team voted him out of team captain, so not a good leadership indicator.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

My opinion is I would not try to make Josh Freeman our QB of future. His own team voted him out of team captain, so not a good leadership indicator.

His own team voted him in 4 years in a row before the HC feuded with him. There were multiple articles that the HC had something to do with fixing that vote. The same HC is feuding with other veterans and the team is coming apart at the seams. Now the HC has gone to a rookie QB to try to lengthen the leash before he is fired.

I think passing on Freeman is fine, but I wouldn't pass on him for anything that occured with Schiano in the last 10 months.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

I'm not saying Yates and Keenum would put the Texans over the top only that they cost us nothing in terms of lost draft choices to find out. Yates does have better mobility than Schaub and (it seems in limited exposure) a stronger passing arm. What Yates lacks is experience. Keenum, to me, is a harder sell even though I rooted for him at UH. But he does seem like a valuable backup and the Texans must agree because they chose to keep him rather than expose him to waivers.

I agree if Freeman cost us anything more than a 4th, and if he didn't come with a seriously reduced contract. Really, the interest would not be more than marginal, especially when we could go after signing him for free after the season (to a deal we create). I would love to sign him in the offseason to a Leinhart type deal if he doesn't get big offers to start and he is smart enough to know Kubiak can rebuild a guy in a backup role.

[cadams]

i wouldn't go after freeman. to me he seems like a younger schaub, though maybe with a few more physical tools. if he was out there on the free agent market and you needed a veteran backup, then i would be fine with that, but nothing more.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by barrett

I agree if Freeman cost us anything more than a 4th, and if he didn't come with a seriously reduced contract. Really, the interest would not be more than marginal, especially when we could go after signing him for free after the season (to a deal we create). I would love to sign him in the offseason to a Leinhart type deal if he doesn't get big offers to start and he is smart enough to know Kubiak can rebuild a guy in a backup role.

If Kubiak felt strongly about him and he was sold on the idea that he would have to earn the job, I am okay with.this. I suspect, though, that he would find better offers.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

If Kubiak felt strongly about him and he was sold on the idea that he would have to earn the job, I am okay with.this. I suspect, though, that he would find better offers.

He might get more direct paths to a starting job or maybe a longer deal somewhere else, but if I am a young QB who was considered a franchise guy just a few years ago, I'd prefer a 1 year deal with a QB teacher who can restore my image and give me access to a higher level job with a longer term pay off.

Basically I would bet on myself and take a 1 year deal (especially since backup QB has almost no injury risk), and I would hope to take a much better job from Schaub at best, or rehab my image and have a better chance at a good job at worst. The guy is still only 25 and has the time that he doesn't have to panic. If he'd rather go compete for a cleveland type job, I wouldn't want him anyways.