Thoughts on the Draft (and the b!tching)

[chuck]

The OL during the Carr years featured three and sometimes four guys who would start for teams with decent lines. Last year's Texans line had no one who would even make any other team. I mean, the quality of individual players who make up the position, it's not close. The offensive numbers are better in 2018 than they were at the turn of the century largely because of the respective quarterbacks but also because the person in charge of the offense now is somewhat less of an idiot than the guy who was in charge then.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by chuck

The OL during the Carr years featured three and sometimes four guys who would start for teams with decent lines. Last year's Texans line had no one who would even make any other team. I mean, the quality of individual players who make up the position, it's not close. The offensive numbers are better in 2018 than they were at the turn of the century largely because of the respective quarterbacks but also because the person in charge of the offense now is somewhat less of an idiot than the guy who was in charge then.

Gosh. Steve McKinney, Chester Pitts and ????

Oh, MILFord Brown, how could I forget the MILF?

How many years of therapy did The Mitten need?

Admittedly, I was shocked the first time I saw Xavier Su'a-Fila starting for the Cowboys. I kicked my tv thinking the picture was on the blink.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

How many years of therapy did The Mitten need

How am I still in therapy over Zoolander wearing those mittens to begin with?

[chuck]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Gosh. Steve McKinney, Chester Pitts and ????

Fred Weary, Ryan Young...

I mean, we're not going to set the world on fire here but these guys were better than street FAs and that's what the team had last year, street FAs.

It's hard to picture through the haze of time, but it wasn't all that long ago when the team had a very good OL. That was right around the time when the team had a really good secondary.

[Joshua]

Regardless of which was worse, just having this conversation tells you all you need to know.

And while it's true that Watson did cause some of the sacks by hanging onto the ball too long, he also Houdini'ed out of what would have been sacks of virtually every other QB in the league multiple times. And there's also the fact that teams were a little more restrained in rushing him than, say, Tom Savage out of fear he would break free and run for 20 yards. I can't even imagine what the sack total would have been if a statue like Savage had been back there.

By word and deed, it's clear that practically everyone, including the Texans, thought their O line was terrible last year. Heading into the draft, everyone predicted the Texans would likely use 2 of their first 3 picks on O linemen, even if they had to reach for them, because the line was that bad. The Texans then went out and did exactly that.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by Joshua

And while it's true that Watson did cause some of the sacks by hanging onto the ball too long, he also Houdini'ed out of what would have been sacks of virtually every other QB in the league multiple times. And there's also the fact that teams were a little more restrained in rushing him than, say, Tom Savage out of fear he would break free and run for 20 yards. I can't even imagine what the sack total would have been if a statue like Savage had been back there.

Excellent point. There were times I marveled at how Watson could stay upright.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by chuck

Fred Weary, Ryan Young...

Young played a total of 9 games as a Texan - all in 2002.

Weary played six seasons but sat out much of 2004 and 2005, presumably with injuries.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Young played a total of 9 games as a Texan - all in 2002.

Weary played six seasons but sat out much of 2004 and 2005, presumably with injuries.

Young's groin injury was a bad one. instead of the groin muscle pulling or ripping, the bone pulled loose. Young was never the same.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by painekiller

Young's groin injury was a bad one. instead of the groin muscle pulling or ripping, the bone pulled loose. Young was never the same.

He was a good player for the Jets. And that's my point. The Carr years OL had actual, NFL quality players. Or at least they tried to. In the Watson years they literally do everything they can to chase away anyone who can play at all. And then they draft these slapdicks from schools nobody other than Pickett's ever heard of. Or they draft a guy from a Pickett school in the 4th round and expect to slide him right in to LT. Etc. It is quite something to behold.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by chuck

He was a good player for the Jets. And that's my point. The Carr years OL had actual, NFL quality players. Or at least they tried to. In the Watson years they literally do everything they can to chase away anyone who can play at all. And then they draft these slapdicks from schools nobody other than Pickett's ever heard of. Or they draft a guy from a Pickett school in the 4th round and expect to slide him right in to LT. Etc. It is quite something to behold.

Point taken although it must be remembered that Young and Boselli were products of the expansion drafts and were done to provide cap relief for the Jets and Jaguars so that we might have other players like Aaron Glenn and Gary Walker. McKinney, Pitts and Weary were from Texas A&M, San Diego St. and Tennessee respectively.

The new OL was crafted from other team's free agent second-stringers and small-school projects. In that sense, we've added guys from Alabama St. and Northern Illinois to the group - hardly inspiring. To be fair, Rankin last year was from Mississippi St. and Su'a-Fila was from UCLA.

Not sure we haven't beaten this subject like J.J. Watt against a seventh-round rookie.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by chuck

And then they draft these slapdicks from schools nobody other than Pickett's ever heard of. Or they draft a guy from a Pickett school in the 4th round and expect to slide him right in to LT. Etc. It is quite something to behold.

Hey, I wanted to let you guys know that I am writing a book that is going to be published soon. In addition, I have started posting videos on YouTube. I sort of started this project/process here with "My Guys" and decided to turn it into a blueprint for how I would build an NFL Franchise. You can follow me on Twitter @PFGMRx or watch my YouTube channel @ PFGMRx. Thanks for your support. - Roy Pickett