Texans Picking Up Schaub's $10 Million Option

[Keith]

This is not a surprise, but the next question is going to be whether the Texans will attempt to restructure and extend the final three years on Schaub's contract. As always, the murky gray of the CBA negotiations probably means nothing happens soon.

Quote is from owner Bob McNair via Nick Scurfield's blog on the Official:

(on if he will extend QB Matt Schaub’s bonus to extend next three years of his contract) “Well, yeah, it’s an option bonus, and in our option, we can extend him, and he’s done an outstanding job for us and we will be extending him. There’s no question about that.” ...

(on when they decided that) “The first time we discussed him. The first time he came up, it was a no-brainer. There’s no way that we’re not going to keep Matt. He’s our quarterback, and the team has confidence in him. He’s shown great courage. You’ve seen when he’s gotten injured, he’s gone back out there and led his team, so he’s really won the respect of his teammates, and that’s what you need.”

(on if that is to be done in March) “It probably is. I really haven’t even looked at it because it was just something that we had already decided whenever it was time to do it, we’ll do it.”

http://www.houstontexans.com/blog/index.asp?post_id=861

The timing aspect in the last part is only of interest as it relates to the 2009 cap as far as I can tell. Currently 25% of the option bonus is on the books for 2009 (as the team can spread the three-year option bonus across four years if exercised by sometime in February, can't remember the exact date), but it doesn't have to be if the team were running out of room.

On a somewhat related note, I am WAY behind on cap page updates. There isn't really that much to update, but I've been letting it collect dust during the season. Hopefully I'll get cracking at it again before too long. Even though 2010 is uncapped, I still intend to keep up as best as I can as well as try to get 2009 cleaned up before we get to February.

[Nconroe]

I agree we should keep Schaub, he has done really well this year.

And thanks Keith for all your salary cap work, this is always very informative info.

[nunusguy]

No question about picking up the option on Schaubs contract, he's been outstanding this year.

[popanot]

They need to re-up Demeco and OD and re-sign Pollard. Don't mess with a good foundation, Smith!!!

[Mike]

With next year being uncapped, I wonder if it would be best to take the hit all at once. Of course, I am not the one scratching the check for 10MM.

I am sure the capologist will do what is best in the long term interest of the team.

[kRocket]

I have been a severe critic of Schaub as a stats hound but folds like wet laundry at crunch time. After the ball game yesterday I have concluded that his performance proved me wrong. So my apologies to Mr. Schaub and I hope he continues to play like that.

[cland]

The Smithiak machine has to get some credit for filling some serious holes on our roster for cheap. There are a lot of teams that would LOVE to be able to find a top 5 QB for 2 second round picks.

[Arky]

Schaub proved he could stay healthy for a full season this year. And he improved. The QB that played against the Jets in the season opener was quite a bit different than the QB that played against New England yesterday. Little things... instinctive stuff... for example, there was a breakdown in pass protect yesterday and he had the ball flying towards the sidelines before the blitzer even got near him.... I think some of us are starting to take for granted that he will play at a high level all the time.....

[Keith]

I don't mean to toot my own horn here, but I wrote a pro-Schaub article after his horrible start to the 2008 season, noting that it was the third year in this system that QB's really took hold:

I have been a big Schaub supporter from the beginning and will continue to be one in spite of his early performance this season. Our northern campus in Denver would agree. They tell us that it has taken their quarterbacks three years to really get this offensive system, and I think they might be right.

This year is Jay Cutler’s third year in the league, and he has been having a phenomenal start to the season. After a middling season last year, he’s averaging more than 300 yards per game with a 4:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a QB rating of 110.6.

Previously, Jake Plummer needed three years in Denver to acquaint himself to the offense. He threw a league-high 20 interceptions in his second year as a Bronco only to quarterback them all the way to the conference championship the following year.

I’ll keep going one further. Brian Griese also improved in his third year in Denver, tossing just four picks after 14 the year previous, helping the Broncos vault from a six-win team in 1999 to 11 wins and a wild card berth in 2000.

http://www.inthebullseye.com/archive/2008/20080925.html

2007 (11 games): 66.4%, 203.7 y/G, 7.8 y/Att, 9 TD, 9 INT, 87.2 RAT
2008 (11 games): 66.1%, 276.6 y/G, 8.0 y/Att, 15 TD, 10 INT, 92.7 RAT
2009 (16 games): 67.9%, 298.1 y/G, 8.2 y/Att, 29 TD, 15 INT, 98.6 RAT

I like looking at the averages here since the prior missed games combined with the league leading pass attempts this year can skew straight # comparisons. But any way you slice it, this season has been the one I had thought and hoped Schaub had in him all along. Glad he'll be around awhile longer.

[NBT]

Originally Posted by Arky

Schaub proved he could stay healthy for a full season this year. And he improved. The QB that played against the Jets in the season opener was quite a bit different than the QB that played against New England yesterday. Little things... instinctive stuff... for example, there was a breakdown in pass protect yesterday and he had the ball flying towards the sidelines before the blitzer even got near him.... I think some of us are starting to take for granted that he will play at a high level all the time.....

I would hope that we give some thought to a good backup other than Grossman just in case.