- 12 hours ago
With the Super Bowl now in the rearview mirror, ITL debates what objective number one should be for the Texans heading into the offseason, as they look to take the next step.
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00:00Now that the Super Bowl's been played, now that we're fully into offseason-type feels,
00:04or at least early on into it, I wanted to think about the things,
00:08the number of objectives that I think the Texans need to or maybe want to get to.
00:13And I wanted to kind of power rank them and see which of these are most important
00:17in your mind and the minds of our listeners.
00:19So get in on the base power text line, 713-5724.
00:23Have you cleared this with Sean Pendergast?
00:25I have not.
00:25I stole this wholeheartedly from him, and I figured I am going to ask forgiveness
00:30and not permission.
00:32You know what I mean?
00:32I think that that is the way that I decided to go about this.
00:35So I'm just going to kind of rattle these off real quick at first,
00:37and then we can go back on and see how we want to stack them.
00:40So at least the objectives that I thought of that could be there,
00:43and let me know if there's any that I'm missing or any that you just feel like,
00:45nope, not really worth the power ranking.
00:47Add to the offensive line is one of the objectives.
00:50Running back one is one of the objectives.
00:53Tight end depth, I think, is one that has been impressed upon me,
00:58and I feel like I'm now in on the idea, okay, need to be addressed a little bit.
01:02Adding a defensive interior player, like a defensive tackle or something.
01:06Extending Will Anderson Jr.
01:07I didn't bother saying extending either Will Anderson Jr. or C.J. Stroud,
01:11because I think that we're largely in the place where that's how we view that.
01:15Creating more cap space, obviously to allow them to get into the free agent market
01:19if they so choose.
01:20Just freshening up the linebacker room, it's not a bad linebacker room,
01:24but it is oddly aging in an interesting way.
01:26And then defensive back depth.
01:28Those are the ones that I have here.
01:29Is there any ones that I'm missing or any ones that you feel like we can drop off the table?
01:32Yeah, look, no, let's keep them because I think they're all good.
01:35But I wouldn't, I mean, we're just kind of like non-C.J. Stroud categorizing this,
01:41you know, because we know the number one thing is always going to be him
01:44coming back in a good space and confident and all in on the offense.
01:49You want me to go with my number one?
01:51Yeah, let's power rank him.
01:52I think number one by far, and this might surprise or some people ensure to disagree.
01:58And by the way, power rank along.
01:597-1-3-5-7-2-4-6-10, the base power text line.
02:02I'm not going to go offensive line.
02:04Okay.
02:04I'm going to go running back one.
02:06Oh, okay, we're going to fight.
02:07And the number one reason I'm saying running back one is we just saw a team
02:16with an incredible defense, a really, really, really good defense,
02:21you know, pretty much win the game on the defensive side.
02:24The quarterback was certainly good, but they won because of their defense.
02:29What's the biggest reason that the offense could move the ball
02:33and get chunk plays and ultimately, you know, score enough points to –
02:39and it's not just only based on the Seahawks' performance.
02:43Kenneth Walker was getting busy.
02:43They had chunk plays, powerful runs from Kenneth Walker.
02:49He was elite.
02:50Now, you know, we can argue all day long about is he an elite running back or not.
02:54He was elite in this game.
02:55He got two straight 30-yard runs, I want to say, at one point.
02:59I think, you know, and all due respect to Woody Marks,
03:01and he certainly had some big runs, et cetera.
03:04But you get a stud running back, and you can not make do,
03:09but you can add to the offensive line.
03:11You know, you can fix the offensive line here and there.
03:14I think for me, I go the other way.
03:16I think offensive line ends up being, one, in part because I like the idea
03:20of having a running back that can make some things above the offensive line.
03:24I think the offensive line, one, helps the running back look better oftentimes
03:28if you have the right offensive line.
03:30And, two, hey, let's not forget the passing portion of this program as well.
03:34I think that that's twofold, and there's a number of spots
03:38where additions need to be made there.
03:40That feels like that's number one, especially with the style of play that you want
03:43and with the understanding that the improvement that you got this year
03:47on the offensive line was only that improvement.
03:50It was not a landing point, right?
03:52It was just a way stop.
03:53And so I would very much need that to be prioritized because you either have to use
03:59good capital in the draft or you're going to have to get real busy in free agency
04:02because it's not easy typically to end up with offensive linemen.
04:05It felt like last year they almost went with a budget approach.
04:09And I know that there was conversation about them talking to various different players
04:13or whatever, but ultimately you didn't get it done.
04:14And I don't know if that's like money or what have you, but that's got to be
04:18aggressively something that you attacked this year in my opinion.
04:21No, you're right, but there's no real wrong answer here.
04:24I think the top two are offensive line and running back.
04:26Biggie, tiebreaker, who's right and who's wrong?
04:28Yeah, it's funny because I was very close.
04:31I'm like, this is 1A and 1B for me when it comes to running back and offensive line.
04:38But by a slight little margin, I will probably go with the offensive line, man.
04:44And not saying running back.
04:46Yeah!
04:46That's not a win.
04:48Look, to be fair, I was almost with you, John.
04:51Like, I'm running back.
04:53Like, I don't mind if a good running back is there in the second round grabbing him.
04:58But I think the offensive line, you really got to address that.
05:02I just think you can't do a makeshift again, man.
05:06It is 1A.
05:07But I'm not saying the running back is not important at all.
05:10I would like to get both.
05:11It is 1A and 1B.
05:13So, again, there's no real wrong answer contrary to Reggie's reaction.
05:16Well, then I'm very excited to see where you think I'm going on the second one.
05:22But let me change your mind.
05:22Maybe both your minds.
05:24Look at what has happened.
05:27I'm kind of tired of, hey, you can get a running back in the second or third round.
05:30Hey, you know, you can get a running back in the fourth round.
05:32Hey.
05:33I've been saying that years, man.
05:35Hey, you got a running back in a later round, in Woody Marks.
05:38And he's good.
05:39But he's not.
05:40Let's look at the, you know, historically speaking.
05:42And, of course, an offensive line is involved here.
05:44You know, they need blocking.
05:46But not just Kenneth Walker, Saquon Barkley.
05:49And I'm not saying you've got to draft a Saquon Barkley.
05:51But, you know, an upper-tier running back that can have an elite game.
05:55Some of these running backs in recent years.
05:57And, by the way, with the developing sort of trend in football of defense and running the ball and safe passing,
06:05give me that stud.
06:06Give me that stud running back.
06:09Yeah.
06:09I think the issue I have when people make that type of argument, too, is they go back and say,
06:15oh, we got Woody Marks.
06:16Well, we need to draft a running back or sign a running back.
06:19It's like, nah, man, it's cool to have two running backs.
06:21Yes.
06:22You don't have to have this workhorse type guy run them into the – it's cool to have two running backs.
06:28Or, hell, I would say three if it makes sense.
06:31But it's cool to have two running backs and use Woody Marks.
06:34That way you won't wear anybody down.
06:36Right.
06:36Especially somebody who can make something on their own accord.
06:40You didn't – Woody Marks didn't have 100-yard games this year.
06:43Yeah.
06:43And I understand the offensive line was not of the caliber to allow him to have that.
06:47Last year you had an offensive line that was worse.
06:50And Joe Mixon, of course, very high-caliber running back, had a number of 100-yard games.
06:55I think that that is the thing that you're looking for.
06:57And even as I say that, you're going to hate me when I say that my number two power rank for me personally
07:01is actually creating more cap space.
07:03I think that that ends up being priority number two.
07:06Nerd.
07:07No, no.
07:07But I also – I think that's because I think that you need to use more than just the draft
07:13or bargain basement to achieve some of your goals.
07:16And so I think that getting a – you know, maybe a center or a guard in the free agent market,
07:21I think you need more money to do that.
07:23And if you – all of you people that like Brees Hall, I think that you need the money to be able to do that in a big way
07:28and give him a contract that matches.
07:30So I actually think that the free agent part comes first, and then I'd put running back one-third.
07:34Because as much as I agree with you guys on having a running back one would matter,
07:38I think I'd rather have a strong offensive line, especially with one guy who is a veteran that I know can play football on this line,
07:44and not just a couple of new guys that are rookies that have to wonder if they can play up to the standard.
07:49And I think you need the money to do that by creating space.
07:51I guess I'm just – I don't know if jaded is the right word.
07:55I don't worry about the cap nearly as much as other people.
08:00Okay.
08:01The cap you can do.
08:03The cap is not anything – I mean, certain teams are just so outrageously bad at it that it hurts them.
08:10But a team like the Texans can work the cap enough to get the money when they want it for whom they want it.
08:16They just can't.
08:17This isn't like, oh, that's got to be a priority.
08:20You know, the cap is a – well, the cap is always there and is always a priority and is always workable.
08:24So, for most teams.
08:26But I think that that's – it's the work – this is the time when you need to do the working.
08:29Yeah, but it's not the priority.
08:30Okay.
08:31I mean, it's going to be – for me, you can do it.
08:33You can just fall out of bed and do it.
08:35It's not easy, but there are people whose entire jobs –
08:38Fall out of the bed and do it, huh?
08:40There are people whose entire jobs are manipulating the cap, working the cap, finding the money.
08:45Okay.
08:45You know, and that's that for me.
08:47All right, so maybe I'm valuing this too highly.
08:49So, if that's the case, you guys have one and two in various different ways.
08:53Offensive line, running back one.
08:54I think that we all knew that.
08:55This is where I think it gets interesting.
08:56Yes, I'm glad we're going.
08:57Tight end depth, inter-defensive lineman, extending Will Anderson Jr., linebacker room freshening that up,
09:05and defensive back depth.
09:06Where do you go as your next priority?
09:08I'll do the rest of my list here.
09:10Okay.
09:10And then, Figgy, and you can add yours.
09:13One running back, two offensive line, three tight end depth, or, you know, tight end, you know, 1B, however you want to do it.
09:21Four would be freshening up the linebacker room.
09:24I do agree with you.
09:25I like it a lot, but you've got to always have – especially when you're defensive-minded, you've got to always have those linebackers.
09:31To me, extending Will Anderson Jr. is near the bottom with cap space.
09:36No, they're not five.
09:38Simply because it's going to happen.
09:40You're going to do it.
09:41I would say interior defensive line, then DB depth, and then we'll get to the money aspect.
09:47Now, the money aspect for me is extend Will Anderson Jr. and create more cap space.
09:51I don't mean to oversimplify the money aspect, but it's going to be done, and they have the means to do it.
09:58That's interesting.
09:59I want to hit some of these as we go because you went to tight end depth this third, and I think that this is really interesting because I have been battling internally with how highly I rate this because it struck me when Dalton Schultz was on with The Drive last week on Radio Row,
10:15and he was talking about the fact that they put a lot of time on task into multi-tight end sets.
10:20At least that's the way I heard it.
10:21Apologies to Dalton if I'm misunderstanding the way that he talked about it, but he said they put a lot of time on task to having both of those guys, or not both of those guys, a number of those guys working in tandem,
10:31and it feels like, okay, maybe that's a part of what they do, and I don't know how much you could depend on Cade Stover to have the step.
10:37We were hoping.
10:37I mean, we talked with John Harrison.
10:39That was his big thing that he was looking forward to this season is seeing that Cade Stover jump, and we haven't seen it, and in a weird way, and I think injuries played into this,
10:49Cade Stover looked worse blocking than he did the previous year, and we didn't really see any of the jump in the pass catching, and those are the things that you need from a tight end.
10:57You better block your ass off if you're not going to be the pass catcher.
10:59I don't know that I can keep depending that a fluke injury won't keep happening with Brevin Jordan, and Luke Lachey, I don't know what to do with him.
11:07He was too raw.
11:09I don't know where the development is.
11:10Maybe we get to camp and we see that he's further along, but it feels like at least, especially if you're going to have this type of system with this team,
11:17you've got to have two tight ends that I know you can do this with, but at the same time, I look at some of these other things, and I go, which of these are more important?
11:24But I'll go with you at tight end depth being something that—
11:26You got that, number three?
11:27Yeah.
11:27I think I have it as four because, you know, I put that cap space in there a little bit higher personally, but—
11:31I think, yeah, he's got the cap stuff.
11:34I didn't—
11:36I said what I said.
11:38I'm kind of backhand.
11:39Yeah, he gots the cap stuff.
11:41Whatever that is.
11:42That came out bad.
11:44The reason I have a tight end so high is I honestly don't think they dug into the bag offensively for tight end enough as much as they wanted to.
11:52They couldn't.
11:53Because they didn't have the guys.
11:54And we saw it in the Patriots game.
11:57I mean, you know, Dalton Schultz goes out and they're like, we got nothing.
12:00But, you know, we're going to try Stover, but we got—I think they want to use two tight ends.
12:04I think they want to use more tight ends, you know, in the game plans.
12:07I think that's a big priority.
12:08And I valued that a lot, especially seeing the way that other teams have been using multi-tight ends.
12:13Talking about trends, the ways in which teams have been able to get in the, you know, big formation.
12:19So maybe that works.
12:20And just for the life of me, I would like to not have to see very much more sixth offensive lineman,
12:26especially if it's Blake Fisher with all due respect to him.
12:28Yeah, that too.
12:29Because having that big guy that's a big tell that you're running the football,
12:32I would like that to be another tight end where you can take advantage of the team thinking you're running the football.
12:37And boom, here's a pop pass and we're going.
12:39All right, so beyond that, you went with defense—no, you went after that to the linebacker room, actually.
12:45No, linebacker room then, yeah.
12:46This is fun because I think that generally if your starters are there, I feel great about your starters.
12:52Aziz is really good, another year older, but another year wiser as well.
12:56And he got better last year in coverage, which was really cool.
12:58Pro bowler.
12:59Yeah.
12:59That's right.
13:00I should say, pro bowl Aziz Alshair.
13:02Henry Toto is still—you're still seeing that level.
13:05Last year was not a fluke in his step up.
13:07It remained the case there.
13:08And EJ Speed was a nice addition.
13:10However, you remember what it looked like when Aziz wasn't playing, right?
13:12Yes, and not only that, you mentioned Aziz.
13:15You didn't mention Christian Harris.
13:18Yeah, and that was supposed to be a good part of that.
13:19And I think they may just be throwing up their hands on him.
13:23Not maybe.
13:23They have to be.
13:24They have.
13:25Just see how he come into camp and all that stuff and then make a decision there.
13:29That's a great point that I hadn't considered.
13:32And EJ Speed, no spring chicken.
13:34Yeah, and I mean, all these guys are getting a little older.
13:36I know Henry is probably the youngest of the bunch, but even then, all these guys are getting older.
13:40It would be nice.
13:41Now, this is a nice thing as opposed to a muscle in this moment, but it would be nice to give yourself some succession plan
13:48because, oddly enough, you look around and that's one of your older groups that you depend on as you keep going along.
13:53You put interior defensive line here, and it does feel like we're getting to that point where you can't keep putting the veteran Band-Aid on interior defensive line.
14:01It's good, and they could still make some things happen.
14:04I feel like you need a young guy that could come in and benefit from while Sheldon Rankins is still here,
14:08while Tim Settle is still here at this level.
14:10Tommy Togiai, you might be able to have to go on in the future, but the way that D'Amico Ryans likes having not just guys that can play,
14:16but then rotating in, it feels like you're getting to the point, especially in the year where I think I heard that it's supposed to be a relatively deep interior defensive line draft.
14:24Go for it.
14:25Get you a guy that you can start putting into that program and getting to the place where,
14:28when you do have to move on from Sheldon Rankins eventually, that you go, this guy is not just here, but he's ready to step into that role.
14:34I like that as an idea.
14:36And then defensive back depth, I was thinking about this because it still hit me.
14:40I also forgot you dealt with some injuries, and Jalen Smith, I liked him when he stepped in.
14:44If you have Jalen Smith, if you then add a fourth cornerback that is some veteran that can handle special teams type stuff,
14:51I feel a little bit better about that.
14:53Safety is the only thing that I question.
14:55Yeah, and Jimmy Ward, you won't have him.
14:58No.
14:59Who?
14:59I forgot about him.
15:01I think that that's probably...
15:03But you need to mention because the depth all of a sudden is not there.
15:05Yeah, I actually would have had that at the tight end.
15:08I had tight end number three.
15:10Yeah, because I felt like we talked about the DBs a little more than I would have thought throughout the season.
15:15Well, you had a number of injuries, and early on you parted ways with C.J. Garner-Johnson just off of the track.
15:21But I do wonder, I feel, I think I'm okay with either MJ Stewart and him holding down the safety spot,
15:26and then the other one is your defensive back, you know, or your safety depth there.
15:30But then also I come back to can you depend on health all the way across like, you know, you kind of have.
15:35Yeah, that's my reason.
15:37That's my reasoning, right?
15:38It's kind of similar to the tight end position.
15:40I mean, just a lot of injuries, I would feel more comfortable if they kind of addressed that.
15:45Are you not uncomfortable, though, that we've put Will Anderson Jr. on at least our mental back burner here?
15:50No, because it's going to happen.
15:51Honestly, I don't even think he should be on the list.
15:53I think this is going to happen.
15:57It's going to happen.
15:58Yeah, that's kind of like setting that to the side.
16:00What do you want, Will?
16:02Sounds good to me.
16:02All right, so that one, you feel like that one doesn't even be on here?
16:05Yeah, it's going to happen.
16:06Would you have issue if they got to the place where they were like, we'll do it next year on Will?
16:11Yes.
16:12I would.
16:12Yes.
16:12I would, 100%.
16:13He was a good soldier, man.
16:15It got better each year.
16:17Nah, man, you can't just put that off.
16:19I think I agree.
16:20The weird thing about it in my brain is I think that he would still be fine if you ultimately did do it next year
16:25because he would get his money and, you know, he seems like, as you mentioned, good soldier.
16:29He'd be good enough to just be like, all right, whenever that money comes, when it comes.
16:31But, yes, I don't think that you should play that.
16:32That might be a Jerry Jones type of situation, to be honest, where you just put it on hold
16:36and then this brother might break Myles Garrett record.
16:40Yeah.
16:40So, now it's like, oh, we got to pay you even more money now.
16:43Price of the brick don gone up?
16:45Is that what you're saying?
16:45Way up.
16:46Yeah.
16:46All right, fair enough.
16:47All right, so that's how we went ahead and ranked it.
16:50I think that that was a worthwhile exercise to get a little feel for how we're looking at the offseason as it comes.
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