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How should the Texans rebuild the offensive line this offseason?
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00:00Let's have some fun by doing a little Texans, would you rather?
00:02Yeah, every once in a while, the mood just strikes.
00:05And this is a good time.
00:06I can feel it from Sean.
00:07Sean wants to play along.
00:08The mood just strikes.
00:09Sean really wants to.
00:10Go ahead and get your phone out.
00:11Text into the base power text line.
00:12Yep.
00:13All right, let's just go down the list.
00:14I got about five or six here.
00:15Okay.
00:16At this time of year.
00:17Would you rather the Texans draft three offensive linemen or sign two?
00:22And inherent in this is that it has to be one or the other.
00:25Yes.
00:26This is tough because, in theory, I would like you to have some young guys
00:30that are starting to become part of the foundation of what your offensive line
00:34is moving forward.
00:35However, I feel a need for urgency this year.
00:39You need to figure out what your offensive line is for a number of reasons.
00:43One, I want you to have the best foundation to have an understanding
00:47of what you think C.J. Stroud is before you have to decide whether or not
00:51to give him an extension.
00:52Also, I feel like you done pushed yourself and risen to a level in the AFC
00:57and the NFL in general where now is the time to strike while the iron is hot.
01:02And I don't know that you draft in three offensive linemen set your offensive
01:05line up well enough to be good early enough in the season to be good enough.
01:12So, I actually am going to go with the sign two.
01:14Now, there's more here.
01:15Fig, I want to get your answer.
01:16This is, in addition to what you, this is sign as in from the outside
01:20or draft from the outside.
01:21Not your own players because that's coming.
01:23Yeah, I was going to say sign two.
01:25I think right now it's urgency.
01:27And I think it's not the end of the world if you don't draft three of them this year.
01:32You can always look into next year or something like that.
01:36But right now, I think you got to get this offensive line together
01:39because people going to be looking to get paid and all that stuff.
01:42You got to get it together now.
01:44That window is, you know, is open.
01:48Like, got to go for it now.
01:49From 832, they said, White Boy Wednesday, get them white boys on O-line.
01:53Get them big boys moving people.
01:54It all comes together on this show.
01:56It really does.
01:57Here's the thing.
01:58I'm with you both.
01:59I would rather sign two big-time free agents.
02:01But that means Jake Andrews is probably back, you know.
02:05I've actually somewhat.
02:06We talked about this a little bit at the end of the show yesterday.
02:09I think I am comfortable with the idea of Jake Andrews being the dude this season,
02:18especially if you take a day three flyer on a center.
02:21This is a year in the draft in which you, at least according to Dane Brugler,
02:26who you know, I trust very much of the athletic doing drafted stuff.
02:30This is not a year on the draft where you're going to get a center early on.
02:34But he goes day two, day three, there are dudes that could develop into centers
02:38that are starting centers that you get later on.
02:41And I'm like, all right.
02:42I know that Jake Andrews can hold up well enough.
02:44And if you get guards around him, you can have a relatively potent offensive line,
02:49pretty potent offensive line for this year, and then start getting yourself a center.
02:53I get your theory.
02:54But do you feel like you can find somebody just as good as Jake Andrews
02:58or a little better in free agency, though?
03:00Yes, you could upgrade in free agency.
03:02This is a quality free agency.
03:03I would be fine with that.
03:04The only problem is there are 11 teams that are looking for that same thing
03:09at the same time.
03:10And so not that I'm scared of the game or scared of the grind,
03:13but how likely is it that you come out of that with that upgrade that you're looking for?
03:19I am open to the idea that maybe you don't do it that way.
03:22Maybe you do it another way.
03:22It would be crazy if they miss out on all of these centers.
03:26Yeah, yeah.
03:27And Jake Andrews comes back.
03:28Yeah, because it'd be one thing if he was a Pro Bowl type of center,
03:31and it's just like, all right, I don't know if you're going to find anybody better than that.
03:36Can I also say, though, as much as we are valorizing the idea of outside centers,
03:41and I've already said that they are upgrades,
03:43if you look at the things that are actually said about these centers,
03:46they do make you go, all right, let me –
03:48Just how much better, yeah.
03:49Because Cade Myers is a dude who, as an offensive lineman, he's a good center.
03:54He also struggles with strength at times and getting moved.
03:57Does that sound like somebody that you know?
03:58Obviously not to the same degree as Jake Andrews,
04:00but do you end up in a place where you're going, damn,
04:04I'm seeing some of the same type of plays at times,
04:06and we paid big money for him, right?
04:08Conor McGovern is a dude who's pretty good in both of those places,
04:12but he's still not perfect by any means.
04:14Even Tyler Lindebaum has some of his issues.
04:16It felt like this was a little bit of a down year for him
04:19when it came to his production for the Ravens
04:22and the way that the Ravens' offensive line was in general.
04:24But I think all three of those guys are just overall better players.
04:28Agreed.
04:28That's neither here nor there.
04:29But it's all relative is ultimately my point.
04:31Would you rather – and now we're getting to the re-signings –
04:33re-sign Ed Ingram or Trent Brown?
04:36Ooh, this is fun because Ed Ingram was really good,
04:39especially going forward in the run this past year,
04:42and boy, is that something that they want to do?
04:44All that being said, I think it's Trent Brown.
04:47If for no other reason than, again,
04:49talking about what the market is this offseason,
04:51both free agent and draft,
04:54tackle is going to be a little harder to get a dude
04:56than it is going to be guard.
04:57And I like the veteran experience,
05:00the mentorship that Trent Brown would bring to a room
05:02if you bring him back,
05:03especially if maybe he could do a little swing.
05:05I think that he's probably a right tackle.
05:07Like, you know that he plays there.
05:08Can he play left tackle for you in some swing?
05:10I know he hasn't played left tackle in a while,
05:12but I would like that as a depth piece if you bring him back.
05:14Yeah, I would probably roll with Trent Brown,
05:16especially since Titus Howard is gone.
05:19Like, if Titus Howard was here,
05:21I would probably consider maybe, you know, Ed Ingram,
05:24but nah, I think right now,
05:26I think the answer should be Trent Brown.
05:28All right, we're all in agreement on the first two.
05:30How about this one?
05:31On day two of the draft,
05:33now keep in mind, day two is the second and third round.
05:35Yes.
05:36Sorry, sometimes I like trying to sneak that fourth round in there.
05:39No, I'm talking to everybody.
05:39No, you're talking to me, and it's fine.
05:41I appreciate it.
05:42I do.
05:42On day two of the draft,
05:43would you rather draft a running back
05:46or an interior defensive lineman?
05:48Interior defensive lineman.
05:49Yeah, I agree.
05:50Flatly, interior defensive lineman.
05:51As much as I would love another running back,
05:54like a really good running back in that round,
05:56I think you got to go D-tackle.
05:59Also, think about the role,
06:00because how much does Nick Cassero talk about
06:02what they do when they're acquiring any players,
06:04about thinking about what role that player will play.
06:07If you're drafting a running back,
06:08you're talking about a dude who's immediate slots in at, what,
06:11running back three, maybe two,
06:12if he ends up kind of showing up in a really good way.
06:16You're talking about an interior defensive lineman
06:17in one of those rounds?
06:18He could be a starter.
06:20And if he is not nominally a starter,
06:22he's going to get reps because they like rotating it.
06:24They like to rotate, yeah.
06:25I think that that's important for what this defense is.
06:28Also, that is your strength.
06:29I would like to continue that strength.
06:31Yeah, and then to add on to the running back part,
06:34I just don't trust the Houston Texans right now
06:36to use this whole running back by committee.
06:39I'm not sure if they really down with that.
06:41Now, I know they got Woody Mars and Montgomery,
06:44but I'm not sure if they really down for the running back by committee
06:48by playing maybe three running backs.
06:50I'm with you guys on day two,
06:52but I have a different answer on day three.
06:54Huh.
06:54On day three, I go running back.
06:56They don't have but two running backs.
06:59Yeah.
06:59They have two.
07:01Really, that you know what, you know,
07:02kind of, sort of what you're going to get.
07:05That's, that's,
07:06Goomba Wally's a free agent, and who knows what he is.
07:08Duar Jordan, who knows what he is.
07:09Well, I think you know exactly what he is,
07:11and that might be some of what you're sneaking to.
07:13All right.
07:14Wait, before you do the all right, hey, Fig, sidebar,
07:17did he just hit us with the okey-doke?
07:18Because he asked us about day two, and he's like,
07:19but if it's on day three, I'm going to change my answer.
07:22But that's not what you asked us.
07:23I'm just making a point.
07:24I think it's that important that you still need a running back.
07:27All right.
07:27Would you rather Ariante Ursary play left tackle or right tackle?
07:34I think the easy answer is left tackle,
07:36and so I will take the easy answer because that's where he's been.
07:39It is worth noting that, especially in the draft,
07:42there's a lot of dudes who played left tackle,
07:44and you wonder now some of these dudes can move or whatever.
07:49I think that he is capable of playing right tackle if you need him to.
07:52So this, I might be a little bit of a push if I answer,
07:55but just to give you a definitive answer,
07:57I would like him to stay in that position and continue to grow.
07:59Yeah, I would say stay at left tackle.
08:01Try to figure it out at right tackle,
08:03even if it's Trent Brown or you bring somebody else in
08:06or maybe draft somebody because they draft to him to be a right tackle, right?
08:11Yes.
08:11He was kind of playing a little right tackle.
08:13It was very early on, but I say keep him at left tackle.
08:17Don't do the whole switcheroo and moving all the musical chairs thing.
08:21All right.
08:21This is where we differ.
08:21I want him at right tackle.
08:23I want Trent Brown to be insurance,
08:24and you draft that left tackle that's a stud.
08:27Or we can go real sicko with it, give up some more picks,
08:29go get Trent Williams, play left tackle.
08:31Let's move.
08:32You know what I mean?
08:33Let's move, baby.
08:34That's the only case I would be like, all right.
08:36You wouldn't even have to tell Erso.
08:37He'd just line up at right tackle.
08:39Ariante's like, hey, big fella, I kept the spot warm for you.
08:41You ready?
08:42Yep.
08:43All right.
08:43Would you rather run it back with Jalen Reed at safety
08:46or draft slash acquire another?
08:49Ooh, this one is a really good question.
08:53All right.
08:54So run it back with Jalen Reed.
08:55And I imagine also inherently in that is the possibility of MJ Stewart.
08:59Sure.
08:59Holding down the fort as well.
09:01But he started seven games and it looked like, you know, who knows,
09:03you know, the level of which he can play.
09:05This is an interesting safety draft.
09:08I think.
09:11I think I run it.
09:14All right.
09:15I think I think you draft because this team has been very cognizant of trying
09:20to improve that safety spot.
09:23Like they've they've done things in is it back to back years to try and address
09:27safety?
09:28Yeah.
09:28And so I think that why not continue that path if that's the way that they want
09:33to go, although I do feel comfortable as comfortable as it seems like they do
09:38with the idea of Jalen Reed stepping into that role or growing into it or MJ
09:42Stewart holding it down.
09:43But it's evident that they like trying to address that role,
09:46even to the point of adding a CJ Gardner Johnson.
09:49So I think you draft and try and add to that.
09:51Yeah, I'm with it, man.
09:53Like as much as I think Jalen Reed is fine, I still I need somebody else just in
09:59case, man, because he was he was hurt a lot this year.
10:01So I just want to make sure it don't hurt drafting somebody else.
10:05I want another safety.
10:07I don't even think it's that hard.
10:08I think we've done maybe it's a bad job.
10:11I was gonna say a good job, but we've done some kind of job of over romanticizing
10:16Jalen Reed as a player.
10:17I said this toward the end of the season going into the playoffs.
10:20He's had he had 14 tackles.
10:21He played in seven games.
10:23Twelve of the tackles were in one game.
10:25One game.
10:25Well, I don't even know how much I want to validate my safety play off tackles,
10:30because if my safety is making tackles, all I'm saying is all I'm saying is we're
10:33over romanticizing his his I don't think his job.
10:36I don't think his job is safe.
10:38Like I would say, you know, it's safe.
10:40Like, let's not address this need because we got Jalen Reed.
10:44I'm not even sure if Jalen Reed is the dude that I go to immediately.
10:47That's why I mentioned MJ Stewart.
10:48I think MJ Stewart might be the leader in the clubhouse to be your starting safety
10:51as well.
10:52Might be.
10:52But he handled up really well in the times where he was holding down.
10:56And I'm not ripping on Jalen Reed.
10:58I think it's like we saw some flashes and we're like, oh, Jalen Reed.
11:01It was it was really, really, really a small set.
11:04It was some flashes, but I would still feel more comfortable getting somebody there that
11:08can at least push him.
11:09No, I hear you.
11:10The only thing that I go to is are we doing the thing where in the offseason we are just
11:15operating with digital money that does not exist or in this instance, digital draft capital
11:20because we're talking about we want offensive line help.
11:23Hey, I would like you to add to the tight end.
11:24Maybe if you find a running back and add a safety, how many picks?
11:27Right.
11:27Like, I think that that is the thing that gave me a little bit of pause as you ask that
11:31question, especially when you have a couple of options that I think I'd be comfortable
11:34with rolling out.
11:35Do y'all feel more comfortable?
11:37I mean, do y'all really think the test is going to really add three offensive linemen in
11:41the draft alone?
11:42No, no, no, no.
11:43In the draft alone?
11:44No, I don't think so.
11:45I think maybe max two.
11:47Yeah.
11:48Yeah, I agree.
11:49Yeah.
11:49So that's a little would you rather Texas?
11:51Would you rather as we continue to look at this?
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