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ITL breaks down draft strategy now that the offensive line looks mostly set and what positions should be prioritized.
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00:00enjoying the good vibes that come from feeling like,
00:04all right, this is a team that's well-situated.
00:07I think I saw, I can't remember exactly where it was,
00:10and I always feel bad not attributing,
00:12but I think I saw somebody write a piece
00:14that was talking about what holes teams still have.
00:18You want to know what they had for the Texans?
00:20I didn't see this.
00:21I'm interested.
00:22Hunter.
00:23Because of the trade?
00:25Hunter.
00:26But they made a trade for a punter.
00:28I feel to have a team where you go,
00:29you know, we really got to show her up?
00:31We got to figure out what the punter is.
00:32Oh, yeah, if that's the issue that we're talking about,
00:34we haven't even gotten to the draft.
00:35Not even depth?
00:36Good spot, man.
00:37Like, obviously, they got a punter.
00:38And they got a punter.
00:39There's definitely.
00:40And they traded for it.
00:41Yeah.
00:42There's definitely depth considerations that have to be made,
00:45and maybe that's where we go here,
00:46because we did the whole what bucket do these teams fall into?
00:51Jordan Rodriguez of the Athletic.
00:52Yeah.
00:52And the Texans were, like, positive neutral.
00:54That's before they end up with Wyatt Teller,
00:57aggressive, run-blocking guard that is kind of anticipating playing left guard.
01:02It seemed excited.
01:03Did you see his wife on social media and everything?
01:05It seemed excited for the opportunity.
01:07This feels like, all right, they have an opportunity to go,
01:10and maybe they are in that win-now circumstance.
01:12And if they are, what does their draft now look like?
01:15And that's the lead-up, right?
01:17We've got just over a month, like a month and five days or something to that effect
01:20until NFL draft gets going and the first round is on, I was going to say,
01:27until the Texans are on the clock.
01:28But you never know if the Texans are on day one of the draft.
01:32But you get the point, right?
01:33What does it then look like now that they have this largely situation?
01:36There could still be things that happen, right?
01:38Yeah.
01:38Nick Casario is not one to sit idly by at times.
01:41But what could a win-now iteration of the draft?
01:46Well, here's the thing.
01:46They are in win-now mode.
01:48I mean, we know that.
01:50The problem was we didn't know – we knew that they didn't necessarily have to draft
01:57the best player available because they needed, what, three offensive linemen,
02:01maybe four at one point.
02:03But now they have their offensive line.
02:05So it got me thinking about, like, okay, so we know they're in win-now.
02:08Now, they have arguably their line complete, you know,
02:13depending on how you feel about center.
02:15Their starting lineup, yep.
02:16Yeah, they have their starting lineup.
02:17So what does a win-now draft look like now?
02:21And the obvious question for me, answer for me was, well,
02:25they still need to draft the center.
02:26But even that, is that a win-now move, drafting a center in the first round?
02:31Yes.
02:31Or second round?
02:32I still don't think the first round.
02:34Let's say second round.
02:35We're going to fight on that a few times in the coming weeks until we get there.
02:38I could argue that it's not a win-now move.
02:40Why is that?
02:40I could argue draft the center.
02:41You're the center man.
02:42I know.
02:43I want a new center.
02:44I'm calling him the center man now, by the way.
02:46I'm the center man.
02:46I'm writing that down.
02:47And that's a better nickname than the closer anyway.
02:49I'm the center of your universe.
02:51If you say so.
02:52So, no, I'm the guy that thinks that.
02:54I spend more time with you than I think most other people at this point,
02:56which is uncomfortable.
02:57This is true.
02:58It's an uncomfortable thought to have.
02:58I talk more with you than I do my wife.
03:00I don't know what that says.
03:02It says that Jan is sick of you at this point.
03:04That's what it says.
03:05But I could argue easily, and I'm the guy that wants to upgrade its center.
03:09Center man.
03:10If you draft a center in the second round, he's not going to step right in.
03:15You're going to have a competition because they like Jake Andrews so much.
03:19Oh, yeah.
03:19He's going to have a competition.
03:20Well, it's not just because they like Jake Andrews so much.
03:22You're right about that.
03:23I think it's also because center as a position, especially with the system that they have,
03:27requires a level of experience and understanding that you can't just assume.
03:31Like, maybe at some other positions.
03:34Definitely at wide receiver.
03:35Like, you getting drafted in the second round, there's a high likelihood of you getting in
03:37here and running some damn routes.
03:39Right.
03:39There's still work for any rookie to do.
03:43Center is work that is a lot higher.
03:45There's a lot more, especially in this system where there's a lot more of these checks.
03:49There's a lot more communication that's necessary.
03:50This is a cerebral position as much as any position is in the NFL, and it's not easy
03:57to just go, this is your first time, and the learning curve is steep, but we still expect
04:01you to jump in and do that.
04:02That's why I'm saying if you...
04:03Outside of that, I do think there is the possibility, if you draft one highly, that they could take
04:08Jake Andrews' job without question.
04:09But is that a win-now move to draft the center in the second round?
04:13Again, I just argued, I think it is not necessarily...
04:15What is a win-now?
04:16Well, yeah, at that point, what is a win-now move for you?
04:18Because I...
04:18I have an answer on that, too, for me personally.
04:20That would be elevating a center position, which, again, is part of the interior offensive
04:24line, which was very clearly one of, if not your biggest sweetnesses last year.
04:28Yeah.
04:28Point blank period.
04:29I feel like a win-now move would have been signing a center that's better than Jake Andrews.
04:33Right.
04:34Right.
04:34Because he has the experience, certainly probably some experience.
04:37Let's get somebody that's clearly better.
04:38Some knowledge, presumably, of this system.
04:41But a rookie center is not a win-now move, which leads to the question, what is a win-now
04:47move?
04:47Let's do that step back.
04:48What is a win-now move?
04:49How do you characterize a win-now move?
04:50Because for me, in this moment, a win-now move is something that...
04:54In the draft, by the way, if you're just joining us.
04:56That's a fair clarification to make, is one that makes whatever portion of your roster
05:02better than it was before, which is kind of a difficult thing to achieve, considering
05:07what they've done here.
05:08I think a win-now move, that is actually attainable, because that's why I go with center.
05:13There's a possibility that you get a better center if you get somebody that is heady enough
05:16to be able to take on that responsibility.
05:18Because, as you've laid out a number of times, the athleticism and physicality that Jake Andrews
05:23has isn't the biggest...
05:25It's not the highest bar, and you have guys that could clear that if you bring them in
05:29the draft.
05:29That's why I put that there.
05:31Where I immediately go as the possibility, which, honestly, I have now leaned back into
05:35as highest likelihood for round one, pick 28 for the Houston Texans, defensive line.
05:43Defensive tackle.
05:44Because that is the spot where I think that it's possible that you get either an elevated
05:48starter, depending on who you get, or at the very least, somebody who is going to get
05:52a number of reps where they're going to impact football, right?
05:55They like rotating at that spot.
05:56They have a rotation spot, really.
05:59Because maybe you say, all right, defensive line in general, at the edges.
06:02Well, you draft a guy, and I'm not certain that they're going to rotate in a ton, because
06:06you have guys that could easily beat out a rookie.
06:09I think that you look over at that interior, and I go, I got three and a possible that are
06:14actually going to rotate in there.
06:16You could easily get a defensive lineman who steps in as the third or fourth best defensive
06:19lineman, and now they're playing important downs, and a number of them in this season.
06:24Isn't it wild?
06:26Almost literally overnight, we went from a discussion of maybe they'll draft three offensive
06:30linemen, you know, because of where they were.
06:33Oh, they still could.
06:33They still could.
06:34But it's not a win move to, I'm with you, stack that defense.
06:38Stack that defense.
06:40And I don't think it's necessary.
06:41I think it's probably going to be a defensive tackle.
06:44In fact, a mock draft I saw on CBS this morning, that was posted this morning, had them drafting
06:51a defensive tackle, Caden McDonald from Ohio State, at 28.
06:54That's his name.
06:55I'd be messing up that.
06:56I'm like, I know his initials is KD.
06:58I don't remember his name.
06:59Caden McDonald, that's my bad.
07:00But how are they going to get to a Super Bowl?
07:02What's going to be their calling card?
07:04It's going to be the defense.
07:04I think a win-now move is either a defensive tackle.
07:08I think you can still putter around with linebacker.
07:11I think another Jalen Petrie type, you know, that can kind of be hybrid, nickel.
07:19Just a playmaker.
07:20Just a playmaker.
07:21You know the only issue with that?
07:22Because that's a great point that for some reason my dumb self did not think of.
07:25Because if Jalen Petrie's injured, we've had this discussion.
07:28Yeah, that's what I was thinking about the whole time.
07:30You know what I'm saying?
07:31You know, you never know in the draft, somebody can fall to that area.
07:36And you'd be like, man, this dude's just a baller.
07:38The issue with the Jalen Petrie thing is the reason why Jalen Petrie's so valuable.
07:44They don't just make those, right?
07:46And the problem is also that that has become in vogue in the National Football League, right?
07:50In a similar way, Nick Imanwari, right?
07:53But not as high in the draft.
07:55Well, that's just because of safeties generally.
07:57That's what I'm saying.
07:57They kind of fall to where the Texans are.
07:59And by the way, just real quick, Jalen Petrie was a safety.
08:02Yes.
08:02No, you're right.
08:03Yeah, you know.
08:04But I think that that's what people are looking for.
08:06So there's a lot of teams that want that.
08:07And you'd be looking for that as depth where some teams are looking at that as I need
08:11that guy as my nickel that I'm going to have all the time, my big nickel.
08:14I think that that competitive competition in the market makes it so that it might be tougher.
08:19I think that answering that question is probably better answered for the Texans or easier answered
08:23maybe, if not better.
08:25If you have another cornerback that you believe in strongly, draft the cornerback so you have
08:30better depth so that in the instance or in the let's knock on wood, everybody.
08:35I don't know if you got wood in the car or wood trim.
08:36Dude, go ahead and knock on that.
08:38I appreciate that, Fig.
08:40In the instance where Jalen Petrie is out of a game, Kamari Lasseter can play that spot,
08:45which we know he has.
08:46And then you have a cornerback that you feel super confident plays opposite Derek Stingley.
08:51Well, that's why I said...
08:52That's the thing that I probably think is the answer in the off chance that Jalen Petrie...
08:55That's why I said Jalen Petrie type.
08:57Because it could be another safety that's converted or a cornerback who could play there or play
09:01cornerback and Lasseter comes in.
09:03But I'm looking at this and I'm like, okay, if you're going to have one badass defense,
09:08if you lose Petrie for a few games, it affects you.
09:13If you lose a linebacker for a few games, it affects you.
09:16Clearly, you mentioned defensive tackle.
09:17I think the win-night move with their first pick, whether it's 28 overall or wherever
09:22it lands, might be on the defense.
09:24All right.
09:24So this text comes in and interesting thought from the 713.
09:27I'll disagree with the actual what you're saying, but I want to get to what you're getting
09:31to, right?
09:32Y'all are forgetting about Jalen Smith.
09:34And I'm not like...
09:35I definitely like Jalen Smith a good amount.
09:38I was coming into the season before they end up signing Reed Blankenship thinking that
09:41him and MJ Stewart could very much compete for that starting safety job opposite Kalen
09:47Bullock.
09:48But I think that them going and getting Reed Blankenship might tell me a little something
09:51about where they think he is right now in his development.
09:54Yeah.
09:55Do you view Jalen Smith as a viable capability of stepping in behind a Jalen Petrie should
10:01something like that happen?
10:02I hadn't really thought about that a whole lot, but I don't think it hurts to have that
10:08guy drafted much higher with a much higher ceiling that you could plug in.
10:13I'll put it like this.
10:14I'm not passing up on a guy if he's right there.
10:16That's a better way to put it.
10:18Because we got Jalen Smith.
10:20Yeah.
10:21I think that they could work with it, right?
10:24I think we're talking about trying to make this ironclad in a way that I would want to
10:30probably...
10:31And honestly, maybe I don't even have to make the argument in the Jalen Petrie portion
10:35of this.
10:36Because maybe you're right.
10:36Maybe they would just slot in.
10:39Maybe they would just slot in Jalen Smith.
10:41Or maybe they would do the thing where Reed Blankchip, especially playing downhill, is
10:45good enough where they feel like they put him in that position and put MJ Stewart up.
10:50Right?
10:50There's a lot of different permutations that maybe you could get to.
10:53I think that you probably could just afford to brush up your cornerback depth a little
10:56bit in general.
10:57Especially now that you have a safety depth that you feel a little bit better about.
11:00Well, I know that you have Tremont Smith.
11:03You have...
11:04Well, I guess Jalen Smith is the cornerback.
11:06I'm thinking Jalen Reed.
11:07Jalen Reed, yeah.
11:08Was who I was talking about.
11:09Jalen Smith, I do like him as an additional cornerback.
11:11I do wonder, though, is that something where you...
11:13Because we came into the season going...
11:15Is that something where you feel entirely strong about your cornerbacks entirely?
11:19Or would you like to see a little bit more depth?
11:22I think that would be something...
11:22I'm with Figgy.
11:23I wouldn't pass on a stud that high.
11:24I just wouldn't do it.
11:25Let me ask you both this, though.
11:26So, would a running back be a win-now move?
11:30Yeah.
11:31Yes.
11:31Yeah?
11:32Well, in the first round...
11:33Specifically, we're not...
11:34In the first round.
11:35No, actually, no.
11:35It's not a win-now move in so much as the expectation, if everything goes right, is
11:40that dude is not involved.
11:41Mm-hmm.
11:41Right?
11:41The expectation is that dude is very...
11:44But he could be a change-up guy.
11:46I think that...
11:47Yeah.
11:47I think that with the likes of...
11:48That is in the rotation as well.
11:49Possibly, but the thing for me is David Montgomery comes in with the baggage, I guess, for lack
11:56of a better term, of the Detroit Lions and not having...
12:00Not getting as much burn.
12:01Yeah.
12:01And I think that he gets traded because he wants to get to a place where he gets more
12:04burn.
12:05Mm-hmm.
12:05Hello, Houston Texans, you will take a large amount of the load.
12:08And then Woody Marks is still capable of eating up all the rest of that.
12:11I don't know if there's more.
12:12Mm-hmm.
12:12But the fact of the matter is, outside of that, I would like to have somebody that, again,
12:16should something happen...
12:17...you don't have a step down and running game, which matters specifically for this team
12:21because you are wanting that to be the identity of this team.
12:24So, not only having...
12:26Just like we were talking about with the offensive line.
12:27Yeah.
12:27Not only having your starting line options, which in this instance is the tandem of Montgomery
12:31and Marks, I think you also would like to have somebody that you lean on that you
12:35feel very confident steps in.
12:37And I don't know how we all feel about it, but I think that I'm less than 100% confident
12:42in whether it's Jawar Jordan or who else would it even be in that instance?
12:47Like, I don't know that they actually want to run Bush Brooks, right?
12:49Last one.
12:50Okay.
12:50Last one.
12:52Burner.
12:53Wide receiver.
12:55Just an absolute...
12:56I think that would be a win now.
12:57Just an absolute burner.
12:59Yeah.
12:59I think that would be a win now.
13:01I think the running back would be a win now, too, because that's unlike...
13:04I mean, that's unlike the Houston Texans taking a running back that early.
13:08But, yeah, I thought about that.
13:10If they get a receiver, I feel like that's kind of a win-now draft move.
13:14I still would lean defense first, one of those three positions we talked about.
13:18But I think running back and receiver, you could argue, whereas the offensive linemen,
13:23they might ultimately be all pros, but I don't think that's a plug-and-play guy or plug-and-rotation
13:29guy.
13:29Well, I...
13:30But the one thing I will say is, because you're talking about win now, and that is fair, right?
13:33It probably would behoove you, though, to start plugging in some guys that are young that...
13:38Well, sure.
13:38...can help turn this over on the offensive line, even if you do have all pro guys.
13:43Because, again, Shaq Mason, with all due respect, because he should not be cautionary tale.
13:47His career was good enough to where he's not cautionary tale, except over here.
13:51Cautionary tale, or hey, man, it could fall off, right?
13:54And you have some guys in here that, again, I don't think that they will, but there's a
13:58possibility within there.
13:59Having some young guys that you're starting to look at as pushing those would be nice.
14:03I am surprised, Figgy Fig, that our friend here, John Lopez, did not mention tight end once.
14:08Well, no.
14:10Actually, I had it on my notes here.
14:12If you look at the doc, but I just started going down that path of, in a while, in a
14:16while, I mean, you do, you're right.
14:18I mean, you're still going to draft offensive linemen, but, you know, if you're saying windows
14:22open, here we go, we gave C.J. Stroud everything he wanted, and now we can draft some depth on
14:27the line, and maybe some little pieces that can fit right into the rotation, and give us,
14:32you know, and help us win games this year.
14:35I think it's...
14:36It would probably...
14:36...be other places.
14:37Yeah, no, I can see them drafting defense.
14:40And I can see them going straight up defense.
14:42Somebody said, Jalen Smith is yelling at the radio right now.
14:45My bad, Jalen.
14:46It's too many of y'all, y'all.
14:47It's too many of y'all.
14:48That's my fault, but I'm still blaming the fact that y'all all got the same name.
14:52All right, you're in the loop here on Sports Radio 6.
14:54I appreciate you rocking with us.
14:56Jordan Tyson, wide receiver, ASU.
14:57Hey, fun wide receiver.
14:59There's a lot of real fun wide receivers.
15:00He might go early the way they've been talking, man.
15:03But, to your point, Mekhi Lemon is a dude that they are reported to want to talk to.
15:08So, maybe that is something that they have in their back pocket.
15:11In addition to, obviously, this time of year, all those kind of conversations,
15:1430 visits to things that you take account of.
15:17Although, I don't know how much you can lean into those nearly as much,
15:20because now you're kind of free.
15:22You're free to move around the cabin, as they would say.
15:24That's right.
15:25That's right.
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