Report: Texans' Bill O'Brien 'absolutely loves' one 2017 NFL Draft quarterback
The quarterback market in the 2017 NFL Draft is fascinating because of the questionable talent and myriad needs up and down the NFL for help now and in the future. There are several teams at the top who will want quarterbacks, but might also be willing to trade out.
And there are several teams who want to snag a quarterback later in the draft, whether it be a team that needs to draft an eventual replacement -- the Cardinals, the Saints, Giants, Steelers and Chiefs all stand out -- or whether it's a team that needs a starter now, like the Texans.
The Texans are fascinating because they missed out on the Tony Romo sweepstakes when the Cowboys quarterback retired and joined America's No. 1 sports broadcasting network, CBS (he said shamelessly), to be part of the top NFL broadcasting team with Jim Nantz.
So they almost feel like a team that has to take a quarterback in the first round, or risk rolling into the season with Tom Savage as the only answer. Savage is a pretty good quarterback, but hinging an entire year on him feels risky, especially with the Texans having enough talent on the roster to make a Super Bowl run. They've won the division two years in a row, which is why this team would be dangerous if it ever finds a QB.
Enter Patrick Mahomes, who Texans coach Bill O'Brien "absolutely loves," according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today,
"A lot of BS flies this time of year, but file this away: One NFL coach who's done homework on all the top QBs told me the word is O'Brien absolutely loves the cannon-armed Mahomes," Pelissero writes. "O'Brien wouldn't be alone -- based on conversations I've had, it wouldn't be a surprise if Mahomes is one of the first two quarterbacks taken."
Our own Pete Prisco has been all over the Mahomes wagon early this offseason, routinely pegging him as potentially the top quarterback taken, going as early as No. 6 overall to the Jets in one of his recent mock drafts .
The Texans have won without a quarterback before, as O'Brien has taken both Brian Hoyer and Brock Osweiler to the playoffs. That should not go overlooked in terms of winning on the maximum level of difficulty.
But it's well past time for Houston to actually take a quarterback early in a draft. Houston's investment in quarterbacks in the draft since GM Rick Smith took over in 2006 is, frankly, stunning.
Player Year Round Overall Pick Alex Brink 2008 7th 223 T.J. Yates 2011 5th 152 Tom Savage 2014 4th 135
Three quarterbacks drafted in over 10 years. That's ... INCREDIBLE. And not really in a good way considering the predicament the Texans have been in at the position for a while now.
In fairness, Smith helped engineer the Matt Schaub trade with the Falcons, and Schaub was a middle-to-top-tier quarterback in the NFL for a decent stretch. He operated Gary Kubiak's offense efficiently, he was mostly healthy for a stretch of six or seven seasons and he even led the league in passing yards one year. When the dropoff came, though, the cliff was steep.
And it's just weird the Texans have never had an answer at quarterback. Maybe Mahomes could be that guy -- if he falls that far.