Ryan Mallett looked strong in his first start of his NFL career. The Houston Texans quarterback followed the trend set by Mark Sanchez and Kirk Cousins who also impressed in their first starts after being a backup. This issue both Sanchez and Cousins failed to follow up their strong starts with an even better second start. Mallett will try to break the mold for the Texans in hopes of earning a contract extension in the future. However, do the Texans already have their eyes on another quarterback?
Mallett waited over three years to make his first start in the NFL and his patience was rewarded with a win over the Cleveland Browns. The quarterback went 20 of 30 in passing for 211 yards while winning 23-7. Mallett admits that being in system he was familiar with given his experience with head coach Bill O'Brien made all the difference.
"Being in the system for those three years has helped me be at the point where those guys know that I know it, so we can go talk about it, and sometimes it's without the coaches. Great teams, you gotta meet without coaches to be good. ... That's just the extra work you have to put in," Mallett said, via NFL.com.
The follow-up will be the key for Mallett. So far this season, backup quarterbacks have struggled to capitalize off a solid debut. Can Mallett change that? The Texans face off against the division-leading Cincinnati Bengals with a defense that will be a lot more challenging than the Browns.
"To me, last week's over and it's a whole new week," Mallett said, per the Houston Chronicle. "It's back to the grind and getting ready to go. What we have to do is build on what we established last week as a team. This game is very humbling. Once you think you've arrived, you figure out different. So my thought process is be the best I can every day at whatever it is."
The Texans are starting to consider their quarterback options for next season which will include rookie Tom Savage, but might not include veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. That leaves the door open for Mallett to earn a contract extension if he excels in the starting spot for the remainder of the season. However, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Texans are eyeing Browns' quarterback Brian Hoyer who will be a free agent in the offseason.
Hoyer has been exceling as a starting quarterback as well. His skill set paired with his veteran knowledge has helped him keep Cleveland in playoff contention this season. He is exactly the kind of quarterback most teams want, a veteran who can help mentor a younger player while still keeping the team competitive. If the Browns do not retain Hoyer, the Texans may jump at the chance to sign him regardless of what Mallett does this season.