The Houston Texans shocked no one drafting Jadeveon Clowney with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. The defensive end was being called a pick of a lifetime and will be an immediate starter for the team. The move was smart and safe. However, the Texans still have a giant hole at the quarterback position and now must fill it without the help of players like Johnny Manziel or Blake Bortles. So do the Texans draft a rookie or do they make a trade?
According to HoustonofHouston.com, the Texans are favoring a trade over a late-round rookie to head their offense in 2014. The Texans do have the No. 33 pick in the second round and could easily draft Derek Carr as the potential next quarterback of Houston, but numerous NFL sources are saying a trade is the better way to go. Is Houston ready for Ryan Mallett or Kirk Cousins?
The price tag for either quarterback is unknown. The Cleveland Browns attempted to offer a fourth-round pick for Cousins during the first round of the draft and Washington turned them down. The Redskins might accept a third-round pick for the quarterback, but is Houston willing to give that up? Washington is well-aware their backup is in high demand and might be asking for too much in return. That could make Ryan Mallett the best option.
ProFootballTalk.com has been suggesting the Mallett trade for Months. Head coach Bill O'Brien is well aware of the quarterback's background as both have New England Patriots history. Mallett will be a free agent following the 2014 season so if the experiment fails, Houston can simply get rid of him. The Patriots backup will also come cheaper in a trade. New England cannot ask for anything higher than a fourth-round pick for the quarterback and given the way they like to hoard their picks, Bill Belichick and company might be willing to strike the deal.
The Patriots have not come out and said if Mallett is available, but they are aware teams are interested. New England brought in several rookie prospects for workouts, showing signs that they are looking to start grooming the future Tom Brady. If the team likes what they see, they might be willing to let Mallett go.
Houston could also know something everyone else does not and see a future super star in players like AJ McCarron or Zach Mettenberger. Both quarterbacks have come highly rated and could easily be the target in Houston. The Texans were predictable in the first round, but might not follow that trend through the weekend.
