It is no secret the Houston Texans need a franchise quarterback. They need someone to finally bring some stability to the position after the team worked with four different options during the 2015 season alone. The quarterback play was one of the biggest weaknesses of the season and owner Bob McNair is committed to making it better for next year and beyond. The Texans could look to the NFL Draft for help in the area or they could hope certain free agents make themselves available.
With the No.22 pick in the NFL Draft, top options like Jared Goff and Paxton Lynch will be off the board. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr believes the Texans will select Carson Wentz with that first pick while Christian Hackenberg is a darkhorse considering his connection with head coach Bill O'Brien. There is a lot of doubt that any of the quarterback options this season are ready to step in and lead a team immediately. Wentz certainly has the successful numbers. He threw for more than 5,000 yards ifor North Dakota State while scoring 45 touchdowns with just 14 interceptions. The quality of his opponents can be debated, but at No.22 he will be the best available at the quarterback spot.
The Texans could try and sweep up a free agent. Sam Bradford will be available. According to Peter King at MMQB.com, Bradford is favoring the free agent market while not being set on a return to Philadelphia. Bradford has said that fit and coaching staff are very important to him, but the quarterback is also looking to get paid. The Texans could try and shell out the money as Spotrac.com believes he is worth at least $18 million per season. Are the Texans ready to make that commitment for a quarterback that had some success, but not a ton last year? Other quarterback options could include Robert Griffin III who is not ready to be a starter, acquiring Colin Kaepernick or trading for a backup like Blaine Gabbert or Zach Mettenberger. McNair plans on exploring all options.
"I don't think there's any question," McNair said, via the Houston Chronicle. "I've been saying that. The question is what's available, and what's the price? How many draft picks might you have to give up? You can't undermine the rest of your team while you're trying to get a quarterback. This isn't a department store where they have them on the shelf, and you just pick one up. It's a question of who's available. We're working on that. We think there are some good prospects out there."
The Texans will undergo some changes this offseason. According to the Houston Chronicle, Arian Foster will likely be released. A contract for DeAndre Hopkins could also likely begin to be discussed. The first priority is the quarterback spot. The rest will follow after that.
