2017 NFL Draft: Will Houston Texans Pick Quarterback in First Round?
The Houston Texans have plenty to address in the 2017 NFL Draft, but if free agency doesn't go in their favor, they may also need a quarterback.
To say the Houston Texans are between a rock and a hard place at quarterback would be an understatement. With Brock Osweiler costing the team millions as the most overpriced quarterback in the NFL, the Texans are still searching for a franchise quarterback. The outside predictions are in favor of a deal with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, but only if he is released. The Texans cannot afford to deal away valuable draft capital for a quarterback that only has a few good years left in front of him.
While other non-Romo options exist, he is the clear standard the Texans are aiming for. Romo instantly turns the Texans into championship contenders for whatever years he has left. The problem for the Texans is that his release is outside of their control. Until that situation solidifies, the Texans are left twisting in the wind. They cannot afford to wait around to see what may fall to them in free agency if the players they want never even hit the market.
For that reason, the 2017 NFL Draft almost seems like the more sure option to get a talented passer. If the Texans find what they like, they should make sure they get it. There are a multitude of passers available but it is uncertain whether they can actually develop into franchise quarterbacks. Mike Mayock of NFL.com has already prematurely declared that there are no franchise quarterbacks worthy of top-10 picks in the 2017 NFL Draft.
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The Texans, however, pick at 25th overall and they should have a chance to draft whichever quarterback works best for their offense, if the role has not been filled. This has been reiterated by two recent mock drafts by Rob Rang of CBS Sports, who has the Texans taking Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes and by Peter Schrager of Fox Sports, who has the Texans doing the same. Schrager's take may be the more interesting of the two, saying:
Could the Texans really acquire yet another quarterback this offseason? Sure. I'm not sure what the deal is at the moment. But heading into the combine, Tony Romo is not there, Brock Osweiler still is, and Tom Savage is lingering, too.
Naturally, a mock draft that has the Texans taking a quarterback because of (maybe in spite of) the current murkiness is going to be worth discussion. It is the most important position in sports and nobody has more impact on a game than a quarterback.
Paul Jackiewicz of Toro Times writes that he "would still rather see the Texans trade their first round pick for Jimmy Garoppolo instead of drafting Mahomes," thus adding another monkey wrench into the quagmire that is the Texans quarterback position.
At this point, it is uncertain how the Texans can solve the quarterback position. There is no certainty and no resolution. Even if things shake out in their favor in either free agency or the draft there is no guarantee that everything results in greater success or that the team will be kept wondering "What if?" about going after a different passer.
But if the Houston Texans do have one draft prospect in mind, Mahomes or otherwise, they should pull the trigger and weather whatever storm comes with it.
