Houston Texans

It's Time To Call Out Houston Texans GM Rick Smith

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:13 p.m. ET

Fansided, Erik Lambert/FanSided via NFL Mocks

Sep 16, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith watches from the sideline during a game between the Rice Owls and the Baylor Bears at Rice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

People talk about Bill O’Brien in regards to the success of the Houston Texans but it’s also been about the man who hired him in the first place.

Why has nobody taken GM Rick Smith to task over the past few years about his highly questionable decisions at the quarterback position? Keep in mind he’s been in charge of the Texans front office since 2006. He just got handed a contract extension by the team. Over that span he has drafted 10 players who have reached at least one Pro Bowl in their careers. Yet there is a fact that is continuously overlooked. A fact that might be the biggest reason this team can’t win in January.

Smith refuses to draft quarterbacks high. It’s no joke. In 11 seasons he has never once taken a QB in the first three rounds. Tom Savage, who has been the teams’ backup the past couple years was a 4th round pick. Otherwise they’ve gone different routes to finding a solution. First it was trading for Matt Schaub in 2007. He went to a couple Pro Bowls under Gary Kubiak but had just one playoff win.

Then there was the $74 million he decided to throw at free agent Brock Osweiler. A man who just got benched before his first year with the team was even over. The only reason nobody is addressing this clear problem is because Smith has managed to protect himself by building a solid roster otherwise.

Sooner or later Houston fans have to see that he’s gone 10 years dancing around the most important job of a general manager in the NFL. That is drafting a quarterback and developing him into a franchise cornerstone that can win championships. This Osweiler mess sparked by a Bill O’Brien rebellion is bound to shed some serious light on the issue for the first time.

Not a moment too soon either because the window for this team is open but it won’t stay that way for ever. If Smith isn’t willing to take the gamble in the draft, then somebody else must be brought in who will.