IrishAg said:

---

Max Power said:

---

Rhetorical question/not really because I don't know but how many guys really showed they were going to be good in the NFL at the combine compared to their tape? I could have a blind spot here but the combine to me is where you find fool's gold and tape/in-game data is where you find diamonds in the rough.

---

Yeah, was listening to Zierlein on the out-kick podcast this morning and that sounded along the same line as his points on the combine. You get confirmation a guy is who you thought he was or that he moves a little but, but he also pointed out that a good showing from a guy with a lower grade will cause him to go back to dig into more tape.

Overall though, he and Bucky Brooks pointed out that teams rarely fall in love with an explosion type combine performance anymore and rather try to use it as more of confirmation from their tape studies on rankings.

---

Unless you're the Jags and you decide to use the number 1 overall pick on the guy who did better at the combine than he did at Georgia. Hutchinson had the resume, Walker won the combine. I don't even know where Walker should have slotted in at the DE position in the 2022 class. DE's drafted after Walker in the first round: Aiden Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Jermaine Johnson, and George Karlaftis.

IIRC Brian Branch fell in the draft because he didn't have a great combine but the Lions benefitted from that by taking him at 45 overall.

I figured we would not be in the Evans sweepstakes. Glad he's staying in Tampa and not making another AFC stronger.

Max Power said:

---

IrishAg said:

---

Max Power said:

---

Rhetorical question/not really because I don't know but how many guys really showed they were going to be good in the NFL at the combine compared to their tape? I could have a blind spot here but the combine to me is where you find fool's gold and tape/in-game data is where you find diamonds in the rough.

---

Yeah, was listening to Zierlein on the out-kick podcast this morning and that sounded along the same line as his points on the combine. You get confirmation a guy is who you thought he was or that he moves a little but, but he also pointed out that a good showing from a guy with a lower grade will cause him to go back to dig into more tape.

Overall though, he and Bucky Brooks pointed out that teams rarely fall in love with an explosion type combine performance anymore and rather try to use it as more of confirmation from their tape studies on rankings.

---

Unless you're the Jags and you decide to use the number 1 overall pick on the guy who did better at the combine than he did at Georgia. Hutchinson had the resume, Walker won the combine. I don't even know where Walker should have slotted in at the DE position in the 2022 class. DE's drafted after Walker in the first round: Aiden Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Jermaine Johnson, and George Karlaftis.

IIRC Brian Branch fell in the draft because he didn't have a great combine but the Lions benefitted from that by taking him at 45 overall.

---

Teams don't, but owners do. I think this is usually more aimed at 1st round picks where they want a marketable player.

Take Anthony Richardson - mediocre college QB then shot up draft boards after the combine. I doubt if he'd had been as athletic, Irsay and Co wouldn't have cared. But, if you get a high upside athletic and exciting guy, you can sell that to your fanbase.

The teams that perform the best are those that don't have the owner meddling in the draft picks.

I think there are some things that you can learn from the Combine. Probably the best tool is just getting to meet with a kid one-on-one and get a feel for his personality. If a kid puts on a show with the physical aspect, that probably makes you look at the tape a little harder. But, also, if a kid is a dud at the combine, it can be a big red flag for their work ethic and their ability to prepare.

The most important thing is the tape, but there are some things to be gained by the Combine.

Dolphins will not franchise Wilkins, I figured he'd be a sure fire franchise tag candidate.
https://texanswire.usatoday.com/2024/03/03/texans-named-as-potential-suitor-for-dt-christian-wilkins/

Dolphins are like $29M over the cap. I don't think they can afford to franchise tag.

Texan_Aggie said:

---

Dolphins are like $29M over the cap. I don't think they can afford to franchise tag.

---

Dang, I didn't realize the only team in a worse cap spot than them is Buffalo. Me thinking about a defensive line that includes Will Anderson, Greenard, Christian Wilkins, and Rankins. Predicated on us resigning Greenard and Rankins of course.

Russell Wilson officially informed he will be cut

Texan_Aggie said:

---

Dolphins are like $29M over the cap. I don't think they can afford to franchise tag.

---

I thought it was worse than that

mAgnoliAg said:

---

Texan_Aggie said:

---

Dolphins are like $29M over the cap. I don't think they can afford to franchise tag.

---

I thought it was worse than that

---

I think that's after the savings from announcing the cuts of Howard and the DE who's name I'm forgetting

IrishAg said:

---

mAgnoliAg said:

---

Texan_Aggie said:

---

Dolphins are like $29M over the cap. I don't think they can afford to franchise tag.

---

I thought it was worse than that

---

I think that's after the savings from announcing the cuts of Howard and the DE who's name I'm forgetting

---

Emmanuel Ogbah

Mr.Bond said:

---

Russell Wilson officially informed he will be cut

---

Really feels like Denver made a post-Elway deal with Satan for those 3 1/2 years of Peyton based on who their QBs have been since Elway retired. To wit:

1999: Brian Griese/Chris Miller
2000: Griese/Gus Ferotte
2001: Griese/ Ferotte
2002: Griese/Steve Burlein
2003: Jake Plummer / Burlein / Danny Kannell / Jarious Jackson
2004-2005: Plummer
2006: Plummer / Jay Cutler
2007-2008: Cutler
2009: Kyle Orton / Chrissy Sims
2010: Orton / Tim Tebow
2011: Orton / Tim Tebow
BEGIN DEAL WITH SATAN 2012-2015
2016: Trevor Siemian / Paxton Lynch
2017: Semian, Brock Osweieler, Lynch
2018: Case Keenum
2019: JoeFlacco, Drew Lock, Brandon Allen
2020: Lock, Jeff Driskel, Brett Rypien, Phillip Lindsay
2021: Teddy Bridgewater, Lock
2022: Russell Wilson, Rypien
2023: Wilson, Jarrett Stidham

Brian Burns got tagged by Carolina so one less big name out there in free agency. Looks like he wants $30MM/year which is a good reason to tag him. I have doubts they get a long term deal done with what he's looking for but with the cap increase who knows. Could see them shopping him around.

Madubuike gets tagged by Baltimore which makes sense but the more I see his highlights from last season the more impressive he was. I'm guessing they can get an extension done by July.

B-Rabbit said:

---

Sources: The #Texans have agreed to terms on a deal to keep TE Dalton Schultz in Houston. He gets a 3-year, $36M new contract with $23.5M fully guaranteed at signing. Schultz is a key weapon for CJ Stroud.
 
The deal was done by TE guru and agent @SteveCaric of @Wass_Football. pic.twitter.com/DmvAEi43jm

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 5, 2024

---

Mr.Bond said:

---

B-Rabbit said:

---

Sources: The #Texans have agreed to terms on a deal to keep TE Dalton Schultz in Houston. He gets a 3-year, $36M new contract with $23.5M fully guaranteed at signing. Schultz is a key weapon for CJ Stroud.
 
The deal was done by TE guru and agent @SteveCaric of @Wass_Football. pic.twitter.com/DmvAEi43jm

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 5, 2024

---

---

That's a real good deal, glad we got it done before FA started.

B-Rabbit said:

---

Sources: The #Texans have agreed to terms on a deal to keep TE Dalton Schultz in Houston. He gets a 3-year, $36M new contract with $23.5M fully guaranteed at signing. Schultz is a key weapon for CJ Stroud.
 
The deal was done by TE guru and agent @SteveCaric of @Wass_Football. pic.twitter.com/DmvAEi43jm

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 5, 2024

---

Hell yes, that's a great deal for both sides.

I hope he works everyday before next season on his run blocking.

Max Power said:

---

B-Rabbit said:

---

Sources: The #Texans have agreed to terms on a deal to keep TE Dalton Schultz in Houston. He gets a 3-year, $36M new contract with $23.5M fully guaranteed at signing. Schultz is a key weapon for CJ Stroud.
 
The deal was done by TE guru and agent @SteveCaric of @Wass_Football. pic.twitter.com/DmvAEi43jm

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 5, 2024

---

Hell yes, that's a great deal for both sides.

---

Meh. Schultz is a steady performer, but that is a premium price for moderate dependability. With this both being a weak free agency class for tight ends AND there likely isn't immediate help in the draft unless Bowers was to fall, I guess they had to...there really weren't any other options that didn't make the tight end position a liability if Schultz left.

CJ is comfortable with him, so I guess that counts for something. I'm fine with him in the passing game (other than a few drops), but I really wish he was a better blocker.

Yeah I'm not sure I like this.

Why not just franchise him for maybe an extra 2M with the ability to let him walk after 1 year if he doesn't stay healthy or show improvement?

TheNotoriousP.I.P. said:

---

He will be the 12th highest AAV for a tight end in the league, 7th in guaranteed money at signing. Not sure what about that screams "paying a premium", we are paying him as the upper mid-tier player he is. Considering he was the best free agent tight end hitting the market, I'd say this was a number to feel good about.

---

I didn't google the top salaries of tight ends before I posted. I just knew that the essentially we signed him for the franchise tag number (which I thought was top 5 at his position...apparently it is top 10), which is a nice raise from a year ago. I suppose you are right...I don't think of him as one of the top 10 TE in the league, but the market was going to give that to him apparently.

Ag_07 said:

---

Yeah I'm not sure I like this.

Why not just franchise him for maybe an extra 2M with the ability to let him walk after 1 year if he doesn't stay healthy or show improvement?

---

Because you likely won't find someone better than him a year from now for less money. If we draft and develop someone better, he is still a REALLY good #2 TE option. 2 years from now that will be a really good and team friendly contract unless he falls off a cliff.

Texan_Aggie said:

---

Ag_07 said:

---

Yeah I'm not sure I like this.

Why not just franchise him for maybe an extra 2M with the ability to let him walk after 1 year if he doesn't stay healthy or show improvement?

---

Because you likely won't find someone better than him a year from now for less money. If we draft and develop someone better, he is still a REALLY good #2 TE option. 2 years from now that will be a really good and team friendly contract unless he falls off a cliff.

---

This is exactly it, Schultz is a really good TE, but not great. We're somehow paying him exactly the amount you want to pay a really good TE for 3 years. That is amazing considering in FA the drop off after him is a freaking cliff, and it's a pretty bad TE draft class on top of that. Signing him in the proper money range (even if it's at the upper end of that range) is pretty surprising with how bad the supply will be for the FA. and draft market.

Yeah, us Cowboy fans had the same conflict with him. He's not a guy you want to lose, but you don't necessarily want him taking a large chunk of your salary cap either.

Ton of respect for this guy though. In his rookie year he looked like a bust. He was only a 4th round pick, but still, he looked like a guy that was never going to help us. Big improvement in year 2 and by year 3 he was a really good player for us.

Anyone who plays Fantasy Football knows there is just nothing at TE in the league outside of the top few, so paying Schultz top 10-15 money seems about right for what he produces

I'm lukewarm on this

he had some big catches last year, but also some big drops

not exactly a good run blocker either

IrishAg said:

---

Texan_Aggie said:

---

Ag_07 said:

---

Yeah I'm not sure I like this.

Why not just franchise him for maybe an extra 2M with the ability to let him walk after 1 year if he doesn't stay healthy or show improvement?

---

Because you likely won't find someone better than him a year from now for less money. If we draft and develop someone better, he is still a REALLY good #2 TE option. 2 years from now that will be a really good and team friendly contract unless he falls off a cliff.

---

This is exactly it, Schultz is a really good TE, but not great. We're somehow paying him exactly the amount you want to pay a really good TE for 3 years. That is amazing considering in FA the drop off after him is a freaking cliff, and it's a pretty bad TE draft class on top of that. Signing him in the proper money range (even if it's at the upper end of that range) is pretty surprising with how bad the supply will be for the FA. and draft market.

---

Sums up my thoughts, in addition to him being the best FA on the market this is a pretty weak TE class. Houston doesn't exactly have a history of having great TE's either, and we've drafted a lot of them. Owen Daniels made the pro bowl in 2008 and 2012, that's it for TE in the history of the organization. Great TE's are exceedingly rare and basically a cheat code these days and if you can't find great then really good is what you have to pay for.

MelvinUdall said:

---

I hope he works everyday before next season on his run blocking.

---

He won't now that he got paid

Nm - see Max Power's post

Max Power said:

---

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/texans-re-sign-kaimi-fairbairn-to-three-year-deal

---

Good move. Not having him for a few weeks last year really showed how valuable he is.

Texan_Aggie said:

---

Ag_07 said:

---

Yeah I'm not sure I like this.

Why not just franchise him for maybe an extra 2M with the ability to let him walk after 1 year if he doesn't stay healthy or show improvement?

---

Because you likely won't find someone better than him a year from now for less money. If we draft and develop someone better, he is still a REALLY good #2 TE option. 2 years from now that will be a really good and team friendly contract unless he falls off a cliff.

---

TE are also notorious for taking time to develop. Even if we draft someone we like this year it's unlikely that player contributes significantly until at least year 2 if not 3.

https://www.ftnfantasy.com/articles/FTN/116705/texans-lead-2023-agl-numbers-with-ol-injury-record

That's an interesting read on our injuries last year and the fact that the situation at O-Line was ridiculous.

I don't think this is the case anymore.

LaPorta, McBride, and Kincaid we're all TEs who produced at elite levels last season as rookies.