ADAM SCHEFTER INTERVIEW
Exclusive: Adam Schefter sheds light on Clowney's future and O'Brien's reputation
May 21, 2020, 5:49 pm
Photos by Getty Images. Composite image by Jack Brame.
It has been a very controversial offseason for the Houston Texans after trading away All-Pro WR DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter had no shortage of interesting things to say about how internally the Texans are justifying the trade.
"Bill is running the team with the way that he wants to," Adam Schefter said on The Jake Asman Show on Gow Media's SB Nation Radio. "I can tell you from speaking with people from around the league and in Houston that they (Texans) believe they have a strong justification/validation for every single move that they made. They had numbers on DeAndre Hopkins, with the contract situation being what it was, in their minds they were going to have a tough time justifying paying what he wanted… The issue is that we are living in a world where everybody wants to assess things right away… They can justify that move, their analytics say it was a good move, they believe it was a good move and over time we will find out if they are right."
Former Texans DE Jadeveon Clowney is still a free agent but don't count on Clowney playing for the Texans again even though he has been working out in the Houston area.
"How many teams are out there right now that are going to pay Jadeveon Clowney what he wants," Schefter said. "Cleveland is the one I can think of. Maybe Seattle but it won't be what he wants exactly. I think there are teams out there that won't want to spend money if they don't know if they are going to be losing money this year without fans. Do you want to go and throw all this money at Jadeveon Clowney when we don't know for sure there is going to be a season?"
One under the radar impact caused by the pandemic on the NFL is the future salary cap number for the league. While Schefter said that he still anticipates the league still finding a way to play 16 regular games, he believes that the loss of revenue is going to have a huge impact on all 32 clubs.
"Right now nobody knows the answers to those questions," Schefter said. "If there are no fans, based on the way I calculated it talking to people, it would be roughly about 100 million dollars lost per team... I was told that the number is even higher than that. Again, when you factor in the 2021 salary cap, you take in the revenue from 2020 and if there are no fans in the stadium, it is going to be down. The pandemic impacts just about everybody and I don't believe in the end that NFL owners and NFL players are going to be immune to that.
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The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the defending champs this weekend, they changed the tone of their season.
Dominant pitching. Star power. Road swagger. The three-game dismantling of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine wasn’t about revenge or validation. It was about showing, once and for all, that this version of the Astros, short-handed and all, belongs squarely in the conversation with baseball’s elite.
A statement series
The Astros pitching staff was lights out against one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, holding the Dodgers to just six runs across three games, including two contests where LA managed just a single run. Lance McCullers Jr., much-maligned after getting shelled by the Cubs last week, bounced back in a big way. He worked around four walks, giving up just one run on a solo homer, a much-needed course correction as the Astros evaluate their playoff rotation options.
On the offensive side, the stars delivered in a big way. Jose Altuve torched Dodgers pitching with three home runs, seven RBIs, two walks, and just one strikeout. Christian Walker matched him with six hits of his own, including a pair of long balls and six RBIs.
A shift in expectations?
This wasn’t just a series win. This was a proof of concept.
Houston came into the series already heating up, now they’re officially on fire. Over the last 30 days, the Astros rank third in runs and fifth in RBIs. For the season, they’re top 10 in nearly every key offensive category: eighth in OPS, first in batting average, ninth in slugging. Defensively, the numbers are just as strong. They lead MLB in strikeouts and opponents’ batting average, and rank second in WHIP.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a team with top-five upside in both pitching and offense. The pieces are clicking. The vibes are real. And the Astros suddenly look like a legitimate World Series contender again.
Is help on the way?
Reliever Hector Neris rejoined the team this week, offering a veteran boost to a bullpen that’s been leaned on heavily. Neris brings postseason pedigree and a reputation as a clubhouse leader. The Astros hope a return to familiar surroundings, and the guidance of one of the best pitching development staffs in the league, can get him back on track.
Tayler Scott returns on a minor league deal, and while the move may not turn heads, it adds another layer of depth to a bullpen that’s already one of the league’s best.
Background noise in LA
No Astros-Dodgers series goes by without a little extra noise and this one was no different. During the broadcast, former Cy Young winner and Dodgers analyst Orel Hershiser raised eyebrows by implying that Houston’s offensive surge might not have been entirely on the level.
Predictable? Absolutely. Meaningful? Not even close.
If anything, it’s a weird kind of compliment. No one questions legitimacy when you’re losing. But after a lopsided 18-1 beat down people start reaching for answers, or excuses.
Inside the Astros clubhouse, though, that chatter doesn’t register.
They know exactly what this sweep meant. And so does the rest of the league.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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