Why Houston fans are on board with NFL Draft expert’s surprising pick for Texans
BIG NEXT STEPS
06 February
NFL.com draft evaluator Lance Zierlein released his first mock draft of the season this week, and he has the Texans going defense with the 23rd overall pick.
Zierlein said DeMeco Ryans' comments about beefing up the d-line factored into his pick for Houston. With that in mind, he selected Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson to be drafted by Houston in the first round.
While many Texans fans were happy with this selection, it does raise some questions about what Houston will do in free agency. If the Texans elect to re-sign DE Jonathan Greenard after his 12.5 sack season, certainly that could change Zierlein's stance on the matter.
While LZ is a fan of Greenard's game, his injury history does raise some concerns, as he hasn't played a full season so far in his 4-year career. Add that to the massive salary he is going to command this season, and you have some legit reasons to let Greenard walk, and draft a young pass rusher with a much cheaper contract.
As mentioned above, free agency will have an impact on what every team does in the draft. What if the Texans let TE Dalton Schultz and Greenard leave in free agency, and instead use that money to sign the best player on the market, Chiefs' all-world defensive lineman, Chris Jones.
In theory, Houston could use the money saved on Greenard and Schultz to pay Jones around $24 million/year to wreak havoc on the d-line, and draft a player like Chop Robinson to replace Greenard.
Don't miss the video above as John Granato and Lance Zierlein break it all down!
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How Astros surging ace raises key questions about Houston's short, long-term rotation moves
Jul 25, 2024, 5:39 pm
It's no secret to Astros fans that the ascension of Hunter Brown is one of the primary reasons the team was able to rebound from a disastrous start to the season.
Astros manager Joe Espada has seen enough from Brown to start throwing around the word “ace” when talking about him.
Joe Espada on Hunter Brown: "He's having that ace feeling to him. We are expecting him to go out there and deliver what he just did. We knew all along that is in him and now he's starting to turn the corner. He's starting to have that swag where he knows 'my team needs a win.'"
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 24, 2024
And it appears the biggest key to Brown's turnaround was mixing in a two-seam fastball to keep right-handed hitters honest. Brown needed a pitch that could command the inside of the plate, which allows his other pitches to be more effective.
We learned just recently, from Chandler Rome of The Athletic, that Alex Bregman was the one that suggested the addition of the two-seam fastball to Brown's arsenal.
Come to find out, Bregman often shares advice on how to attack hitters. Or he'll ask pitchers why they chose a certain pitch in a specific situation.
This just goes to show that veteran leadership can make a big difference. Especially on a team with so many young pitchers and catchers. Bregman was able to help Brown when no pitching coach could.
For Brown, this small tweak could be the catalyst that changes the course of his career. And the Astros season for that matter.
However, some will say the difference in Brown is more about confidence than anything else. But confidence only builds after repeated success. Nobody knows where Brown would be without the two-seam fastball.
Looking ahead
If the Astros do make the playoffs, where will Espada slot Brown in the playoff rotation? Framber Valdez has the playoff experience, so he'll probably be penciled in as the number one starter.
Justin Verlander (neck) still isn't facing live batters, so it's hard to count on him. Ronel Blanco has been an All-Star level pitcher this season, but he doesn't have any experience pitching playoff games for the Astros.
So it wouldn't be surprising at all if Brown is the team's number two starter. In all likelihood, whoever is pitching the best at the end of the season may get the nod. But it's fun to discuss in the meantime.
Finally, how does Hunter Brown's arrival impact the Astros' plans at the trade deadline? And how could that affect Justin Verlander's future with the club?
Be sure to check out the video above for the full conversation!
Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
