NFL insider admits Houston Texans draft could get hairy
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
16 March 2023
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
The latest odds in Vegas have Ohio State QB CJ Stroud as the favorite to be drafted number one overall by the Carolina Panthers. If Vegas is correct and Stroud is selected by the Panthers, does that make Bryce Young a lock to be drafted by the Texans at No. 2?
We asked NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein that exact question, and he believes it's a forgone conclusion that if Young is there for the Texans at No.2, he will be the pick.
But what if the opposite happens, the Panthers take Young and Stroud is there for the Texans. Should we assume the Texans would draft Stroud in this scenario?
This is where things get tricky. In theory, yes. But Zierlein isn't convinced that Stroud would be the no-brainer selection based on the Texans dealings with Stroud's agent, David Mulugheta, who also represents Deshaun Watson. And we all know how that played out. Watson got a huge payday from the Texans, and then forced his way out of town, leaving Houston with a salary cap mess.
Be sure to check out the video above as the guys share their thoughts on how this could all go down.
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Over the weekend, the big domino finally fell with Juan Soto agreeing to a 15-year, $765 million megadeal with the New York Mets. Which means Alex Bregman and the other top free agents on the market should soon follow in short order.
In fact, we're already seeing reports from Rob Bradford of WEEI and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale claiming that the Red Sox and Yankees are “expected” to make a run at Bregman.
Soto heading to the National League certainly feels like a win for Astros fans, but that could change if missing out on Soto causes the Yankees to pry Breggy away from Houston.
We'll have to wait and see how this plays out before we get too excited. However, one thing is for sure, all the free agents on the market have to be thrilled about the size of Soto's deal. Not to mention Willy Adames' 7-year, $182 million deal with the Giants that could help Bregman's chances of receiving a more lucrative deal than the Astros reportedly offered him, 6- years, $154 million.
What's really eye-opening about Soto's contract is how it could impact Framber Valdez and Kyle Tucker, specifically Tucker. It's hard to imagine Tucker won't get an offer of at least $300 million, and at this point $400 million wouldn't surprise us.
Historically, the Astros don't trade their big name free agents before their contracts expire, but perhaps they should rethink that approach with King Tuck. If they won't even entertain a deal approaching $300 million, it might be worth taking a step back this year to replenish the farm system and focus on the team long-term.
Speaking of trades, the Astros are reportedly calling anyone who will listen about the availability of Ryan Pressly.
Don't miss the video above as we react to the Soto deal, share our thoughts on how it could impact the Astros championship window, and much more!