A BOLD MOVE
It's time for the Texans to reach out to Colin Kaepernick
Nov 6, 2017, 2:40 pm
The Texans should sign Colin Kaepernick Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
This story originally appeared on houstonsportsandstuff.com
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After reading Fred Faour’s article yesterday about the effort needed by the Texan’s defense for the remainder of the 2017 season I thought about what it would take to make that feasible. The answer has already been written and talked about by numerous people besides me; Colin Kaepernick. My opinion is not based on some high opinion of him though. I don’t really have an opinion of him. My thoughts are simply based on my low opinion of Tom Savage, Matt McGloin and T.J. Yates. And that is why it’s time for the Texans leadership to get off their high horse and sign him to finish out the season.
Bill O'Brien was asked several times about Kaepernick at Monday's press conference. He did his best to deflect but it was a hot topic.
Going into Sunday’s game the Texans’ offense with Deshaun Watson was putting up 30 points a game and for the first time in team history looked like a juggernaut. Against the 31st ranked defense, at home, without Watson; they looked pathetic. The defense kept them in it and my only take away was this: could they have won that game with just a serviceable quarterback? I think it’s possible. What does that mean for the next 8 games?
Without Watson I don’t think the Texans will make the playoffs. The Jaguars and Titans are playing too well to allow the Texans to get in. Normally, I would say fine. If you can’t win without “the man” then do your best and settle for a decent draft pick.
The Texans can’t do that this year. They gave away their draft picks in the first 2 rounds to the Browns. Without that sort of incentive waiting in the offseason, Bob McNair should be acquiring the most talented players to give his team a chance. That’s the least he can do.
Kaepernick is the best available quarterback on the market and can duplicate at least some of what made Watson effective on the field. Signing lesser talent with the reasoning that they have experience in the offensive system is a poor excuse. But we all know that it comes down to politics.
And it’s those politics that would defeat some of the reasons for making the move. This is Texas. In a solid red state like this one, anything deemed unpatriotic must be shunned by the strongest means. Signing Kaepernick would turn a lot of fans away. They would have to wait until next year to come back when he can be cut and they can pretend not to have noticed he was ever there.
I believe the opposite is true. Bringing him in would be a move for the fans. It’s an indication that just because the Texans might not make the playoffs, at least they are trying to put a good product on the field while they wait to get their quarterback and their ability to draft back. As a fan, I would appreciate that. From where I sit now; not only are the Texans bad to watch, they won’t get better while the teams around them do. That includes the Browns who would benefit immensely from their own high draft picks and the high ones they received from the Texans.
What about free agency? If the Texans can’t get players with immediate impact ability in the draft then surely they have to seek out free agents. Not signing a player who might make this team competitive because of a political line in the sand sends the wrong message. Bob McNair is telling potential free agents that he only wants to help this team win if it doesn’t make him uncomfortable.
That’s fine. He can do that. Down years can happen in business from time to time. After all, he’s already a billionaire owner. He can wait out this season, and the next, and the next until all of this is forgotten and he can rebuild again.
Wait, did I say business? This can’t be about business, can it? Nah, every business owner I’ve ever met would do whatever it takes for his business to be successful year in and year out. But I guess just owning a team is enough as long as fans keep showing up to games. In Texas that means losing games because it’s better than signing a player who ruffles a few feathers.
I just can’t understand the contempt he has to have for those who pay for his product. I know he’s already past the point where he wouldn’t look completely hypocritical by signing Kaepernick, but at least he can say he did it for the fans. People like someone who swallows his pride for the sake of others. I’m not sure how much they like someone who keeps this team from being watchable because of his pride. Time will tell.
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A month into the 2025 season, the Houston Astros have emerged as one of MLB’s most confounding teams. Their offense ranks near the bottom of nearly every key category, yet they remain competitive thanks to a pitching staff that has quietly become one of the most formidable in baseball.
Despite winning back-to-back games just once this season, Houston’s pitching has kept them afloat. The Astros boast a top-10 team ERA, rank seventh in WHIP, and sit top-eight in opponent batting average—a testament to both their rotation depth and bullpen resilience. It’s a group that has consistently given them a chance to win, even when the bats have failed to show up.
Josh Hader has been the bullpen anchor. After a rocky 2024 campaign, the closer has reinvented himself, leaning more heavily on his slider and becoming less predictable. The result has been electric: a veteran who’s adapting and thriving under pressure.
Reinforcements are also on the horizon. Kaleb Ort and Forrest Whitley are expected to bolster a bullpen that’s been great but occasionally spotty—Taylor Scott’s 5.63 ERA stands out as a weak link. Lance McCullers Jr. missed his last rehab outing due to illness but is expected back soon, possibly pairing with Ryan Gusto in a piggyback setup that could stretch games and preserve bullpen arms.
And the timing couldn’t be better, because the Astros' offense remains stuck in neutral. With an offense ranked 26th in OPS, 27th in slugging, dead last in doubles, and just 24th in runs scored, it's clear the Astros have a major issue producing consistent offense. For all their talent, they are a minus-two in run differential and have looked out of sync at the plate.
One bright spot has been rookie Cam Smith. The right fielder has displayed remarkable poise, plate discipline, and a polished approach rarely seen in rookies. It’s fair to ask why Smith, with only five Double-A games under his belt before this season, is showing more patience than veterans like Jose Altuve. Altuve, among others, has been chasing too many pitches outside the zone and hardly walking—a troubling trend across the lineup.
Before the season began, the Astros made it a point to improve their pitch selection and plate discipline. So far, that stated goal hasn’t materialized. Many of the players who are showing solid discipline—like Isaac Paredes or Christian Walker—were already doing that on other teams before joining Houston. It raises the question: are the Astros’ hitting coaches being held accountable?
The offensive woes are hard to ignore. Catcher Yainer Diaz currently owns the second-worst OPS in baseball, while Walker ranks 15th from the bottom. Even a star like Yordan Alvarez has yet to find his groove. The hope is that Diaz and Walker will follow Alvarez's lead and trend upward with time.
With so many offensive questions and few clear answers, a trade for a left-handed bat—whether in the outfield or second base—would be ideal. But with the front office laser-focused on staying below the tax threshold, don’t count on it.
For now, Houston's path forward depends on whether the bats can catch up to the arms. Until they do, the Astros will remain a team that looks good on paper but still can’t string wins together in reality.
We have so much more to get to. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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