Two backups and a draft pick for the former number one overall pick

Texans deal Clowney for a paltry return

Cody Stoots
Aug 31, 2019, 11:42 am
Zach Tarrant/Houstontexans.com

The Texans dealt defensive standout Jadeveon Clowney Saturday morning. SportsMap's Fred Faour says O'Brien has completed his transformation into a super villain.

The compensation is underwhelming

The Texans got the same thing they would have earned had Clowney played a year and walked, which is a third round pick. The Seahawks get the second-best player on the Texans defense from last season.

The two players are both hopeful depth for the Texans pass rush.

Botched by Bill O'Brien

The Texans didn't trade Clowney back when other premier pass rushers were moved this offseason. Dee Ford and Frank Clark aren't as good as Jadeveon Clowney but went for MUCH higher compensation. The Texans reportedly checked in on trading Clowney but didn't get anywhere.

With no deal before the franchise tag extension deadline, Clowney's value plummeted. The Texans went from discussion about a starting left tackle in Miami to backup linebackers and a third round pick in a matter of days. Of course, that is because Clowney held all the cards.

The franchise tag let Clowney manipulate the situation. He won. He got what he wanted. He will play 2019 for a team which desires his services and could likely increase his value with another strong year of play.

O'Brien seemingly won in his eyes I am assuming. He went from wanting Jadeveon Clowney to not wanting him on the team. His reasoning is his own but the Texans didn't get better with this deal.

Questions still remain at running back and left tackle

The Texans still need a running back to pair with Duke Johnson and they could still use some help at left tackle. Matt Kalil is the projected starter at left tackle and the running backs on the roster besides Johnson have limited NFL snaps.

LeSean McCoy has been on the decline but might be one of the more worthwhile options.

Mingo might not have made the team

One addition in the trade is former LSU standout and former first round pick Barkevious Mingo. There have been many who cover the Seahawks who have speculated Mingo would not have made the team.

He has played for four different teams, three in the past three years, and has 10 career sacks. He graded out as decidedly average overall according to Pro Football Focus and slightly above average in pass rush.

Hope for Martin

Jacob Martin is a former sixth round pick for the Seahawks. He graded out as decidedly average overall according to Pro Football Focus and slightly above average in pass rush the same as Mingo. He has three sacks last year and 19 hurries.

Even Madden said no

Duane Brown weighs in

The Texans will likely look back and realize they shouldn't have traded either of these players to the Seahawks. The offensive line, especially left tackle, has been bad since Brown's departure.

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RAVENS 33, TEXANS 16

5 observations from the Ravens win over the Texans

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Let's be honest; the Texans were not going to beat the Ravens. Baltimore has better players, a better quarterback and a better coaching staff. (And oh, a better kicker). All of that was on display in the Ravens' 33-16 win.

The Ravens move to 2-0, while the Texans dropped to 0-2 after facing the AFC's two best teams.

The Texans will still likely contend for a playoff spot, but nothing the last two weeks indicates they are anywhere near contending in the AFC. A look at five things from the Ravens win:

1) Oh, Brien...It did not take long for Bill O'Brien's goofy coaching to rear its ugly head. Down 3-0 at their own 34 as the first quarter was running out, O'Brien chose to go for it on fourth and one. The play was predictably blown up, the Ravens quickly scored to make it 10-0, and the Texans were instantly in a hole against a superior opponent. You can't give points away against the Ravens. They might have scored anyway with a punt, but there was no stopping them with a short field.

2) Some positives on defense. Despite the score, The Texans looked much better on that side of the ball against an explosive offense. J.J. Watt had two sacks, the team had four total, and they kept Lamar Jackson from destroying them. Seven of the points were scored by the Ravens defense, and O'Brien's gaffe led to seven more. The Ravens wore them down in the fourth quarter, but they played well enough until then to keep the team in the game had the offense been better. They did not force any turnovers, however, and that was one of the differences in the game. They were also blown off the ball on a fourth and one in the fourth quarter that led to the Ravens' 30th points and could not stop the run at all in the fourth quarter. But that's what the Ravens do with a lead, and the Texans offense gave them no breaks by being unable to stay on the field.

3) The difference between real contenders...The Ravens were just so much more skilled on both sides of the ball. Defensively, they focused on taking away the run. David Johnson averaged 3.1 yards per carry. Will Fuller had as many catches as you did. The Ravens forced two turnovers on just really good football plays. The Texans don't make plays like that. They might against lesser teams, but if your goal is to compete with the best, it's just not good enough.

4) Deshaun Watson needs to be better. His numbers looked so so on the surface (25 of 36, 275 yards, 1 TD, 1 interception). He was sacked four times and added 17 rushing yards on five carries. He did not make plays late when they needed one here or there to maybe get back in the game. With his big contract, it's time for Watson to stop being close to elite and take the next step. His interception was more of being fooled by Marcus Peters than throwing a bad ball, but the Texans were just 3 of 9 on third downs. Throw in the ill-advised fourth down play, and they were just 3 of 10 extending drives. Give the Ravens a lot of credit, but again, to compete with the best, you have to be better than that.

5) Now what? The Texans travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers, who have not been impressive in their two wins. Still, it's hard to see Houston as anything but serious underdogs. They are last in the AFC South, and have a lot of work to do. The defense showed some promise at times, but will have to continue to improve. The offense has a long way to go. They match up better with the Steelers than they do the Ravens and Chiefs, but that does not mean they can win. If you were hoping they would give you some indication they can be more than just also-rans, they failed to do that on any level against either the Chiefs or Ravens.

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