CBS Houston's Mike Meltser 'Surprised' The Ryan Mallett Trade Hasn't Happened Yet
BOSTON (CBS) - After winning their first two games of the 2013 season, the Houston Texans dropped their next fourteen and finished with a dismal 2-14 record, earning themselves the first overall pick in the draft as a result.
Instead of taking a quarterback, Houston elected to wait on that position and instead took defensive end Jadeveon Clowney no. 1 overall. Rumors of a trade with New England to acquire Ryan Mallett never materialized, and now Texans veteran wideout Andre Johnson is reportedly questioning his future with the rebuilding AFC South team.
Radio host Mike Meltser of CBS Houston appeared on 98.5 The Sports Hub's The Adam Jones Show Tuesday night to sort everything out for us.
For folks down in Houston, Meltser said the news of Johnson wanting out should come as no surprise.
Johnson was the only player absent from head coach Bill O'Brien's first voluntary mini camp last week. Not only that, but factor in the age of the player, 32, and the quarterbacks, the situation in Houston is dicey at best for someone who wants to win.
"When you have a quarterback situation where your guys are Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, T.J. Yates and the newly-drafted Tom Savage. . . Andre Johnson was hurt by this draft. There's no way the Texans can win big this year -- there's just no way with that quarterback group," said Meltser.
Patriots fans get giddy whenever they hear about a veteran wide receiver around the league that wants a new home, because what self-respecting wideout wouldn't want to catch passes from one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time?
Adam Jones was curious to find out from Meltser how realistic Johnston-to-New-England really is.
"I don't know if the Texans would be willing to eat dead money with Andre Johnson, which is dependent obviously on what they could get in return. I can't see a release, but you never know -- it's the NFL.
"If they want to really take their time in handling this situation then I think you take this to training camp, and if he wants to make the $7-$10 million dollars this season that he's scheduled to make, then he's got to show up," said Meltser.
With former Belichick assistant coach Bill O'Brien now the head honcho in Houston, there's been a lot of speculation regarding their relationship and the increased likelihood of deals being made. One such deal is the Patriots parting ways and sending backup quarterback Ryan Mallett to the Texans, which gained even more steam after the team selected QB Jimmy Garoppolo no. 62 overall.
Frankly, Meltser doesn't know what's taking so long.
"I'm surprised the deal hasn't happened. If I were the Texans I would trade for Ryan Mallett, here's why: I want to play games in the NFL regular season with somebody who has the potential to be my future franchise quarterback. I'm not saying that Ryan Mallett is good. I'm not saying he's even average. But I know for a fact that he's got more ability than Ryan Fitzpatrick does.
"I don't know what's going to be required to get Ryan Mallett. Either he's ready to play or he just stinks. Those are the only two options because he's been in the NFL for three years. He's got a good arm. He was a good college player and he has talent. If I were the Texans I would still pursue a Ryan Mallett trade and not give him an extension under the theory that you start him for 16 games, he's got ability, he's got talent, and if he stinks then you draft a quarterback next year -- that's it."
So given the unhappy receiver situation in Houston, their need for a quarterback plus the Patriots' need for a receiver, do we have here the makings of a win-win deal?
Listen below for the full discussion and find out -- that plus much more:
CBS Houston's Mike Meltser
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