I know I have been driving the Montario Hardesty bandwagon pretty hard, but I know some people don't exactly know why. Below the jump, there's a video of why he fits so well into our ZBS scheme. Tennessee's switch to Lane Kiffin brought similar schemes to Tennessee that the Texans use. Hardesty really blossomed under the scheme and could provide similar results as a Houston Texan. Catch the fever and hop on board, BRBers!

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Loyal listeners!  We're back and badder than ever.  Tonight we embark on our second foray into internet radio where we'll discuss things like Pancakes' love of mutton and Big Bad Brad's lost Tickle-Me-Elmo doll.  We might even talk a little Texans football and there's the off chance Matt joins us this week!

via iamyouasheisme.files.wordpress.com

We've moved up the time a bit to 8:30 p.m. CST so Tim can get to bed on time.  Tune in and listen to the chaos!

Listen to Battle Red Radio on Blog Talk Radio

No links provided. You'll have to take my word on things.

I was present for all of these acquisitions, anyway. Really.

Browns' QB Brady Quinn gets traded to Denver, for FB Peyton Hillis. Hillis was barely used last year in Denver. He is a tough runner, a nice reciever, and a good blocker. Hillis should help the Browns with power running; he may develop into a much-needed offensive weapon... but this is a great trade for the Broncos (especially considering Hillis barely even had a role in McDaniels' offense).

Chargers' RB LaDanian Tomlinson signs a deal with the NY Jets; and Panthers' QB Jake Delhomme signs with Cleveland.

IMO, Cleveland was much better off, standing pat, with the upside of Brady Quinn (or maybe even DA), rather than a skinny, decrepit, rag-armed signal caller (Delhomme). Yeah, then again, maybe they draft someone high... but most of the QB prospects this year are garbage (again, IMO). They should have made a greater commitment to the prospect they already had. This is changing for the sake of change. Same old Browns. Lots of action, but inevitably going nowhere.

Same with the Jets, who sign LT, after letting go of Thomas Jones. They also should have stood pat, right there.

That's some really convoluted football management. I must say.

via tnjn.com

I have been vocal in saying the Texans ought to draft O-line in the 1st round this year. My tune hasn't changed, but the notes are a little different. With the Wade Smith acquisition, I believe that Smithiak will consider the O-line to have been addressed in free agency. It's not perfect, but the interior O-line was a hole in the dike and Wade Smith is the finger. So, what does this mean to the Texans' draft strategy? It narrows their priorities.

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As draft season is underway, a lot of mocks are going on. After the jump there's an update from 29 different mocks (of varying length and updated within the past month) from around the Interwebs. Feel free to add some more in comments as well as commenting on what you like or don't like about some of these mocks. 

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Texans fans, over at Gang Green Nation (Jets blog), we are doing a community mock draft and I picked the Texans and would appreciate help making good selections.  Looking through posts started by rip jersey & riversmccown has given me a get start.  Seems like the fans want NT/OL/DB in the first two rounds. I'm curious how the team's front office thinks about the draft.  Do they tend towards best available or need?  If a stud player from a position with less need drops, do you think the team would select them?  I added a poll to get a global feel, but still would like to hear individual thoughts.  Thanks in advance for your help and best of luck in the upcoming season.

Did you disagree with taking Cushing last year? 

Were you yelling at the TV when Casserly was interviewed the night before drafting Mario because you wanted the Texans to take VY?

This year you'll have the chance to show how much smarter you are than Smithiak.

Rivers' shadow draft post inspired me to create a site where we can all try our hand at this drafting thing we're all experts at.

I plan on running two drafts.

In the first one, you will be on the clock whenever the Texans are.  Any players taken prior to the Texans pick, and any players taken by other teams before you submit your choice will not be available for you to pick.  If you have not selected a player from the previous round when the Texans pick comes around again, you will lose the pick from the last round, and the next player selected will count for the current round.

The second one will be similar to Rivers' shadow draft.  This one will take place after the actual draft is completed.  You will draft a player at each of the Texans picks, but the only players available will be players chosen between Texans picks. For example, If we draft at 20 and 52, your first round selection for the Texans could be any player actually selected from 20 to 51.  I'll probably leave this up for a week after the draft is completed.

Trades will not be allowed in either draft, unless you contact the actual GM of both teams and get approval.

You can participate in either, both, or neither of these drafts.  I will post everyone's picks on here for posterity, then we can check back and see how we did.  Kinda like a delayed gratification fantasy draft.

I got the backbone of the site together today, and I'll be working on the draft page in the coming weeks.  I don't do this for a living, so it may not  look very professional.  If you are dissatisfied with the site, I'd be happy to refund you your money.  I'm open to suggestions for rules, requests for the site, etc.  The real time draft may be tough for me to moderate, so I may be looking for volunteers to enter actual picks.  

I'll post the link here when the site is ready to go.

I just looked at the 2005 Houston Texans draft.. and what a disappointment it was.. i will try to take a look at where they all are now. And give a warm and beloved thanks to both the lord and the devil that Casserly is gone.

ROUND 1:

Travis Johnson, DT, Florida St.  ( We definitely know how big a bust he is. He's never done anything good! )

- Where is he now? In San Diego, being a 3-4-5 string DE? Thank god for that 6th round pick.

ROUND 2: 

No pick. What a waste..

ROUND 3:

Vernand Morency, RB, Oklahoma St. (He was the second runningback behind D.Davis, and what did we get with that 3rd rounder? 184 rushing yards, 87 passing yard and 2 TDs. Thank you, Casserly.)

- Where is he now? No where. Out of a job he is. Since 2008 he's been a free agent since doing nothing for Green Bay.

btw... Who was picked just after Morency? Justin Tuck.

ROUND 4:

Jerome Mathis, WR, Hampton. (He had a great rookie season, but only as a returner. That was his only season. The next 2 ended on IR)

- Where is he now? - He played for the Toronto Agronauts in 2009 but were injured................... he's now a free agent.

ROUND 5:

Drew Hodgdon, C, Arizona St. (He played 14 games in 3 seasons not really doing anything good)

- Where is he now? Don't really know?

ROUND 6:

C.C. Brown, S, L-Lafayette (Nuff said.....)

- Where is he now? - Free agent and will probably stay that way after last season with the Giants..

ROUND 7:

Kenneth Pettway, LB, Grambling St. (Practice squad player.. never contributed..)

- Where is he now? - Once again.. free agent.. doing nothing.

Sooooo.... that's it. That was what we got only five years ago.. and only our first round pick is currently still in the league.. what a shitty crappy draft. - Let's cross everything we have that Smith and Kubiak saves us yet again through the draft.

So here is the Deal, I want to run a little contest, everyone come up with their top sleeper pick.

You must post it on this thread prior to the first pick of the draft.   If your guy is picked in the first 2 rounds then they are disqualified from the contest.  (As they cant really be a sleeper if someone used an number 1 or 2 pick on them).

At the end of next season we will review and pick a winner.

Also if 2 people pick the same pic the person that posted it first will win.

Below the Jump is my pick

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Just an idea...I know some people have wondered about a live chat on draft day*...for those of you actually in Houston, Steph brings it to my attention that the Texans Draft Party is free to attend, as well as free to park at, if you register your tickets with them online (and shockingly, subscribe yourself to a fan email letter).  I'm not sure you can get a much better deal than that on a football related event, so I've signed up for some tickets.  Perhaps we can nail down our own table and you can see the look of disgust in my eyes live and in person when we draft CJ Spiller or Maurkice Pouncey**?  I know it's been a dream of many.

*-we could always relegate this to some losers that live out of town, like MDC.

**-disgust not guaranteed if this happens after a trade down.