With the "news" yesterday that the Texans might be entertaining the idea of a trade up in this years draft to acquire LSU stud cornerback prospect Patrick Peterson, Twitter and sports talk radio were afire with speculation in Houston.
And it was all because of one comment from Sports Illustrated writer Peter King, in which he claimed that "Houston loves Patrick Peterson. Capital L. I smell a trade-up."
Could it be true? Absolutely...depending on which part you're talking about. I'm sure they do love Patrick Peterson. I'm also sure that 31 other NFL teams do as well. But the trading up part? I'm going to file that one under unlikely. And I'll tell you why after the jump.
First of all, the primary reason you have to take this with a bfd-sized grain of salt is because, first and foremost, Peter King is a massive tool. Seriously, does anyone here actually respect his work and/or opinions? This is the same guy who picked a different Super Bowl prediction on his Twitter and in his articles to better his chances of being right. Everyone is quick to point out King as a douche when he says something about the Texans that no one likes. So why rush to defend him when he says something favorable (i.e., Peterson in a Texans uni)?
As to more objective reasons why it is about as likely as me getting into a threesome with Christina Hendricks and Megan Fox, Rick Smith is still this team's general manager. Sure, he may be taking a smaller role in this year's draft due to all of the backlash this offseason, but he is still the one working out the deals and he just isn't ballsy enough to make a move like this.
Next, this team has so many glaring weaknesses that it is quite improbable to imagine them being able to put enough of a package together to move into the top 5. I've seen Peterson go in mocks as early as two and as late a five. Hard to imagine him falling farther than that.
With a team that is far better known to trade down than trade up, this is just another national writer, who knows jack about the Texans, making an assumption because the team had a historically bad secondary last year.
If there was free agency this year, I might, MIGHT, see this one at least being attempted. But as it stands, I think the team has other plans once they are able to talk to free agents. I see them paying heavily for an experienced corner like Ike Taylor. I fear Scrabble is still too much of a pipe dream and will get the same (or better) monetary offers from teams closer to contending than Houston.
A veteran free agent corner is needed much more than giving away multiple assets for a guy that MIGHT be the next great corner. It's just too much of a gamble that I don't see a coach that is rumored to be on his last, last, LAST chance to take.