Houston Texans Roster Cuts: Houston's Waiver Priority Gives Texans Massive Advantage

While the process of acquiring the first overall pick in the draft is painful for players, coaches, and especially fans, it sure does have its benefits. The abysmal 2013 season has given the Houston Texans first crack at any and all free agents that hit the waiver wire after the first round of roster cuts.  If history is anything to go by, that could be significant.

The Kansas City Chiefs, who had the first overall pick last year, signed 11 players using that waiver priority alone between the first round of cuts and Week Four of the regular season. After the cut down to 53 in 2013, the Chiefs brought in a whopping seven new bodies, five of whom ended up being quality contributors.

The Indianapolis Colts claimed 12 players when they were first in line in 2012. Both they and the Chiefs would end up in the playoffs just one season after picking first overall. If Rick Smith and Bill O'Brien pilfer the waiver wire with as much success as Kansas City and Indy, is such a turnaround possible for the Texans? If you believe in Ryan Fitzpatrick being just good enough to not get in the way of a potentially stellar defense, then yes, Houston eliminating Cincinnati in the first round may very well happen once again.

Or, even more boldly, perhaps you believe in Ryan Mallett. He cannot possibly be more frustrating to watch than Case Keenum, after all.

On PFT Live, @tomecurran says he thinks Patriots QB Ryan Mallett will be cut if he's not traded.

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 25, 2014