BRB Groupthink: Week One Starting Offensive Line Combinations

In the 2019 NFL Draft the Texans attempted to address one of their most glaring needs, improving the offensive line. They did so by drafting Tytus Howard in the first round and Max Schapring in the second round. Both left tackles, both from smaller schools, and both will probably need some more time to stew. With these selections I asked the masthead two very simple questions:

What do you think will be the Texans’ starting offensive line week one 2019?

What do you want the Texans’ starting offensive line week one 2019 to be?

These are our responses:

Capt Ron:

What I think the starting offensive line will be in week one of 2019:

Matt Kalil / Martinas Rankin / Nick Martin / Zach Fulton / Seantrel Henderson

What I want(ed) it to be is:

Andre Dillard / Martinas Rankin / Nick Martin / Zach Fulton / Julien Davenport

Now that we have the [kitten] results of the draft, what I prefer it to be is:

Julien Davenport /Martinas Rankin / Nick Martin / Zach Fulton / Seantrel Henderson

Luke Beggs:

What I think it will be?

Julien Davenport / Max Scharping / Nick Martin / Zach Fulton / Tytus Howard

What do I want it to be?

Julien Davenport / Max Scharping / Nick Martin / Zach Fulton / Tytus Howard

I think there will be enough impetus to start Howard right away combined with the fact that the his most likely stern competition is coming off a lost season due to injury. I think Scharping will do enough to beat out Kelemente and Rankin, who will probably get relegated to acting as a cover for swing OT/OG issues that might arise.

Mike Bullock:

Not sure I have a real preference since none of them have proven ‘mad skillz’ at any position.

But what I do want more than anything is stability, no “Hey, let’s start you at right tackle for two weeks, then try you at left, then, maybe guard or... I know, punter!” (just kidding about that last part, everyone knows only defensive linemen can punt...)

What I foresee:

Davenport / Max Scharping / Nick Martin / Revolving Door of Fulton-Rankin-Kelemete-Traffic Cone / Tytus Howard

I’m still hoping against hope they pull off some trade for a better, starting caliber left tackle, even if it’s by giving up a 2nd round pick next year or something along those lines. Another repeat of last year could see Deshaun Watson’s career cut tragically short and that’s a crime against football humanity.

bigfatdrunk:

BOB has always been hesitant to start rookies (see Watson, Deshaun), so I do not think either Howard or Scharping will be out there week one.

That said, here is what I would like to see (left to right): Julien Davenport / Max Scharping / Greg Mancz / Zach Fulton / Tytus Howard

Here is what I think we will see: Matt Kalil / Senio Kelemete / Nick Martin / Zach Fulton / Seantrel Henderson.

In either case, I hope Watson invested in body armor.

Matt Weston:

I would love to see a Julien Davenport / Tytus Howard / Nick Martin / Zach Fulton / Martinas Rankin combination, mainly because of my two year long hypothesis that Rankin should have been given a shot to play right tackle, and the Texans ruined his rookie season by slinging him out to left after Henderson went down, and put him at a position he shouldn’t be playing after missing his entire summer with a foot injury. This devastating decision ruined his rookie season, and Davenport’s season last year. Obviously this is all offensive solipsism for me. A more realistic desire is Julien Davenport / Martinas Rankin / Nick Martin / Zach Fulton / Tytus Howard. I wish we could have had a Davenport only left tackle season last year, Rankin has the strength to play guard, and he was adequate enough at this spot last year, and Houston will have to play one of their rookies, I think Howard can be molded to play before Scharping can.

You can throw out any offensive line combination for 2019 and I would believe it. Nothing too clock melting surreal. Nothing too abyss staring absurd. I believe any and all of it after the decisions the team made last season. My best guess is Matt Kalil / Martinas Rankin / Nick Martin / Zach Fulton / Tytus Howard. They didn’t pay Kalil as much as they did not to play him. They didn’t draft Howard in the first round not to start him. The rest are just the incumbents. This is my guess for the week one combination, something Houston will probably scramble and cook again in week two.