What if the Texans Don’t Take a QB at No. 2? (and Other NFL Bullets)

If you missed the live BN event last night, I hope you make it to the next one because it was a great time. We even had a couple in attendance that got engaged outside of Wrigley Field on Thursday and then came to celebrate at the event last night.

  • I don’t have a whole lot of bullet material for today. This will be the case sometimes at this point in the NFL calendar. So, I figured we would discuss a topic that came up in the comments of the Texans mock draft pick post earlier this week.
  • I had mocked Byrce Young to the Texans after the Panthers took C.J. Stroud at No. 1 overall. Two regulars around these parts (T.dyon and Nomah) suggested that the Texans would not take Bryce Young or any QB with the second pick. Instead, they would take Will Anderson Jr. at No. 2. Then, hope a QB falls to them at 12, trade up from 12, or wait until next year to draft a QB.
  • I suppose that it was such an obvious need that the season-long presumption was that the Texans were taking a quarterback. Deshaun Watson’s successor would be Bryce Young or one of the other quarterbacks in the first round. However, I’ve been thinking about the above scenario all week, so let’s game this out. Let’s say the Texans shock everyone on draft night and take Will Anderson Jr.; what happens next?
  • That leaves three of the big four QBs on the board, and it shakes up Arizona’s plans, presumably to to draft Will Anderson Jr.
  • Do the Cardinals stay a No. 3 and take another non-QB? Maybe roll the dice on Jalen Carter or take another edge rusher like Tyree Wilson or Myles Murphy? The Cardinals’ best play in this scenario is to trade back. We discussed the Titans being a team potentially interested in trading up for the third pick. This would further incentivize the Titans to do so because they would have the chance to draft one of C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young.
  • The Cardinals could even call up the Colts and say, hey, what do you want to pay us to move up one spot and take your QB? Because if you don’t, we’re trading the pick to your division rival in Tennessee, and you can watch that QB play against you twice a year for the next half-decade. Arizona could squeeze the Colts and still move back just one spot and have their choice of the edge rushers.
  • As for the Texans, they could hope that Will Levis or Anthony Richardson slides down to 12. But more realistically, they probably add another non-QB. Maybe Jaxson Smith-Njigba will go to Houston. Perhaps next season, the Texans will try to land the No. 1 pick or use their second first-round pick in that class to move up and take Caleb Williams? The Texans aren’t in a one-year rebuild, and they’ve got time on their side. Their current roster has minimal long-term commitments, so they could go in about any direction.
  • Kyler Murray posted a video to his Instagram story of him doing squats with the caption “13 weeks.” The 13 weeks is the timeline since his surgery to repair a torn ACL.
  • https://twitter.com/JohnnyVenerable/status/1644374656089223173?s=20

  • The video comes a day after former Cardinals GM Steve Keim discussed Murray on a podcast with former player Chris Long. Keim said Murray “still needs to grow” and mentioned “film study” and “attention to detail” as areas where Murray needs to improve. Coincidence that Murray felt the need to slap the rehab workout video on Instagram the next day? Maybe, but I don’t think so.
  • ICYMI: The Raiders and Falcons were on the clock on Thursday in our BN NFL Mock Draft.
  • The Bears are on the clock today! Of course, no matter who I mock to the Bears, someone will be #madonline, so let the fun begin! That’ll drop later this afternoon.
  • This is good news, Cubs fans!
  • Not too shabby, Tab!
  • written by

    Patrick grew up in Chicago's Bridgeport and Garfield Ridge neighborhoods before moving to the Western Suburbs of Chicago before eventually relocating to the Las Vegas area with his family in 2023. He started with Bleacher Nation in 2021 and has spent time as a Staff Writer and on the Chicago Blackhawks beat. He is currently a writer and editor at Bleacher Nation covering the Chicago Bears and the NFL at large and the author of the Bleacher Nation Newsletter. Patrick is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA).

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