By JUSTIN PORRECA
Staff Writer
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1. Houston Dump Fitzpatrick for Mallet as Starter of Falling Texans
After Houston’s Week 10 bye, Ryan Mallet will get the start under center for the Texans, replacing veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick.
With Fitzpatrick at the helm, the Texans started 2-0 and have gone 2-5 since. Fitzpatrick, who was signed as a free agent to replace the departing Matt Schaub, has recorded 11 touchdowns to eight interceptions, but in crucial moments has failed to deliver. In Week 9, versus the Eagles, Fitzpatrick recorded his second-lowest total quarterback ranking of the season, and completed a season-low 13 passes. This prompted Coach Bill O’Brien to make the change at quarterback.
O’Brien has a sense of familiarity with Mallet, and noted that Mallet has “grown up” since the last time O’Brien saw him. When Mallet was drafted to the New England Patriots in 2011, O’Brien was the offensive coordinator.
Learning under and watching Brady for several seasons may be an aiding factor in Mallet’s play come Week 11 in their game against the Cleveland Browns. Being a Brady disciple has paid dividends for the Browns’ successful starting quarterback, Brian Hoyer. Time will tell if it does the same for Mallet.
Once Mallet hits the field during Week 11, he will not only be playing for the Houston Texans, but playing for himself. This is a contract year for the young quarterback. Positive performances that lead to him remaining the starter for the rest of the season could result in a new contract.
However, if Mallet plays dismally, there will be no new contract, and the Texans will be looking to the draft for a new starting quarterback next season.
2. Dez Bryant Jumps Ship to Popular Roc Nation
Like Ndamukong Suh and Victor Cruz before him, Dez Bryant has jumped ship to Roc Nation. The Cowboys’ inability to negotiate a long-term extension with the star receiver led to Bryant ditching agent Eugene Parker for the highly popular Roc Nation.
This is not the first time Bryant has fired his former agent. Parker, who has represented former greats Emmitt Smith and Deion Sanders, is a very close friend of Jerry Jones and the Cowboys organization. Jones finds it easier to negotiate with Parker, with whom he’s negotiated before and is fond of, than an unknown agent. Parker has negotiated huge contracts for players in the past, such as Deion Sanders’s seven-year, $35 million deal with Dallas.
Bryant’s new agent, Tom Condon of Creative Artists Agency, will now handle his contract negotiations. Bryant, with his on-the-field play, has earned the money coming to him. Now it’s up to his new agent to get the job done.
Bryant has made it clear that he deserves to be paid like a top-tier wideout. He wants a Calvin Johnson-type contract ($48.75 million guaranteed). Bryant, who recently turned 26, has matured drastically since entering the league, as well as blossoming into a top-five wide receiver.
If no deal gets completed within the remaining games of this season, or even into the early goings of the offseason, Bryant will receive the franchise tag. The Cowboys covet Bryant too much, and he’s too much of an asset to the team to let him test free agency.
However, if the Cowboys place the franchise tag on Bryant, paying him more than $12 million for one season, he will be “highly disappointed” in the organization.
