The Houston Texans fell a win short of reaching the playoffs in 2014. While multiple flaws led to their demise, the lack of a franchise quarterback proved the most costly. The team alternated between Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, Tom Savage and Ryan Mallett, though it never settled on a possible long-term solution.
Ryan Mallett wants to stay in Houston, NFL Draft could be held in multiple cities, and other NFL news
Meanwhile, Dan Dierdorf wants the NFL draft to be held in Canton, Ohio, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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Now, with the season over and free agency only a few weeks away, Mallett has considered his options. According to the Houston Chronicle, his top choice is to remain in Houston.
”I’d like to come back,’ Mallett said while making an appearance at the Texas Childrens Hospital. “Hopefully, we can get something worked out.”
Mallett started two games for the Texans last season, going 1-1 in the process. He joined the team after spending the previous three years with the New England Patriots. It was there he first met Bill O'Brien, then New England's offensive coordinator and now Houston's head coach. If O'Brien still likes Mallett's talent and thinks he can mold him into a starter, there's plenty of reason for the two sides to make a deal.
JJ Nelson awaits Adidas award money
In the lead up to the NFL Scouting Combine, sports apparel supplier Adidas offered to award the players with the top three times in the 40-yard dash a Porsche. After objections from the NFL and its sponsor General Motors led to the promotion being scrapped, Adidas decided to instead give $100,000 to prospect who ran the best 40-time while wearing their footwear.
That prospect turned out to be UAB’s JJ Nelson, who produced a 4.28 time in the 40-yard dash while wearing Adidas cleats. However, according to ESPN, Nelson has yet to receive the award money.
Per the report, Nelson signed a waiver but was not given a chance to sign an endorsement deal. That meant that while he complied with the rules set out by Adidas, they had no way of paying him because officially he had not joined the brand. The reason for the apparel supplier's endorsement requirement stems from last years' combine, where Brandin Cooks won a similar $100,000 prize from Adidas and then signed with Nike. While Adidas appears to be under no legal obligation to pay Nelson, it may give other athletes pause about signing with the brand.
NFL discussed hosting each NFL Draft round in a different city
The NFL moved the NFL draft away from New York City this year for the first time in decades. Instead, the annual player selection meeting will be held in Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. The league has made it known that the draft could become a roaming event that takes place in a new location each year. It may not even take multiple years. According to Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal, Rodger Goodell said the NFL has discussed having each of the draft's seven rounds in a separate location.
Regardless of whether that plan comes to fruition, Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf would like to see the draft hosted in Canton, Ohio. Canton is already host to the Hall of Fame, the yearly induction and even a preseason game. While Canton could indeed host the draft in theory, the league probably has its eyes on bigger cities.
David Quessenberry in remission from cancer
Texans offensive tackle David Quessenberry was entering his second season in the NFL when he learned some horrifying news. After feeling fatigued and battling with persistent cough, doctors diagnosed him with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a form of cancer. Quessenberry spent the rest of the season on the Non-Football Illness list while receiving treatment. On Wednesday, Quessenberry revealed some exciting news on his Twitter account.
I'm officially in remission. Man I love saying that!
— David Quessenberry (@DavidQberry) February 25, 2015
Quessenberry told David Nuno of ABC 13 that he finished radiation two weeks ago. It’s unclear whether he plans on returning to football anytime soon, but that’s unimportant relative to the potentially deadly health scare he has overcome.
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