Should the Houston Texans trade for Ryan Mallett?

Aug 29, 2013; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) at the line of scrimmage against the New York Giants during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

One of the questions for Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien and the rest of the folks in charge of the franchise is what should the team do at the quarterback position this offseason?

Should they keep working on the Case Keenum project? I doubt they will.

So that leaves the team with the option of using their first-round draft choice for the next QB, or they could trade the pick down, or trade a later-round draft choice for another team’s backup QB this offseason.

One name that has come to the surface in this discussion is New England Patriots backup QB Ryan Mallett.

Mallett has seen very limited action in his NFL career, as he plays behind future Hall of Fame QB and three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

What I like about Mallett, 25, is his height and weight, and how perfect he fits into the O’Brien offensive system.

Mallett is 6-6 and weighs in at 245 pounds. He was a third-round selection in the 2011 NFL Draft (74th selection) and has little to no wear and tear since arriving in the NFL.

While playing QB at the University of Arkansas (his final two collegiate seasons), he passed for 3,627 yards with 30 TDs and seven interceptions his junior season and 3,869 yards with 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions his senior season.

He played his freshman year at the University of Michigan where he completed 61 passes for 892 yards and seven touchdowns. Mallett didn’t play his sophomore year as he transferred to Arkansas.

This could be another option for the Texans, as they would be ahead of the curve in getting Mallett ready for the NFL as he’s been learning about the position while playing the past three seasons behind Brady. I’m guessing the Texans might have to give up a good amount to pry Mallett away from the Patriots.

He could be worth it, though.

Also, don’t forget that when the Patriots drafted Mallett, O’Brien was on the Patriots’ coaching staff as the offensive coordinator.

It is something to think about and could be a good option for the Texans if they aren’t fully confident in any of the QBs in the draft that are first- or second-round selections.

Mallett had passed for just 17 yards in his NFL career, completing just one pass on four attempts in 2012. He played in four games during the ’12 season.

Again, this is just something to think about once the NFL free agency and trading begin this offseason.

What are your thoughts on Mallett?

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