Bill O'Brien: Texans' trades 'were part of a plan'

Houston significantly reformed its workforce this weekend, exchanging exchanges for offensive additions Laremy Tunsil, Kenny Stills and Carlos Hyde, but also separating with two first-round picks, a second-round pick and a Pro Bowl pass racer in Jadeveon Clowney in the process.

The exchanges that defined the regime on a wild day of court were the work of Texans coach Bill O'Brien. The Houston chief has received criticism after waiting too long to deal with Clowney and giving too much for Tunsil and the trip from Miami.

O'Brien defended his personnel decisions on Monday, emphasizing that Saturday's movements were calculated.

These movements were part of a plan, something well thought out, he spent a lot of time and tried to execute the plan, "O'Brien told reporters." It's not just a plan to improve the team for 2019, it's a plan to improve the list for years to come, giving us the ability and flexibility to extend our core players while continuing to add and develop talent. "

O'Brien has been in charge of Houston personnel movements since Texans fired General Manager Brian Gaine in June and did not hire a successor. The coach is working with the staff of the other Texans main office to make GM decisions. Under O'Brien's leadership, Houston could not reach an agreement on an extension with Clowney, labeled with the franchise, before the deadline of July 15. That paved the way for Clowney not to sign his label and leave Houston to a preferred destination.

After trying to send Clowney to Miami, where the runner was not interested in landing, the Texans sent him to the Seahawks in exchange for a third-round selection of 2020, linebacker Jacob Martin and runner Barkevious Mingo. O'Brien said Monday that he liked Houston's return better late than never.

"I understand that everyone is going to analyze how we did it and what we received and what we gave to Seattle. In the end we did what we felt was the best for our organization and our team in the future," O'Brien said. "We feel that we obtained a selection from the third round of 2020 and we also felt that we added two players who are very versatile players. They play hard, they play with great effort, they are high character boys and we feel we did it." the best for the team. "

With respect to the players who joined Houston in Saturday's exchanges, O'Brien was glad about his potential impact on Texans. The coach spoke very well, in particular, of Tunsil's excellence in the left tackle and the flexibility along the offensive line. 

"I think when you look at Laremy, yes, he is an excellent pass guard, but there are many other things he can do," O'Brien said. "He can run blocking, he can lower his pads, he works well with the boys at his side, either a closed wing on his left or a guard on his right, he works very well with the boys at his side, he can appear on the screens He is a very intelligent player, he is a very instinctive player and he has played guard before. We are not going to line him up on guard unless we have to do it, but he has done it before, so he has a versatile team. that everyone is excited to add it to the team. "

The coach also expressed his enthusiasm for Tunsil to help guide Houston's rookie offensive linemen Tytus Howard and Max Scharping.

When asked how much early retirement of Colts quarterback Andrew Luck had to do with chronic injuries suffered behind a poor offensive line, with the acquisition of the left tackle of the franchise in Tunsil, O'Brien responded with an emphatic "None."

O'Brien did not say whether Houston was working or not on an extension with the 25-year-old left tackle, whose rookie deal closes after the 2020 season.

The roles of week 1 for Tunsil, Stills, Hyde and others have not yet been explained, and there are still thousands of questions that need answers in Houston before the Texans face the New Orleans Saints on Monday night.

But there is no doubt that O'Brien feels that Texans are better on Monday than Saturday, regardless of what they lost and earned in their exchanges.

"We are trying to improve. We are trying to do the best things we can, the best decisions we can make for the team," O'Brien said. "You want to call him aggressive, so that's what is beyond my control. All I can tell you is that we think a lot about that, we had a lot of meetings about it, a lot of communication and we felt good about where we are."

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