1:58pm: Hoyer would be available for a “very modest price,” a source tells Mark Maske of the Washington Post (Twitter link). I speculated below that the Texans probably wouldn’t be expecting more than a sixth-round pick.
12:39pm: With Brock Osweiler set to play under center for the Texans in 2016, Houston’s primary 2015 starter is expected to be on his way out. Pro Football Talk reported earlier today that Hoyer will likely leave Houston “sooner rather than later,” and Albert Breer of the NFL Network confirms (via Twitter) that the Texans are exploring trade scenarios for the veteran quarterback. No deal is imminent at this time, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
[RELATED: Texans, Brock Osweiler agree to deal]
Hoyer, 30, started nine games for the Texans in 2015, playing in 11. His numbers for the season were respectable — he threw 19 touchdowns to just seven interceptions, and racked up 2,606 yards through the air. For the second year in a row, he led his team to a winning record in his starts.
Despite his solid performance last season, Hoyer becomes expandable with the arrival of Osweiler, especially since the Texans have a backup they like in Tom Savage. Hoyer is in line for a $4MM base salary, plus $1.25MM in game-day roster bonuses, for the 2016 season, making him reasonably affordable for teams looking for quarterback help.
According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), several teams are in fact interested in Hoyer. Those potential suitors aren’t yet known, but the Broncos, Rams, and Browns are among the clubs potentially in the market for a QB, and the Jets are believed to have interest in Hoyer as a fallback option if Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn’t re-sign. Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets that the Broncos are in “no rush” when it comes to adding a QB — Denver is exploring all its options, so GM John Elway figures to at least kick the tires on Hoyer.
Given Hoyer’s fairly modest salary, which is in line with top backups around the NFL, it’s also possible that there will be teams with interest in acquiring him as a No. 2 option.
When the Texans sent Fitzpatrick to the Jets a year ago, Houston received a seventh-round pick that had the potential to turn into a sixth-rounder (which it did). I wouldn’t expect the Texans to land any more than that if they find a taker for Hoyer.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Don’t the 49ers need a decent QB upgrade? Is their lack of activity or even conversation about QB to mean their set, unless they settle for RGIII? It’s confusing that they aren’t interested in Fitzpatrick or Hoyer or any others…I don’t know, are they upgrades to Gabbert? The future looks bleak for the 49ers in any position you name, imo.
Sorry, I meant, “…conversation about QB to mean THEY’RE set, …”
Well, technically, Kaepernick is still in the mix there, and the 49ers claim they’re happy with him and Gabbert. If Kaepernick gets traded, then yeah, they’d definitely shoot to the top of the list for teams in need of a QB.