Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak got his contract extension. General manager Rick Smith was also locked up before he entered his contract year.
It makes you wonder about another important Texan entering the final year of his deal. Will the Texans commit long-term to quarterback Matt Schaub?
The Houston Chronicle took a good look at the situation on Monday, noting that negotiations will be tricky. Schaub recently said that he didn't know whether his agent was involved in long-term talks with the team. That's his polite way of saying: "I don't want to talk about it."
There are a few reasons why a negotiation with Schaub is problematic:
The Texans have long-term deals to finish:Pro Bowl tackle Duane Brown and pass rusher Connor Barwin may be first in line ahead of Schaub.
Injury history: Schaub has missed 16 games in five seasons with Houston. He's missed at least five games three times. Perhaps he's just not lucky, but top-shelf quarterbacks are paid in part for their durability.
T.J. Yates: How high is the ceiling of the second-year player? Yates showed as a rookie that he could eventually be a better player than Schaub. If Gary Kubiak truly believes in Yates, he could make a dramatic change in 2013.
The franchise tag: Keeping Schaub on a one-year deal next year would be expensive. But it's not a bad fallback plan for a team trying to win now. Schaub likely has more to prove to the Texans to get the contract he wants.
