Texans GM Rick Smith endorses Tom Savage, says no pressure to draft QB

With only two quarterbacks, Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden, currently on the roster, it would make sense if Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith felt some urgency to draft a quarterback in the first round of next week’s draft.

The Texans own the No. 25 pick, which could be an ideal spot to draft a player like Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes or Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, but Smith said the assumption that his team has to take a quarterback with its first pick is untrue.

“I don’t feel pressure,” Smith said.

Instead, Smith endorsed Savage as the team’s starter.

Savage, a fourth-round pick in 2014, started one game late last season after replacing Brock Osweiler. Savage suffered a concussion in Week 17 and did not play in the Texans’ two postseason games.

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The Texans traded Osweiler to the Browns in what was essentially a salary dump in March, leaving Savage as the starter heading into the offseason. Smith said Friday he would be comfortable if Savage remains the starter for the regular season.

“I think he's proven that he understands this offense and I think he’s proven he can play at a high level,” Smith said.

Still, Smith said the team will add another quarterback at some point, because the Texans don’t want to head into training camp with just Savage and Weeden.

“Our intention is to go to camp with three,” Smith said. “We’ll get that done before we head to training camp.”

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