Texans brass had been high on quarterback Tom Savage both internally and in conversations with other clubs for several years, according to several league sources, rebuffing opportunities to move him to quarterback-needy teams in the past. That has prompted some befuddlement from other teams, given Savage was benched just one half into the season-opening game.
Savage, who was largely undone by a bevy of drops and woeful pass protection in Week 1, lost his job just 31 offensive plays into the season after being announced as the starter weeks ago and getting most of the first-team reps in the offseason. When the Texans moved up to select Deshaun Watson in the first round, there was always the possibility he would play sooner rather than later, but the extremely short sample size has created an awkward situation.
At least four teams have had some level of interest in Savage dating back to last season, and Texans coach Bill O'Brien had long been a champion of the 2014 fourth-round pick. Veteran players came out strongly -- publicly and privately, sources said -- in favor of Savage this summer, and despite a history of pulling starters early, the manner in which Savage was benched last Sunday was shocking.
In the past, teams like the 49ers, Vikings (after losing Teddy Bridgewater to a career-threatening knee injury in training camp last summer) and Jets have mulled Savage's availability, and all came away convinced the Texans valued Savage highly and were not interested in trading him, and that it would take significant value in return to pry him away, as he was considered a potential starting quarterback in Houston.
"They were almost irrationally high on him," said an executive from one team that had interest in Savage at one point but quickly went in another direction.
Despite being unhappy about the way the season has unfolded -- especially after an injury derailed Savage in 2016 once he inherited the starting job from the struggling Brock Osweiler -- and despite the number of teams seemingly unsettled at quarterback, Savage is not contemplating a trade request.
"I've never asked (general manager) Rick (Smith) for a trade," said Neil Schwartz, Savage's agent, "and Tom is not seeking a trade. I'm not happy and Tom is not happy about this, but we're not asking for a trade."
