If Brian Hoyer's ultra-meltdown in the playoffs taught the Texans anything, it's this: You're playing with fire minus a tangible quarterback.
Coach Bill O'Brien has done his best with a laundry list of ho-hum passers, but if Houston plans to play at home in Super Bowl LI, the time is now to find a high-octane arm.
"Reliable quarterback play," was the only thing owner Bob McNair could cite when asked what's keeping the Texans from the Lombardi Trophy, per ESPN.com's Tania Ganguli.
It echoes exactly what McNair said last offseason, before Houston was forced to march into battle with Ryan Mallett and Hoyer under center. When asked how to correct course, the Texans owner said the team can find a young passer in the draft.
With the No. 22 overall pick, Houston's too far down the list to have its pick under center, but at least one of Mike Mayock's top-five quarterbacks -- Carson Wentz, Jared Goff, Paxton Lynch, Connor Cook or Dak Prescott -- should be available.
There's also a scenario where Penn State's Christian Hackenberg could reunite with O'Brien, who coached the 6-foot-4 passer as a Nittany Lion in 2013. We're months away from finding out, but the message is clear: The Texans aren't sitting still at the most important position in sports.