8 NFL Teams That Must Attempt to Trade for Texans QB T.J. Yates

Maybe TJ Yates should send the Jacksonville Jaguars a thank you card.

If it weren't for the Jaguars defense and Jeremy Mincey, Yates, a fifth-round selection out of North Carolina, would never have seen the field this year.

It was Mincey who sacked backup starter Matt Leinart and broke his collarbone, leaving the Houston Texans to play Yates as their starter for the remainder of the season.

Yates played admirably and led his team to the playoffs, the first time that has been done in franchise history.

And for his troubles and success, the rookie may very well be sitting on the bench at the start of the 2012 season when Matt Schaub returns to the lineup.

So what's a team to do? Yates would make a great backup, but has shown he CAN play in the NFL and in this day and age, with a premium on decent passers and better yet, game managers, Yates could be a valuable starter for a team who needs someone to control a game and manage a clock.

These teams in particular might want to take a look at him. Whether he starts from Day 1 of the 2012 NFL season or comes in to relieve a so-so starter, these teams may be the right fit for him.

Cleveland Browns

This is a tough call.

The Browns are sitting with the fourth selection in the draft and Robert Griffin III is on their radar (along with many other teams). Will the Heisman Trophy winner be on the board when the Browns have their name called by the commissioner?

Yates could battle embattled starter Colt McCoy, who does not look like a long-term solution to the Browns offensive woes.

The defense played better this season and looks to be on the way toward one of the best in the NFL.

Could Yates and a few new receivers be the answer for head coach Pat Shurmur's offense?

Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo had such a roller coaster of a season and sometimes looked like a Top-10 passer and then looked like bottom feeder. Could a change of scenery be in Romo's future?

And if so, do the Cowboys go after free agents like Jason Campbell or Matt Flynn or turn to a passer in their own state?

Signing Laurent Robinson to a long-term deal is key to the passing game's success and would give Yates another deep target to hit down the middle of the field.

Miami Dolphins

I don't think they would become a player for Yates. He may be considered another Matt Moore.

His skills are better than Chad Henne. He looks the part and his leadership skills may be overlooked by stronger personalities like Reggie Bush and Brandon Marshall.

Yates could find a home in Miami, but it seems they want Robert Griffin III as bad as the Browns and maybe the Redskins.

And if all else fails, the Dolphins could make a run for him if they cannot get a free agent like Matt Flynn or David Garrard.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks proved they were a quarterback away from being a contender in the NFC playoff race.

And if head coach Pete Carroll and Seahawks management do not see this as a "need" in either the draft or in free agency, Yates could give this team some more hope. And with a re-signed Marshawn Lynch and healthy receivers, this could be the key to the Emerald City.

I like this to really happen. And if so, the NFC West just got a little more interesting.

Chicago Bears

It looks like starter Jay Cutler is a "ginger" quarterback who is injury-prone.

Caleb Hanie does not look like the answer as his backup either

Does Yates have what it takes to become one of the better passers in Chicago Bears history?

A receiver in the draft (Alshon Jeffery) and one in free agency (Harry Douglas) could go a long way toward making that happen.

St. Louis Rams

Sam Bradford will be returning to the lineup next season healed from injuries he sustained in 2011. But having Yates on the roster is not a bad idea.

Does someone like AJ Feeley strike fear in anyone on the field?

Yates is a noticeable improvement at the backup position, and on a fast track, like the one in St. Louis, who knows what can happen?

New coach Jeff Fisher will love the idea of having someone like a Justin Blackmon to catch balls from Bradford, or if he is injured again, Yates.

Washington Redskins

Team owner Daniel Snyder has a "big name" quarterback mentality. I don't think Yates fits on the Redskins' radar.

Snyder will do what he can to trade up from the sixth slot in the draft to the second pick with the Rams to draft Robert Griffin III. If that does not happen, Snyder of course will look at other options.

Matt Flynn then becomes a possibility as does a Tony Romo in a trade or maybe a David Garrard.

And if those possibilities fail, then Yates is an option.

New York Jets

This is the longest shot of them all.

Or is it?

Sanchez may have regressed this season and looked like he may not be the leader this team thought he as when they took him with the fifth pick in the 2009 NFL draft.

But since he took the Jets to the AFC Championship in his first two seasons, head coach Rex Ryan has not given up on him.

Does that mean Woody Johnson and the Jets ownership are on the same wavelength?

Yates could be the spoiler that may have enough moxie and drive to take this team to the next level.