Kaepernick’s name has come up in Houston

Coach O’Brien says he and GM Smith have discussed signing quarterback.

Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien says he and general manager Rick Smith have discussed signing Colin Kaepernick in the wake of last week’s season-ending injury to Deshaun Watson.

When asked about Kaepernick on Monday, a day after Tom Savage struggled in a 20-14 loss to the Colts, O’Brien said: “We talk about the roster and what’s out there every day Rick and I.”

O’Brien was then pressed on whether they have specifically discussed about adding Kaepernick.

“Oh yeah, everybody gets discussed,” he said. “Is that a problem? Isn’t that the way most teams do it. People seem shocked by The question was straightforward. The answer? Uh, not so much. So, Tom Herman, if your struggling Texas Longhorns play well enough to qualify for a bowl game — and that’s no longer a given in these hard times — is that enough to consider your first season in Austin a success or is it already a huge disappointment?

“Those are my only two options?” a bemused Herman asked with a smile. “Success or huge disappointment, huh?

Well, I was trying to be nice.

I really meant success or disaster, which a 4-5 record falls under after the lopsided loss to TCU on Saturday. Texas’ third loss in the last four games, no matter how close the margins, has clearly earmarked this inaugural season for Herman as a borderline disaster if not out-and-out disaster.

The offense is borderline unwatchable, with apologies to borderline. Now maybe if the Longhorns run the

MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ / AP 2016 JAY JANNER / AMERICAN-STATESMAN Colin Kaepernick remains unsigned, but he might be a better choice to back up Tom Savage than T.J. Yates and Matt McGloin, who were signed Friday by the Texans. Head coach Tom Herman, who started his first year at Texas with high hopes of turning...