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Houston Texans Off-Season Thread (1 Viewer)

As a third RB I love the signing. He also seems like he is a complimentary fit with Tate should Foster go down, in that Forsett is a pretty good receiver, while that is part of Tate's game that we haven't seen proven in games yet.

 
They also signed CB Alan Ball. 7th round pick who spent five years in Dallas, including starting 16 games as a safety in 2010 before they moved him back to corner where he was a 4th or 5th stringer. Someone Wade would have familiarity with, but doesn't sound like someone to expect much out of.

 
Finding the Fits: Texans find perfect match in 4th round DL Crick

By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Over the next several weeks, NFLDraftScout.com will be reviewing some of the more intriguing picks made during the 2012 NFL draft through a series called "Finding the Fits." The goal of the series is to identify one relatively unheralded player per team who appears to be a good schematic fit and therefore more likely to be a surprise contributor early in his pro career.

Considering the presence of one of the NFL's premier running backs in Arian Foster as well as the No. 2-rated defense in the league, the Houston Texans might have broken through to win the AFC South even if Peyton Manning not missed the 2011 season. That, in itself, would be a major accomplishment considering that with Manning at the helm, the Indianapolis Colts had taken the divisional crown six of the past seven years (Tennessee, 2008).

Of course, the Texans had their own injuries they fought through, including losing quarterback Matt Schaub, All-Pro wideout Andre Johnson and former No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams for a combined 26 regular season games. Considering that some would have ranked these three as the Texans' best players entering the season, general manager Rick Smith and head coach Gary Kubiak's club winning the division without their stars' help made Houston's success in 2011 all the more impressive.

The biggest improvement for the Texans, of course, came on the defensive side of the ball. Wade Phillips may not have been the answer as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, but his talent as a defensive coach has never been questioned. He proved as much yet again by guiding the Texans to a No. 2 overall ranking in total defense in his first year in the building. Phillips replaced Frank Bush, under whom the Texans finished 30th in total defense in 2010. Phillips accomplished this incredible turnaround despite losing Williams after just five games and switching the Texans from the 4-3 alignment they'd used under Bush to Phillips' beloved 3-4 scheme.

For his success, Phillips was named the 2011 Assistant Coach of the Year by the Pro Football Writers Association (of which I am a voting member). As is almost always the case with an award-winning coach, he was helped by some extraordinary efforts by players -- including strong efforts from free agent addition Johnathan Joseph at cornerback, a resurgent season from linebacker Brian Cushing and breakthrough performances from pass rusher Connor Barwin (team-leading 11.5 sacks) and 2011 first round pick J.J. Watt, among others.

Despite the Texans' success on the defensive side of the ball in 2011, the team couldn't pass up the opportunity to select another incredibly productive pass rusher in the first round this past April, nabbing Illinois' Whitney Mercilus at No. 26 overall. Mercilus, who entered his junior season with just two starts and two sacks over his career, exploded for 57 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and nine forced fumbles, winning the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's top defensive end as a junior.

Mercilus' production speaks for itself and at 6-4, 261 pounds, he has the size to make the transition to outside linebacker in Phillips' scheme. At least some of his staggering numbers at Illinois, however, were a function of a highly aggressive defense used by then-defensive coordinator Vic Koenning, so there were concerns from some scouts that he was a one year wonder and possible product of the system. Koenning, by the way, who took over as interim head coach after Ron Zook was fired, has subsequently left Illinois and is now serving as the associate head coach for defense under Larry Fedora at the University of North Carolina.

While there are concerns about how well Mercilus will be able to transition in the NFL, I do not have the same reservations about former Nebraska defensive tackle Jared Crick, despite the fact the he, like his new teammate, will be asked to switch positions as a rookie.

At 6-4, 279 pounds and possessing good strength, instincts and hustle, Crick is actually a better fit as a 3-4 defensive end than he would have been remaining at his customary defensive tackle position for a 4-3 team in the NFL. While he isn't likely to supplant either Watt or veteran Antonio Smith as a starter as a rookie, he'll provide excellent depth at the position and could see significant rotational time. He has the strength to set the edge against the run, as well as excellent hustle to pursue laterally and downfield. He's also a better pass rusher than most 3-4 defensive ends, giving the team extra value.

Crick emerged as the second of a two-headed monster on the Nebraska defensive line while playing with Ndamukong Suh. Starting for the first time in 2009, Crick registered 73 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks, garnering First Team all-conference honors from Big 12 coaches. A year later, while Suh was earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors as a member of the Detroit Lions, Crick proved more than capable of starring on his own, posting eerily similar numbers (70 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks) to earn All-America accolades.

Considering his size, effort both on and off the field and consistency, Crick entered the 2011 season as a possible first round prospect. An injury-plagued season, however, contributed to his surprising fall to the fourth round, where the Texans nabbed him exactly 100 selections after Mercilus, the only other defensive prospect Houston drafted in 2012.

A torn pectoral muscle ended Crick's 2011 season after just six games, but some scouts were also worried about a knee injury that kept him out of spring practice prior to the season's start. With "just" 22 tackles, three tackles for loss and a single sack in his six games, Crick clearly was not the same player in 2011 that he'd been the past two seasons... that doesn't mean he should have slipped to the draft's third day, however.

By falling to the fourth round, Crick joins a list of former collegiate standouts who suffered an injury as a senior and as a result saw their stock plummet despite having already proven legitimate NFL starting talent. In recent years, we've seen several such players wind up "surprising" as middle or late round picks -- not the least of which includes defensive end Arthur Jones (Baltimore Ravens, 2010), outside linebacker O'Brien Schofield (Arizona Cardinals, 2010) and running back Michael Bush (Oakland Raiders, 2007). Bush, has since signed with the Chicago Bears as an unrestricted free agent.

Should Crick return to health like Jones, Schofield and Bush, don't be surprised when he also proves to be a mid-round "surprise" who develops into a legitimate NFL starter. In this light, the Texans' sixth pick of the 2012 NFL draft could actually be considered an even safer selection than their first choice.

The rest of the Texans' picks:

1st Round - No. 26 overall - Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois

3rd Round - No. 68 overall - DeVier Posey, WR, Ohio State

3rd Round - No. 76 overall - Brandon Brooks, OG, Miami (Ohio)

4th Round - No. 99 overall - Ben Jones, C, Georgia

4th Round - No. 121 overall - Keshawn Martin, WR, Michigan State

4th Round - No. 126 overall - Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska

5th Round - No. 137 overall - Randy Bullock, K, Texas A&M

6th Round - No. 188 overall - Nick Mondek, OT, Purdue
 
Arian Foster, Ben Tate pushing each other in offseason

By Brian McIntyre NFL.com

Houston Texans running backs Arian Foster and Ben Tate combined for 2,166 yards on the ground last season. But both are competing on a daily basis and pushing each other for more this season, reports Sam Khan of the Houston Chronicle.

"We're both competitors, so you're going to go out here and work every day to get better because every day you've got to get better," Tate said. "He don't want me gaining ground on him. I don't want him gaining ground on me. It's just always a competition. We're always working to get better."

Tate, a second-round pick in 2010, missed his rookie season with a broken ankle and was denied a first full NFL offseason by the lockout before running for 942 yards and four touchdowns in largely a reserve role in 15 games last season. Texans coach Gary Kubiak liked the progress Tate has made this offseason.

"It's so competitive because you've got a guy in Arian who has arrived as a pro and worked his tail off from being (an undrafted) free agent to becoming a Pro Bowl player and then yet he shows up every day. He has a young man (Tate) who wants to be a Pro Bowler there pushing him," Kubiak said on Tuesday. "They've been very impressive throughout the course of OTAs and Arian looks exceptional, but I think Ben may be one of the young guys who has probably made the most progress as a pro from last year to this year, so that's good for our team."
 
Houston Texans have concerning lack of WR depth

By Dan Hanzus

Writer

Matt Schaub will be among a group of about 30 Houston Texans veterans who won't be on the field for minicamp this week, but the quarterback is set to be a full participant when training camp begins next month.

"I'm ready to go," the quarterback said Friday, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The Texans will need Schaub -- coming off foot surgery -- to stay on the field, though T.J. Yates provided a silver lining last season by showing promise as Schaub's replacement.

Past history provides no such reassurances in the Texans' wide receiver ranks. Starters Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter are both 31, not quite old-timers but still a pair of pass-catchers with some mileage on the odometer.

Beyond those two starters, the Texans don't have another player with any true NFL experience. In fact, no other receiver on Houston's roster has an NFL catch ... ever.

"I like their (reserves) ability, but none has a catch in a game," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "That's a concern."

There are veteran options on the free-agent market (including one proven performer with a loose grasp of the Spanish language), but Kubiak was encouraged by what he saw from his in-house options at OTAs.

"I think their progress was good," he said. "We've got a lot of second- and third-year guys learning what it takes to become a pro, and that's important."

Current wide receivers on the roster include second-round pick DeVier Posey and fourth-rounder Keshawn Martin. The only backup receiver with any NFL experience is Juaquin Iglesias, who ended last season on Houston's practice squad.
 
ESPN said that McNair offered Kubiak 4 years but Kubiak wanted to stick with 3. Not sure why he'd do that unless it was just a way of saying he wants to continue the right to be there. Edit: Well, or I guess maybe he's hoping he'll have a Super Bowl victory in the next 3 years so get a big pay day in the next contract.

 
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Matt Schaub uncertain about long-term contract talks

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League editor

Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak got his contract extension. General manager Rick Smith was also locked up before he entered his contract year.

It makes you wonder about another important Texan entering the final year of his deal. Will the Texans commit long-term to quarterback Matt Schaub?

The Houston Chronicle took a good look at the situation on Monday, noting that negotiations will be tricky. Schaub recently said that he didn't know whether his agent was involved in long-term talks with the team. That's his polite way of saying: "I don't want to talk about it."

There are a few reasons why a negotiation with Schaub is problematic:

The Texans have long-term deals to finish: Pro Bowl tackle Duane Brown and pass rusher Connor Barwin may be first in line ahead of Schaub.

Injury history: Schaub has missed 16 games in five seasons with Houston. He's missed at least five games three times. Perhaps he's just not lucky, but top-shelf quarterbacks are paid in part for their durability.

T.J. Yates: How high is the ceiling of the second-year player? Yates showed as a rookie that he could eventually be a better player than Schaub. If Gary Kubiak truly believes in Yates, he could make a dramatic change in 2013.

The franchise tag: Keeping Schaub on a one-year deal next year would be expensive. But it's not a bad fallback plan for a team trying to win now. Schaub likely has more to prove to the Texans to get the contract he wants.
 
J.J. Watt expects Texans' defense to top NFL

By Dan Hanzus

Writer

J.J. Watt is an up-and-coming defensive end for the Houston Texans, but is he even playing the right sport?

"I still might be a little better at hockey," Watt said in a Monday chat with Around the League at NFL Network studios. "I played hockey, I loved hockey, but it started to get real expensive. I had to buy new skates every year because I kept growing, and all the traveling to Europe and Canada added up, but I love hockey."

Coming off a season in which he showed the Texans flashes of superstar ability, Watt shouldn't have much to regret. Watt had a pick six of Andy Dalton in the wild-card playoffs to help lead Houston to its first-ever postseason victory. The following week, he finished with 2.5 sacks and nine tackles in a divisional-round loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

With the offseason departures of Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans, Watt will be asked to become a consistent force on Wade Phillips' defense. The unit finished second in the league last season, and Watt knows the expectations are far higher heading into 2012.

"We're definitely aware of expectations, and I think they're even higher in our room than they are on the outside world," he said. "Last year, I believed we finished No. 2 in overall defense, this year we want to be No. 1. It takes a lot of hard work and it's not going to be easy, but it's our goal and we expect nothing less."

The Texans raised eyebrows by trading linebacker DeMeco Ryans to the Philadelphia Eagles, but Watt believes the defense won't skip a beat.

"I think initially there was a little bit of a shock factor, but now that we've been through the OTAs and Bradie James has come in and really filled that role as well as he possibly could," he said. "We're going to be just fine. We're going to have no issues from that.

"DeMeco's a great guy and he's going to have a heck of a career in Philly, but we're going to be just fine."

Watt and other NFL players are visiting a Los Angeles school on Monday as part of the NFL Play 60 campaign.
 
Carryover creates room to improve

It's a long way away, but per John Clayton, next year in 2013

Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith had a tough 2012, deciding to keep Arian Foster and Chris Myers, but it cost the Texans Eric Winston and Mario Williams. The Texans are fifth on the list with $24.8 million of room.
Of course, this is without Schaub, Barwin or Brown and a number of other FA's that we will have next year like Quin. My guess is they try to lockup Brown to an extension this year if they can and wait and see on Barwin & Schaub. Barwin could be an expendable piece if Mercilus performs as hoped and Schaub needs to prove his health has returned. Either way I see us resigning Schaub next year, just that the price will be dictated by his performance and health on the field this year.
 
According to Nick Scurfield, Earl Mitchell added 20 lbs and weighs 305. Will be interesting to see if he can win the starting job away from Cody.

 
Brooks Reed is not the player you think with Texans

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League editor

As we count down the days to training camp, Around the League will examine one player from every team set for a breakout campaign in 2012. Up next: The Houston Texans

Brooks Reed is better, faster than anyone expected

Defensive end J.J. Watt was the breakout player from Houston's playoff run, and for good reason. But Watt only tied for the NFL lead in postseason sacks with 3.5 in only two games. Fellow Texans rookie Brooks Reed did similar damage.

Reed and Watt were the first rookie duo in 15 years to notch at least five sacks apiece. Reed's pass-rush production fell off with zero sacks in his final five regular season games, but his playoff success shows why Reed is ready to break out.

Not the player you think

Reed came into the league with a reputation as a potentially dynamic pass rusher who would be weak against the run. That proved to be far from the truth. Reed was solid as a pass rusher as a rookie, but he arguably was better against the run. He has the size and strength to set the edge well, lining up as a defensive end or outside linebacker.

"He’s the strongest guy on our team," teammate Connor Barwin said this summer.

We re-watched every snap from Reed against the Ravens in the playoffs. We were impressed by how technically sound, strong and versatile he was. Reed recorded 13.5 tackles and a forced fumble in the two playoff games mostly due to strength and effort. He lined up all over the field, including at inside linebacker occasionally. He can cover when asked. If Reed hit a rookie wall during the season, it crumbled in January.

The Texans drafted Whitney Mercilus in the first round in part to serve as insurance with Barwin in a contract year. It will take time for Mercilus to get regular snaps playing behind Barwin and Reed.

Reed, a second-round pick last year, is a different player than analysts expected coming out of Arizona. He's ready to make a bigger impact than expected starting now.
 
Matt Schaub leads Houston Texans' throwing sessions

By Marc Sessler

Writer

The Houston Texans found a way to win without Matt Schaub down the stretch last season. It was a nice story, but we're left wondering what could have been with the veteran quarterback under center.

Schaub, on the road back from a season-ending Lisfranc injury, told the team's official website he's 100 percent and plans to be ready for camp. The quarterback put his repaired foot -- and his arm -- to work Thursday during a throwing session with a cast of Texans skill players. They've been at it all week with anywhere from six to a dozen players, including Andre Johnson, returning from arthroscopic knee surgery.

Schaub and friends have labeled the soiree "Texans East" (Translation: a University of Houston field roughly six miles east of Reliant Stadium), a playful jab as Mark Sanchez's ponderously over-publicized "Jets West" gatherings.

"Right now, the rookies are at the symposium -- the drafted guys. Come next week," Schaub said, "I expect all them to be out there. Andre's been out there and a few other veterans. Right now, some of them have taken a little break, but we'll come back here next week or just after the Fourth so we'll have three good weeks after that to really get after it."

Schaub isn't mentioned among the game's top passers, but he deserves more notice. He's mastered coach Gary Kubiak's West Coast system and he's one of the conference's more accurate passers. Durability has been an issue for Schaub, and it contributed to the Texans' demise last season. It would have been a treat to see what he could have done against that Ravens defense in the playoffs.

No more broken bones down in Texas, and we might find out in 2012.
 
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Matt Schaub, Duane Brown contracts loom for Texans

By Brian McIntyre

Around the League writer

"Around the League" is taking a look at each team's salary-cap situation heading into training camp. Next up: The Houston Texans.

Adjusted Cap Number: $122.898 million

Cap Room Remaining: $4.053 million

Best Bargain: Connor Barwin. A 2009 second-round draft pick out of Cincinnati, Barwin came off the bench to notch 4.5 sacks as a rookie before spending all but a handful of plays of the 2010 season on injured reserve. The Texans' move to a 3-4 defense was beneficial to Barwin, who led the team with 11.5 sacks and 28 hits on opposing quarterbacks. Barwin also had seven passes defensed, including five at the line of scrimmage, as noted in the recently released Football Outsiders Almanac 2012.

Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Barwin is scheduled to earn the NFL minimum base salary which counts less than $1 million against the Texans' salary cap. For a player that logged over 90 percent of the defensive snaps last season, and gets to the quarterback with frequency, that's a good deal for the Texans.

Potential Camp Casualty: Pressed against the cap earlier this offseason, the Texans cleared space with the releases of Eric Winston and Jacoby Jones, trade of DeMeco Ryans and got No. 2 receiver Kevin Walter to take a $1.5 million pay cut.

Contact Issue Looming In 2013: Matt Schaub isn't sweating it, but the 31-year-old is entering the final year of his contract. When healthy, Schaub has been productive, completing over 65 percent of 2,118 pass attempts for 16,903 yards and 92 touchdowns in his 64 games in five seasons with the Texans. The problem is Schaub has missed what amounts to a full season with injuries, including the last six regular season games and the first two playoff games in franchise history with a Lisfranc foot injury last season. Schaub is not among the elite NFL quarterbacks, but staying healthy and productive in leading the Texans back to the playoffs in 2012 could help him get another big contract.

In addition to Schaub, the Texans will also have to sign left tackle Duane Brown or use the franchise tag him, as Brown's quietly developed into one of the league's top tackles. The franchise tender for an offensive lineman in 2013 is projected to be worth around $9.3 million, which is over $5 million less than the projected amount of the non-exclusive tender for a quarterback. It might be less painful from a financial perspective to lock up Schaub and keep the franchise tag available for Brown.

With pass rushers are a valued commodity, Barwin can be added to this list, as well. That said, the Texans let Mario Williams walk and have guarded against the possibility of losing Barwin to free agency with the selections of edge rushers Whitney Mercilus in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft and Brooks Reed in the second round of the 2011 draft.
 
Roy Williams will try out for Houston Texans

By Dan Hanzus

Writer

Coming off a season in which he afflicted the Chicago Bears with an acute case of buyer's remorse, free-agent wide receiver Roy Williams has landed a tryout with the Houston Texans.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Wednesday that Williams will work out for the Texans on Thursday. Williams' agent, Ben Dogra, confirmed the tryout.

The Texans don't have a receiver on their roster with a single NFL catch after Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter, a reality that seemingly would bode well for Williams, who has 393 receptions in nine seasons.

Of course, Texans officials might be scared off if they consult game tape from Williams' one season at Soldier Field. The 30-year-old receiver struggled to make an impact with the Bears, showing little burst and a shaky set of hands.

Factoring in age and his well-documented struggles last season -- in the last several seasons, really -- we'd be surprised if Williams gets a job out of this. But there's no denying Houston has a need for experience at the position. If nothing else, Williams provides that.
 
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Quotes-Monday-camp-practice/4495baac-8bdd-4efc-8b90-74c1cab1b300

(on if any other players have stood out to him) “I was just impressed, you know, Sherrick (McManis) stood out to me this morning. The young receiver (Jerrell) Jackson continues to make some plays. We’re going to continue to give him more than what he’s doing. Other than that, like I said, there was some good, some bad. Typical practice.”

(on WR Lestar Jean’s upside) “I love his size. I like big guys in the league. I think it is an advantage. He’s very smart. He can play a lot of places. He did do some go things on special teams for (coordinator) Joe (Marciano). It’s a unique situation because he hasn’t played, but he’s still sitting here operating as a starter. He’s never even taken a snap. That kind of tells you where we’re at. He’s going to have to play big for us to be successful and keep moving forward so we’re counting on him.”

 
Duane Brown(Olt) left practice with an ankle injury. X-rays to follow.

 
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http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Quotes-Wednesday-Camp-Practice/646151c7-fea0-4a52-bf9a-2c6af0b71e0f

(on his thoughts on the young receivers fighting for a spot) “They’re all talented. Seems like right now they’re all in a position to make some plays and separate themselves, but nobody’s separating themselves. They’re going to have to do it. I don’t want to sit down and throw a dart at the board and say ‘I’m keeping this guy.’ I want to keep him because they do it on the field and I see it, you see it, everybody sees it. We’ll keep giving them opportunities and see who steps up. Keshawn Martin worked with the first group today. I’m sure y’all saw that, y’all caught that. He’s been making plays. If you’re doing it, we’re going to give you a chance to do it some more.”

 
According to a person at Texans practices JJ Watt went down during practice and per normal was carted back to the medical area. Did not specify where the potential injury was.

 
Glad to see him locked up. Hopefully this lets them put some money into 2012 and maybe less pay needed in 2013 so they can handle Schaub, Barin, and Quinn bonuses. If not get one of them re-signed this year still.

 
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/16/texans-offensive-linemen-meet-aim-to-get-better/

On the same day that Texans left tackle Duane Brown received a reward for four seasons of solid play, their collective effort in 2012 justified a get-together to talk about ways to get better.

“Internal Stuff,” guard Wade Smith told FOX 26 in Houston regarding the subject of the meeting. “We have to get better as a group. So we just had to handle it internally.”

Smith, Brown, and center Chris Myers spoke. They are the remaining 60 percent of the team’s offensive line in 2011, which is missing tackle Eric Winston (who was cut) and guard Mike Briesel (who signed with the Raiders).

“Can’t go into detail,” Brown said of the meeting. “Today’s practice was a little below expectations and we just had to share our input on what our expectations should be. . . . This is early on in the season. You got to nip this stuff in the bud and let some people know you can’t make this a habit. This is a business and we’ve got standards and we’ve got to set the tone.”

Given that the holdovers spoke, it’s fair to wonder whether they’re not happy with the performance to date of the replacements — Antoine Caldwell and Rashad Butler. Either way, the Texans need their offensive line to perform at a high level. Though it’s troubling that it isn’t, it’s encouraging that the men who have been there recognized and acted on the need to improve.
 
'Greg Russell said:
Glad to see him locked up. Hopefully this lets them put some money into 2012 and maybe less pay needed in 2013 so they can handle Schaub, Barin, and Quinn bonuses. If not get one of them re-signed this year still.
I was thinking the same thing, although John McClain said the extension wouldn't go into effect until next year which leads me to believe that none of his new salary or bonus will hit this years cap. Based on everything out there, they did not have a lot of cap room this year to afford future monies.I do think it is a positive sign though, in the development of the front office, that they are now locking up guys ahead of time, as opposed to having to restructure big contracts to get under the cap. This is a much more proactive and smarter way to manage the cap.
 
Lestar needs to start
How's this guy looking for keeper leagues? worth a shot? Houston fan but haven't had time to scout the preseason. I downright loathe their WR core (AJ80 likely will get hurt).
 
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