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A Good Offseason, but Still Some Work To Do!
In my previous article , I documented all the positive steps Al Davis, Tom Cable, and the Raiders organization have taken to bring the team back to respectability.
In the final step of that article, I stated that the coaches and players had to bring all the new and improved pieces together into one cohesive unit for the process to truly be complete. That is a true, yet incomplete statement.
There are still some areas in which the Raiders must improve in order to complete the transformation from AFC doormat to playoff power. What follows is my take on what those areas are and how the Raiders might address them.
Veteran Leadership at Critical Positions.
The Raiders are one of the youngest teams in the league. This is a good thing in a lot of ways, but it has its drawbacks. The wide receiver position is one in particular that could greatly benefit from a wile old veteran. But, not just any veteran will do; it must be the right kind of player.
A lot of fans and experts are calling for the Raiders to sign Terrell Owens as a mentor for the very young Raiders receiving corps. This, in my mind, would not be the best idea. Owens is the classic Prima Donna and brings a lot of baggage and turmoil with him. The subsequent circus would undo a lot of the “team-first” attitude coach Cable has constructed and could be catastrophically counterproductive.
There are two options that would be better for the team.
The first is to do nothing and let the young guys learn and grow together with their new quarterback Jason Campbell. This would create a sense of camaraderie nonexistent before. It would take longer for them to develop, but would also make the receivers a closer unit and better teammates to each other, and the rest of the team.
The second option is to find the right man for the job. This hypothetical player may or may not be out there.
Kevin Walter of the Houston Texans is a restricted free agent with only a third round tender right now. His production on the field and behavior off the field make him a very good candidate to mentor the young wide receivers in Oakland. A third round pick is a small price to pay for shortening the learning curve and boosting performance of a bunch of young players that are going to be part of the future of the team.
Will Davis pay the price and pull the trigger? Only he knows.
Solidify the Offensive Line
Although the Raiders have improved the talent and depth on the previously porous offensive line, some work still remains.
Mario Henderson played better than expected at left tackle, but he wasn’t great. Bringing in a player that has played at that position successfully, a proven entity if you will, would go a long way to improving the line. This would mean that Henderson could go to the right side, which would be an improvement over Khalif Barnes and Langston Walker , who are competing for that spot now.
Some options for improving the left tackle position include acquiring Ravens left tackle Jared Gaither for the first round pick required by his now signed tender offer. This might be a little expensive for the team, so I don’t realistically see it happening.
Another option is to sign unrestricted free agent Flozell Adams , a risky proposition at best due to his age and injury concerns. He would also expect a large salary. I’m not sure Adams would be worth risk.
The center position has been reason for concern since Barrett Robbins left after the 2003 season. The trade that sent Jake Grove to Miami for Samson Satele disappointed a lot of fans, including myself. Satele seems to have the understanding, but lacks the physical power to play consistently at the NFL level.
An answer to this problem could be signing unrestricted free agent Kevin Mawae . Mawae, the president of the player’s union, is known as one of the best centers in the last 25 years, if not the dirtiest! A one year deal for Mawae would bring a football IQ unmatched by anyone currently on the offensive line.
The right guard spot is another position that needs to be addressed. There is some good young talent, but no clear cut starter. Paul McQuistan did not play horrible last year, but he didn’t really shine either.
One possible solution would be to go after disgruntled New England Patriot Logan Mankins . Mankins has a first and third round tender attached to him. That’s pretty expensive, but might be worth it considering that he is only 28 years old, plays at a very high level, can play center, and still has a lot of gas in the tank.
Improve the Coverage Skills of the Outside Linebackers
This can happen one of two ways: Bring in new talent or coach up the existing guys.
I’d have to say that with the players I’ve seen on the market now, the Raiders may be forced to just coach up the existing guys. We already know that Thomas Howard can get the job done in coverage, but Kamerion Wimbley , Quentin Groves , and Trevor Scott may be serious liabilities in that aspect.
Wimbley has the most experience at the linebacker position, so it may be wise to start with him. I’m concerned that he is not quick or agile enough to be very effective in coverage. Groves is learning the linebacker position after being a defensive end in Jacksonville. Trevor Scott has spent his whole career with his hand in the ground as a defensive end. Like Groves, Scott will be learning the basics of linebacker.
Other than Keith Bulluck , there are no real legitimate starting 4-3 outside linebackers available in free agency now and he is coming off of serious injury. He’s also 33 years old!
Therefore, the Raiders are kind of stuck with the players they have. This is, without question, the biggest question mark about this team. Other than Howard, who do they have that can cover backs and tight ends from the linebacker spot? No one really. This worries me and a lot of other fans.
Whatever happens with all of these questions I’ve raised, the Raiders will be a better team than they have been over the last seven years. The question is, if they don’t address some or all of these questions, can they be good enough to give the fans what they crave, a playoff berth?
Only time will tell.
What do you say Raider Nation? Will the Raiders make the playoffs with the team as it is now? If not, what do they need to add or change to make it happen?
Let me hear you!
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In the NFL, anything can happen.
Whether it be New England’s undefeated regular season in 2007, Tom Brady’s 50 touchdown passes, or Chris Johnson becoming the sixth player ever to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, we witness something great year in and year out.
That’s why I’m here today. I’m here to inform you of the next great thing(s) we’re bound to witness this upcoming season. Of course, my list may include a few long shots, but when it comes to football you never know what you’re gonna get.
Brett Favre Takes Minnesota Back to Playoffs
As of now we don’t know if Favre will return in 2010, but it’s Brett freakin’ Favre we’re talking about here. Of course he’ll be back in uniform. Surgery hasn’t stopped him from returning before, has it?! No, of course not.
The playoff loss, especially the way they lost it, is still lingering in Favre’s world and you know he wants to redeem himself. Not saying whether he will succeed or fail miserably…again. But I do know is he’ll be back in a purple uniform come September.
Minnesota fans have nothing to worry about.
Joe Flacco throws for 4,000 yards and 30 TDs
Entering his third season, the 25-year-old signal caller fell just 400 yards shy of the mark last season with a marginal receiving corps. His passing stats improved greatly from his rookie season and I expect his yards and TD totals to go up even more with the additions Baltimore has made.
He has the best offensive line in the AFC North protecting him and now has Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth on his side. All four of his tight ends are 6’4” or taller, as well, giving him large targets up the middle.
Ray Rice was one of the best running backs season and I don’t expect him to slack off this season. Personally I would be shocked if Flacco didn’t crack 4,000 yards and come close to 30 TD tosses.
Chris Johnson becomes first player to rush for 2,000 yards on two separate occasions
Chris Johnson certainly has the ability to achieve this.
Johnson was, without a doubt, the most electrifying player last season and has amazing open-field ability. For awhile there, I seriously think defenders were scared to take him on man-to-man.
With the Titans’ QB situation still a bit blurry, I expect C.J. to get the ball just as often. The one thing that could prevent this from happening is his health, though he has yet to have many injuries while in the NFL.
If Tennessee wants to win they’re gonna have to get the ball to this guy, which is why I’m going out on a limb and saying he will break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, this season.
Texans Make the Playoffs
I’ve been predicting this the last couple of seasons, but this time it’s actually going to happen.
Matt Schaub had, by far, his best season last year, throwing for nearly 5,000 yards (4,770, to be exact) and 29 TDs and completing 67.9 percent of his passes. With weapons such as Andre Johnson (who claims he has no problems with his current contract) and 6’3” Kevin Walter, Schaub will put up equal numbers in 2010.
If third-year running back Steve Slaton had matched his 2008 rookie numbers, there’s no doubt the 9-7 Texans would have been playoff-bound in 2009.
On defense, Houston has the keys (Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, and Brian Cushing) to go to the next level. If they force more turnovers they could be a top-10 defense.
Offense wins games, defense wins championships. This cliche is exactly why they will be a playoff team in 2010.
Jets Win Division, Have Top Defense in League Again
As a rookie passer, Mark Sanchez turned the ball over far too many times (20 INTs), yet New York was just a win away from the Super Bowl. This is most likely because of their stout running game with Thomas Jones breaking 1,400 yards.
But, Sanchez proved he belonged by leading the Jets through the playoffs with just two interceptions. He showed maturity throughout the season and will be even better when it comes time for the season opener.
During the offseason, New York went out and signed some big-name players, including LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Cromartie, and Jason Taylor on defense. Head coach Rex Ryan has the ability to merge talent and hard work to create a winning ball team. Which is exactly why he’s the Jets’ head coach.
Cromartie will be a huge addition opposite one of the game’s shut-down corners in Darrelle Revis. Taylor provides that pass rusher New York lacked last season, and LT becomes their third-down back and mentor for the second-year Shonn Greene.
What’s not to like? The rich get richer.
Dez Bryant Wins Rookie of the Year and Becomes Romo’s Favorite Target
Last year we saw the unexpected when Miles Austin broke out with a huge game against the Chiefs (week five), and seemed to be Tony Romo’s go-to guy the rest of the season. The 6’3″, 215 pound Austin finished the season with 81 receptions, 1,320 yards and 11 TDs, all career-highs.
Rookie wideout Dez Bryant—the 24th overall pick in this year’s draft—has already impressed coaches in mini camp. He may have even chased Roy Williams out of Dallas. I guess I’d be feeling left out if a rookie came in and took all my spotlight, too.
Bryant, 6’2″, 224 pounds, has a similar frame to Austin and was one of the draft’s top wide receivers.
All I’m going to say is you know Dallas has high hopes for him when you see him wearing No. 88. I’m thinking 75 receptions, 1,100 yards, and eight TDs. What do you guys think?
Lions’ Stafford, Rams’ Bradford Lead Respective Teams to Six-plus Wins
As a rookie last year, Matthew Stafford threw 20 INTs while going 2-8 as a starter. Sam Bradford missed a majority of his junior season at Oklahoma because of an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder (he would later have season-ending surgery on that same shoulder).
What a difference a year can make.
My bold prediction for Stafford is that he’ll lead the sorry Detroit Lions (2-30 over last two seasons) to a 6-10 season. That’s right, you heard correctly. Stafford made some rookie mistakes, but he is the franchise’s savior and has enough games under his belt (and a couple of weapons in Calvin Johnson and Kevin Smith) to prove he’s a winner.
My bold prediction for Bradford is that he’ll give Dez Bryant a run for his money in the Rookie of the Year race. Bradford showed everyone his arm is as strong as ever in workouts. Obviously he hasn’t been fully tested, but he is a smart guy and shouldn’t have much trouble adjusting to the pace of the game.
Of course both guys are going to be under a lot of pressure, but they’ve shown they can handle it. (Stafford did get the Lions their only two wins over the last 32 games).
Bradford has some guys on the offensive side of the ball who can help him through the difficult times. Steven Jackson is going to get a good amount of carries to take some pressure off Bradford’s shoulders.
The reason these two teams aren’t heading towards a winning season for several years is simply because of the lack of a defense. St. Louis and Detroit had the bottom two defenses in the league last season. Don’t expect anything big from them this year, either.
Ben Roethlisberger’s Suspension is Limited to Four Games; Steelers Start Winning Right Away
All Roethlisberger has to do for his six-game suspension to be cut to four games is stay out of trouble, meaning don’t make any more headlines. If he can’t do that, then he really doesn’t belong in the NFL at this point.
I expect his suspension to be cut by two games and for the Steelers to get back to winning once he returns. From the looks of it, Pittsburgh will probably be 1-3 through those first four games (vs. ATL, @TEN, @TB, vs. BAL). But looking at their remaining schedule they could easily turn things around and finish the season 8-8.
In no way am I saying Pittsburgh is going to be playoff-bound, I’m just saying you shouldn’t count them out. The reason they didn’t make the playoffs last year had nothing to do with the offense. Believe it or not, it was the defense. Pittsburgh’s D gave up five fourth-quarter leads last season, leading to a 9-7 finish.
Baltimore and Cincinnati will finish ahead of the Steelers in the division, leading to two consecutive non-playoff seasons for the Steelers. But if I was in the AFC North I still wouldn’t count these guys out.
Kevin Kolb Leads Eagles to Playoffs
Philadelphia didn’t handle the McNabb situation all that great, but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong for moving on without him.
Kolb has seen enough while riding the bench in Philly and has shown spurts of excellence when filling in for McNabb. I mean, he did learn from one of the league’s best QBs.
The Eagles knew he was ready to start in the NFL and, quite frankly, they were ready to end the McNabb era. Facing the McNabb-led Redskins twice each season is going to be tough, but Philadelphia is a much better all-around team than Washington, so they won’t have much trouble beating them.
Kolb has the keys to win games with young guys such as LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson. Even his tight end, Brent Celek, has a promising future (76 receptions, 971 yards, eight TDs at age 24 last season).
All Kolb really has to do is relax and let his supporting cast do the heavy lifting.
Cutler Throws Another 20+ INTs for Chicago
Lets face it, Cutler isn’t God.
When Chicago brought him in before last season, he was supposed to be the franchise’s savior. Yes, he is a solid quarterback and would be a starter for most teams, but he’s not what everyone thinks he is. He still makes mental mistakes, rookie mistakes.
Even in his best NFL season, Cutler still threw 18 INTs. Put him under pressure like he was in Chicago last season (35 sacks) and you’re gonna get a disastrous outcome.
So, until Chicago can block for longer than 2.5 seconds and gets a couple of consistent WRs (Johnny Knox, Devin Aromashodu, and Earl Bennett aren’t gonna cut it), Cutler will continue to struggle in Chicago. Sorry guys.
Others of Note:
*Panthers make a run with Moore under center
*Seahawks return as division champs with Pete Carroll at the helm
*Tebow starts 5-6 games at QB
*Jack Del Rio fired as Jags head coach by season’s end
*T.O. isn’t signed in time for season opener
What do you guys think? What are your bold predictions for the upcoming season? Feel free to share them.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
Contrary to public opinion, the Brian Cushing’s four-game suspension that was announced last Friday doesn’t fundamentally affect the team’s progress to begin the 2010 NFL season.
Brian Cushing’s Very Productive Rookie Season
Selected as the 15th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Brian Cushing had a sensational rookie season, accumulating 133 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and four interceptions, all the while winning the 2009 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Award Controversy
There was speculation and tons of widespread commotion that was leaning to stripping Cushing’s award and handing it to runner-up Bills safety Jarius Byrd.
But the decision was made to let him keep it for slow reaction by the NFL, or lack of my better reasoning.
Rumors That Performance-Enhancing Supplements Started in High School
Although not proven, stories and anecdotes cling to the idea that Cushing actually began taking performance-enhancing supplements dating all the way back to high school.
If this is the case, and the illegal supplement actions did in fact happen in high school and are proven, this could be a major blow to the Texans’ defense.
Houston would lose its leading tackler not only for the first four games, but potentially for the rest of the season and beyond, as his performance should become less effective.
2010: Comes The Last Piece to the Puzzle
It’s been less than a decade since the Houston Texans were introduced to the league and they come off their first winning record (9-7) in team history, just missing the postseason.
Houston is poised for a playoff berth, and has enough potential, talent, intangibles, and work ethic to finally pass the mark, despite the Cushing controversy.
Offense: Passing Attack
Protected with a young, but very solid offensive line that will see improvements with more experience, Matt Schaub prospered, leading the NFL in a high-flying passing frenzy in ’09.
Schaub threw for the most completions and yards of any NFL quarterback, and could see even more production than last year, despite the focus that’s headed toward the running game.
With the appendages in return specialist and potential slot and bubble screen pattern receiver Trindon Holiday, the extremely versatile Dorin Dickerson, and tight end Garrett Graham, the opposing defenses will look to stray away by means of wideouts Kevin Walter and Andre Johnson.
Offense: Running Game
Now with stocked depth at tight end, the running game will take flight with improved blocking.
Albeit Steve Slaton suffered a sophomore slump, he receives help via Ryan Moats, potential superstar Arian Foster, and the very complimentary bell cow power back Ben Tate.
Prediction: I suspect the Texans’ passing attack will finish in the top five of the league, with the running game following behind somewhere between 12th and 18th in the upcoming season.
Defense: Front Four
The Texans’ defensive front now holds the slightly stouter Amobi Okoye and rookie Earl Mitchell in the middle, with the luminary Mario Williams adjacent Connor Barwin and Antonio Smith, making for a lethal rotational system on the end.
Linebacker Corps Without Brian Cushing
What was one of the best linebacker tandems in recent years downgrades as Brian Cushing suffers an inevitable four-week suspension to start the season.
Whether he’s traded, released, suffers a decline in his performance, or somehow plays about the same as he did before his performance-enhancing supplement news broke loose is yet to be determined, but here’s what we can guess will happen in the meantime.
Fourth-year veteran outside linebacker Zac Diles started 12 games last season for Houston, and is expected to realign to the weak side for at least the first four games of the regular season.
This shuffles either fourth-round pick Daryl Sharpton, third-year veteran Xavier Adibi, or a veteran player picked up via free agency to replace Brian Cushing.
LB Corps: Adibi Gotta Be Ready
At this point, it’s very unlikely Daryl Sharpton makes the shift to the outside.
This generally makes for a 50/50 debate between Xavier Adibi and a move to getting Keith Bulluck to be the starter on the strong side.
However, it’s been recently reported that the Texans signed versatile linebacker Danny Clark, who played with Houston in 2007.
Xavier Adibi is ready to make a significant impact, and it’s typical that many players become valued contributors in their third NFL season.
Keith Bulluck enters his 11th NFL career season coming off a year accumulating over 100 tackles with three interceptions. His performance has been very steady over his career, not seeing a decline, and is more than ready to resonate within his next home.
Over recent years, it’s been very common for successful veteran players to leave their team for one within their division (i.e. Terrell Owens, Donovan McNabb, Brett Favre, etc.).
With or without Keith Bulluck, the Texans’ front seven will illustrate almost the same productivity as it did a season ago, with Zac Diles, Danny Clark, and Xavier Adibi more than ready to step up and adhere to becoming lethal forces adjacent DeMeco Ryans.
Secondary: Bernard Pollard and Upgraded Secondary Front
Dunta Robinson left Houston for the Atlanta Falcons and was replaced with first round pick Kareem Jackson, who has the leadership, toughness, acceleration, and experience in a pro system to be an ample influence.
On the other side, former fourth round pick via the 2009 NFL Draft, Glover Quinn started every game in his rookie season. Quinn had a nice season, earning a grand total of 68 tackles.
He’ll inevitably improve with more experience and will have strong safety Bernard Pollard aiding him on the same side of the field.
Pollard, nicknamed “Patriot Killer” and “The Bonecrusher,” had an outstanding year, accumulating 102 tackles, one-and-a-half sacks, one forced fumble, and four interceptions.
This was his career best and only his first year with the Texans. Pollard now enters his fifth NFL season with 300 tackles, seven interceptions, six forced fumbles, and having incidentally injured two elite offensive playmakers via the New England Patriots in his career.
Secondary: Free Safety
It’s a current open competition at free safety between Eugene Wilson and Dominique Barber.
Wilson started eight games and amassed 29 tackles, one forced fumble, and two interceptions last season.
Meanwhile, Dominique Barber comes off his second year having started six games and mounting 33 tackles and one interception, with a ton of potential ahead.
Verse of this Piece
Jesus refused to allow anyone to carry goods through the Temple courts. Then he taught the people, saying, it is written in the Scriptures, My Temple will be called a house for prayer for people from all nations. But you are changing God’s house into a hideout for the robbers.
The leading priests and the teachers of the law heard all this and began trying to find a way to kill Jesus. They were afraid of him, because all the people were amazed at his teaching. —Mark 11:16-18
2010 Offensive Depth Chart Outlook
QB – Matt Schaub
RB – Steve Slaton, Arian Foster, Ben Tate*
FB – Vonta Leach
WR 1 – Andre Johnson, Andre Davis
WR 2 – Kevin Walter, Jacoby Jones
Slot WR – David Anderson, Dorin Dickerson*, Trindon Holiday*
TE – Owen Daniels, Garrett Graham*, Joel Dreessen, James Casey
OT – Duane Brown, Wade Smith
OG – Chris White, Antoine Caldwell, Mike Brisiel
C – Chris Myers
OG – Kasey Studdard, Shelley Smith*
OT – Eric Winston
2010 Defensive Depth Chart Outlook
DE – Mario Williams
DT – Amobi Okoye
DT – Earl Mitchell*, Frank Okam, Malcolm Sheppard
DE – Antonio Smith, Connor Barwin (rotation)
OLB – Zac Diles, Brian Cushing
MLB – DeMeco Ryans
OLB – Xavier Adibi, Danny Clark (rotation)
CB – Kareem Jackson, Fred Bennett
CB – Glover Quinn, Brice McCain
SS – Bernard Pollard, Troy Nolan
FS – Dominique Barber, Eugene Wilson, Sherrick McManis*
*-Rookies
Prediction: 10-6—Despite the Cushing suspension, the Texans’ running game is up and running, their front four is more experienced, and their revamped secondary will make the difference to the Texans gliding to playoff berth.
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A little more than two weeks remain before the NFL Draft.
Most teams have obvious strengths and weaknesses and the Houston Texans are obviously no exception.
With that being said, let’s take a look at where the Texans are before the draft.
I’ll address the offense today and will examine the defense later in the week.
On offense, the Texans have one of the most potent passing attacks in the league.
Matt Schaub is emerging as one of the top ten quarterbacks in the league. Andre Johnson is nearly unstoppable.
A shrewd move the Texans made was resigning second wide receiver Kevin Walter. Walter might not be the biggest guy or the fastest guy, but he’s an ideal complement to Johnson.
Walter runs good routes, has a knack for getting open, and is a strong and willing blocker in the running game. Locking him up was a good move in terms of continuity.
A move that may be made soon is locking up tight end Owen Daniels. Whether he simply signs a one-year restricted free agent tender or a long-term deal, Daniels will be playing for the Texans next season.
While it may seem Machiavellian, waiting for Daniels to prove he is back from knee surgery before extending a long-term contract is a strong move on the organization’s part.
If Daniels is back to form, look for GM Rick Smith to lock Daniels up for four or five more years. If he’s not back to full strength, another one-year contract could be in the cards. The Texans could also let Daniels walk if he’s not up to par.
In the running game, the Texans entered the off season with a strong need for a running back to pair with Steve Slaton.
In an ideal world, Slaton would handle the ball twenty times per game. Most of those would be on plays on the edges and in the passing game. Utilizing his quickness and skill in the open field should be a focus of the offense.
On the other hand, a back who can carry the ball late in games when opposing defenses know the run is coming and a back who can pound between the tackles is still missing.
I don’t put too much stock in what Arian Foster did down the stretch. Simply, the sample size was too small to accurately judge what he can and cannot do.
Do talented players slip through the cracks and go undrafted? Sure. But are franchise backs often undrafted? No.
All this means the Texans still need a bell cow. A back like Toby Gerhart from Stanford in the third round makes sense in my opinion. Auburn’s Ben Tate as a mid-round pick is also a possibility.
Another way to improve the running game is by strengthening the offensive line. No Texan fan would really argue that the interior of the offensive line was a team strength in 2009.
Signing Wade Smith to play either guard or center was a good move. Smith won’t wow a lot of people, but he will make plays.
Adding Smith and second-year player Antoine Caldwell on the interior of the line should improve the running game. Still, look for the Texans to add another interior linemen. Mike Iupati from Idaho would be an excellent addition to the team in the first round.
Finally, a move that has not made a lot of noise but could have a big impact is the change in offensive coordinators from Kyle Shanahan to Rick Dennison.
Shanahan joined his father in Washington. Taking his place is Dennison, who also came from Denver. Don’t look for major changes, but the offense played so well under Shanahan, a step back almost seems expected.
Nonetheless, with top notch players such as Schaub and Johnson, I don’t expect the offense to suffer too much.
An improved running game seems likely, as Dennison served as the offensive line coach before becoming the coordinator in Denver. Shanahan, conversely, was a wide receivers coach before becoming a coordinator and his focus on the passing game is understandable.
Where do you expect more offensive changes to occur?
Check back later this week for an update on the defense.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
After finishing with their first winning season in team history, the Houston Texans look to be on the rise and become a tough contender to make a run at the playoffs for the upcoming season.
Albeit the Texans have been quiet in the offseason, they gave head coach Gary Kubiak a vote of confidence, extending his contract through the 2012 season, creating stability which is imperative to be a serious contender.
Offseason Player Transactions
The Texans tendered a contract to linebacker sensation Demeco Ryans, who though had a down season, is part of one of the greatest linebacker tandems in league history and it’s only expected to improve with experience in fellow teammates Xavier Adibi, Zac Diles, and Brian Cushing.
On the offensive side, the Texans quickly swept their No. 2 wide receiver Kevin Walter off the free agency market, bringing back the brilliant route runner who is a worthy asset, lining adjacent to receiving standout Andre Johnson.
But on the other side, there are needs to be filled via the draft and free agency in the secondary and defensive front.
Secondary
With the discharge of cornerback Dunta Robinson and long-time veteran safety Nick Ferguson, the secondary is on the verge of going in shambles.
Cornerback is a clear weakness, as the two starters Brian McClain and Glover Quinn are now mere one year veterans and very well could be late bloomers.
Backups Fred Bennett and Jacques Reeves have both had successful seasons in their relatively short careers, but they’re both coming off a season with limited production.
Players at the safety position must compensate and offset the weakness at corner, but this is hard to do when one is released in Nick Ferguson, one is plagued with age in Brian Russell, and another has been slow to ripen in John Busing, while safety Bernard Pollard has to pick up the slack for the entire secondary.
But Pollard is expected to receive help via the draft with the presumable selection in the very versatile former Texas Longhorn defensive back Earl Thomas who can play corner and/or safety.
Earl Thomas covers like a corner and tackles like a safety. He has fluid hips and great footwork. Thomas is a ballhawk with excellent awareness and would be a must addition to the Texans lacking defense.
Front Seven
The defensive front is dominated by the presence of defensive end Mario Williams and the boisterous toughness from linebackers Brian Cushing and Demeco Ryans.
While defensive end Conner Barwin and outside linebackers Xavier Adibi and Zac Diles illustrate growing potential to become elite players, defensive linemen Tim Bulman, Deljaun Robinson, Shaun Cody, and Amobi Okoye haven’t lived up to their potential and need replacements.
Unless they take Heisman Candidate running back Toby Gerhart, the second round target will be defensive tackle. The class at the position is the best it’s been in years and is packed with players that can make an immediate impact.
Jeff Owens, Geno Atkins, and Tyson Alualu are favorable prospects, but Cam Thomas is the best fit for his colossal size, assuming Terrence “Mount” Cody and Brian Price have already been taken.
Verse of this piece: “Don’t be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking. You will then be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.”—Romans 12:2
My Dad’s Son has written a verse of his own choosing (unless one was requested) to every new article he has presented since he began with his 50th article. If you do not share the same feelings for Christ, simply dismiss it.
This is just something small that he hopes will inspire someone or someday begin somewhat of a trend.
Bright Future
With the new additions at running back, defensive line, and secondary, this team will be poised to be a tough competitor. The Colts should feel threatened.
Houston has never made it to the post-season, but shows undisputed potential in a division that seems to be improving. In their eight seasons as a franchise, the Houston Texans are only one of four teams to have never made a trip to the Super Bowl.
They’re thought to have a pass, but I like the chances of them being the first to make the big stage. The Texans’ hopes of getting there could be sooner then you might think. In fact, they very well could be the New Orleans Saints of 2008 in a few years, if not beforehand.
With Pro Bowl MVP Matt Schaub having lead the league in passing with the best receiving connection with Andre Johnson, running back Steve Slaton returning healthy, tight end Owen Daniels ready to step up, and the D-Line and secondary receiving an upgrade, this team could be ruthlesss and demoralizing on its opponents.
Houston is almost a lock for the playoffs and barring a disaster to the organization—this team will show its greatness and assemble their first run at the postseason in 2010.
Thanks for reading, let me know your thoughts!
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
