It’s too bad the owners and players apparently aren’t even close to getting this Collective Bargaining Agreement situation fixed. It’s shaping up to be a very exciting free agency period, but at this point there’s no way to tell when that part of the offseason will come.
Now, it’s only January. To do an all-encompassing free agency entry would be ridiculous at this point. So for now, I’m going to just hit on a few names that have actually been bandied about amongst Texans fans, bloggers, and media members. As the offseason wears on, I will do what I do every offseason – “Free Agent Files” as they relate to the Texans, on a position by position basis. But – that’s still a little ways off. Let’s just kick off some talk here, though. Shall we?
Steelers CB Ike Taylor
Taylor would be a big help to the Texans. Really though, can’t you say that about just about ANY decent free agent CB? Who wouldn’t be an upgrade over what we have now? Taylor’s name first showed up on my radar from a Tweet by Lance Zierlein.
Lance says there are “whispers in the Steeler locker room” that the Texans will make Taylor their top free agent priority. You could certainly do a lot worse than Taylor. He’s been a very solid corner for the Steelers, but it’s really tough to tell if he’d attain the same level of success on a Texans team that doesn’t have, you know, the rest of the Steeler defense. A lot of guys on the back end look a lot better when the front seven is as destructive and dynamic as Pittsburgh’s. That would be a concern for me, but not as big a concern as, say, Kareem Jackson not getting better than he was in 2010.
Taylor has been pretty consistent, and also important – consistently healthy. He has played in 125 of a possible 128 games in his career, and will be 31 in May.
Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha
I had no plans to address this name, but I was specifically asked my opinion on it, so here you go. Yes, I would love Nnamdi to join the Texans. Yes I think the Texans should absolutely throw a HUGE money offer at him. But if you’re expecting the Texans to be all-in for Nnamdi, you’re going to be disappointed. Going after big money, big name free agents is not how the Texans front office works. Now, if the Texans had gone out and gotten a new General Manager, then yes – I’d say you could at least have a realistic jumping-off point for hope.
There are a few (very few) that would argue that the Texans shouldn’t break the bank for Asomugha because the team has so many other needs and would hamstring itself putting all their free agency eggs in one basket. Nine times out of ten, I’d be the guy saying that – but this guy isn’t your typical big-name free agent. He’s in the prime of his career, and his presence on the field would make the guys around him better. He can lock down any receiver in the game and allow defenses a lot more flexibility. He’s a TOTAL game-changer. So yes, I would absolutely support the Texans spending gobs of their money on him, but it’s just not how the current front office operates.
Lastly, I really don’t see why he would want to come to Houston. Money talks, but there’s no way the Texans would offer SO much more than anyone else – because he’s going to get some GARGANTUAN offers. Plus, think about it for a minute – literally EVERY team in the NFL is going to be interested in Asomugha. There isn’t a single team that he wouldn’t make better. Playoff teams are going to want him. Teams that can offer him BOTH the chance to win big immediately, and pay him every dollar he wants.
Sadly, all we can hope for is that the Texans make a real run at him. He’s not going to accept it, but they have to at least try. Otherwise, Gary Kubiak’s claim that he will get whatever personnel they need on the defense to make this team better will ring hollow.
Broncos CB Champ Bailey
Speculation about the Texans making a run at Bailey is all over the place. He’s still effective at the age of 32, and he’d be a fine addition to the Texans. Bailey has also said he would be fine making the move to safety late in his career, but I’m guessing he’s not ready to take that step just yet. For a player of his age, you worry about injuries, but Bailey has stayed healthy for the most part. The big question is, for the amount it would take to land him in Houston, how much longer before his skills start to decline more rapidly?
Bailey’s Denver ties fan the flames of speculation that he could end up in Houston, but as with Asomugha, I have to wonder aloud – why would he choose Houston? He’s in the twilight of his career, but he’s still playing well, and he’ll be another guy who is in demand. He also, you would think, would want to go somewhere where he has a shot to win a Super Bowl immediately. Like Asomugha, I expect big-time, big-money, perennial playoff teams to be interested in Bailey. So do you really want to make up the difference by paying WAY too much for a guy who is going to be 33 in June?
Vikings DT Pat Williams
Once again, I point you to Lance Zierlein as the source for this tidbit of speculation. Williams, 38, has been a staple on the Minnesota defensive line (a 4-3 defense) for many years, and Lance figures he would be a good fit to come in and tie up blockers as the nose tackle in Houston’s new 3-4 defense. Wade Phillips has run his version of the 3-4 with smaller, quicker NTs (Jay Ratliff in Dallas, 303 pounds), and with big, fat, space-eating sorts (Jamal Williams in San Diego, 348 pounds).
Despite Wade’s comments that Earl Mitchell, Shaun Cody, or Amobi Okoye could play the nose, we just don’t know yet in which direction he’s going to go for that position. I honestly think that the starting NT for the 2011 Houston Texans is not yet on the roster.
Williams could certainly fill the role, but he wouldn’t exactly get anyone excited. At his age he’s still somewhat effective, but obviously far past his prime. If the Texans want to go into what I would hope would be a make-or-break season with a proven commodity at that position, I could certainly understand that. Depending on how the prospects shake out after the Combine, though, I’d love to see the Texans go after their NT of the present and future in the draft.
So there are a few names to kick off the always-active free agent talk around these parts. There will be MUCH more free agent talk to come as the offseason wears on.
Jan 11, 2011 at 10:29:28
I thought Pat Williams said he was retiring? All of those players would be upgrades. I think Ngata is a FA too. But to get any of those guys (maybe excluding Taylor and Williams) the Texans would have to do something that none of us see them do. Go after big Free Agents, Spend Big Money, Actually build to win now and not wait on rookies who MIGHT pan out.
Jan 11, 2011 at 11:32:19
This post needs more cowbell. Errr… I mean, CB’s.
What are your thought on Richard Marshall, Jonathan Joseph, and Eric Wright. They might be second tier, but they all have potential to reach that top tier in a year or two. And they’d be cheaper to sign.
Jan 11, 2011 at 11:47:07
@KD – I thought he was retiring too, but further reading up tells me he said he was going to play another year or two.
@Jordann – Like I said, this is just an opening shot of the names people are talking about. I will definitely be getting to those names during the offseason f’sho!
Jan 11, 2011 at 13:27:49
Thank you for your thoughts on Nnamdi Asomugha. I understand that the Texans’ front office isn’t good about spending big money for free agents. I am hoping since they were absolutly embarrased this year in pass defence there might be a good knee jerk reaction to sign him once I heard he was a free agent. Thanks again for your thoughts
Jan 11, 2011 at 14:16:27
The big question is this: How well can the Texans sell that they are playoff contenders? It feels like we’re one of those 7-5 college teams that improved drastically, went to a December bowl game and won it, and is now going after big name recruits and trying to sell them a jigsaw puzzle of a BCS contender with one piece missing: them.
Champ’s big on my list for his leadership and the fact that, if I’m Rick Smith, I’ll let him play whichever position he wants. Also, Champ knows Kubiak. We joke about the Denver Connection, but one thing is very clear: Gary Kubiak, for all of his flaws, has some kind of “it” that makes people want to play for him.
I think that, not only is Gary going to be atop Champ’s list for who he wants to play for, but I also think that the Texans are going to be the team that offers him the most as far as contract length. I think Champ takes the team that offers him the longest contract, and that could very well be the Texans.
Ike Taylor only concerns me for one reason, and you touched on it: the PIT Front 7. Bryant McFadden made a jump from the Steelers to Arizona, and was outright terrible.
Nnamdi…yeah. I got a funny feeling that Jerry Jones is looking for a new Deion Sanders, but that’s just me. I’m sure Nnamdi would’ve loved to play for Baltimore two or three years ago, but the Ravens are starting to collapse. It’ll be slow, but the writing’s on the wall. Lewis is going to retire soon and Ed Reed will probably beat him to the retirement line. You watch. Ngata will be the first, but others will follow.
I don’t think we target Pat Williams. If Wade is going to bring in a new nose tackle, he’d rather a Ratliff than a traditional “fat boy”. For the record, he used Jamal Williams in San Diego because he was great and he was there. Wade prefers one-gappers, but if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Jan 11, 2011 at 15:02:12
@Joe
FWIW, Kubiak SOMETIMES talks a good game after the season. He talks about how he will change things the next time around and make changes. Then he comes back with more of the same and brings back his stubborness every year. I dont see it, but man I hope I’m wrong.
@Chris
We can use him, sign him up.
Jan 11, 2011 at 23:54:19
I asked my pittsburgh fan about Ike taylor. He is good at not getting burnt and covering #1′s unlike any of our Corner backs. He just has stone hands, which is something that Carlos Rogers is also.
Nnamdi
that would be like me banging Megan Fox meaning it will only happen in my wildest dreams.
Champ
That would be like me banging carmen electra
Namdi and Champ
Would be a three way with the aforementioned girls. I hope since our GM and coach are on the hot seat they change their outlook on ONLY building thru the draft and actually get some big ticket free agents. Similar to what Chicago did last off season and got peppers.
Pat Williams
Out of all the names listed this is very realistic because he did play under wade in buffalo. There was speculation a few years back that we had gotten him but he ended up in minnesota.
Jan 12, 2011 at 00:00:37
@Kyle
I look forward to your draft coverage. I have already begun my annual start looking at mock drafts. I hope this time next season I get to push back my annual start looking at the mock drafts. I wanted Farley but after last nights game and Andrew Luck(the stratford product)pulling out, I think he solidified himself as the #1 pick. I thought we would have a shot a marcel Darreus, but it looks like he will not be there either.So of these names, Cameron Jordan, von Miller, Robert Quin, Drake Nevis, and clayborn who do you like the best?
Jan 12, 2011 at 12:32:12
Chris,
Do you know if that 4 game suspension of Pat Williams has just gone away? From what I remember, he wasn’t able to be suspended because of some state judge. If he leaves that state, does the suspension kick in?
As for Aso, I think the Texans owe us something. Signing Aso would go a long way toward paying this debt. Also, there is no one else out there that would make such a huge difference in our defense. They’d have to pay a ton, but going from last to possibly top 7 would be worth it. I know it’s not my money, but you’d have to think some of that could be made up with more fans being hopeful, enthusiastic, and willing to buy Texans gear.
Thanks,
T
Jan 12, 2011 at 19:12:45
@truth
I’ll answer that by saying this:
I sent in a correspondence piece to Chris about what I’d do this offseason from the moment Wade gets hired thru the draft…
and none of those guys were my first round pick.
Food for thought. :^)
Jan 13, 2011 at 09:04:31
Von Miller @ 11! Is it too early to talk draft? Oh well, I’ll roll with him.
Jan 13, 2011 at 18:52:08
My concern with Von Miller is his size. At 240 pounds, he’s more like a 4-3 SAM or a 3-4 MO. If he bulked up to over 255-260 at the Combine and still outran the other OLB’s, he’d compete with Quinn as the top 3-4 OLB in the draft, and probbaly beat him since he wasn’t suspended last year.
Jan 18, 2011 at 22:04:15
Obviously the defense needs some major repair work, but I think the Texans should target a wide receiver in the draft or in free agency. The Texans have the best receiver in the game but nothing after that. Kevin Walter is more of a third receiver than a two. They need help on third down conversions and need to be able to execute more efficiently. I realize they were among the top ten in offense again this year but another receiving threat could be signifcant.
Jan 25, 2011 at 15:37:38
sign ike taylor AND asomugha move quinn to replace wilson shoot antonio smith stick your fingers in a dike and prey