Every year when we get close to the start of free agency (March 5th this year) I go down the list of Texans’ free agents and give my reasoning/prediction on whether or not they will remain with the team. This year, of course, things are a little unsettled because of the labor strife going on in the NFL.
I’m going to do this list with the assumption that nothing is resolved before the free agent period. From everything I’ve read, there’s a better chance that I’ll start playing Farmville, and since I’m an adult – that’s just not going to happen.
I’ll tackle the RFA’s today, and do the UFA’s next time.
Restricted Free Agents
DE Tim Bulman
He’s a high-effort guy, and a coach’s dream. He was at the end of the depth chart at his position until Tim Jamison got picked up off of the practice squad. Obviously, he will not command a big salary but I could see the Texans not keeping one of he or Jamison.
Prediction - Tentatively, he stays. You know Bill Kollar will fight for this guy.
S John Busing
Busing had a solid preseason and looked like a guy who would come out of nowhere to be… decent. Instead, he ended up being a guy who came out of nowhere and quite possibly cost the Texans a game (maybe two). Okay, that’s harsh – but it isn’t that much of a reach. Busing might actually be a good guy to have around at the bottom of the depth chart, but the team will also be giving Troy Nolan and probably a yet-to-be-drafted rookie a look.
Prediction - He’s gone. He might even get a haircut.
T Rashad Butler
The Texans seem to love this guy, and in his very limited work this year – I have to say I was pretty impressed. Also – why does he look a full foot taller than everyone else on the sideline? If Butler was an unrestricted free agent, I’d bet he would be a goner as I think he’d get a pretty high offer elsewhere… but through the magic of greed – he’s restricted.
Prediction - Oh yeah, he’s back for sure.
TE Owen Daniels
The debate still rages as to whether or not Owen Daniels is a “system” tight end. The team did go on an awful losing streak after his injury, but the offensive numbers didn’t suffer. I think Owen’s value to this team is clear. He makes all the other pass-catchers on the team more dangerous, and his value as Matt Schaub’s go-to guy on 3rd down is unquestioned. The team will find a way to keep Owen, but unfortunately for his long-term security – I’m pretty sure it will be on a one-year basis as the team wants to see how he recovers from the injury, similar to how they treated the Dunta Robinson situation.
Prediction - Obviously, he’s back. Probably via the non-exclusive franchise tag.
RB Ryan Moats
I think most will be quick to say Moats will be gone next season, but if the top three guys ahead of him are Steve Slaton, Arian Foster, and a 2010 draft pick – that’s a lot of youth and inexperience at one of your key positions. Moats didn’t help his case by joining the parade of fumbling from last season. He was supposed to be the one guy that Kubiak could absolutely count on to hang on to the ball. It didn’t turn out that way.
Prediction – He’s gone, and the Texans possibly go into 2010 with Steve Slaton as their elder statesman at RB.
S Bernard Pollard
When Bernard Pollard walks into a room, flowers die. Bernard Pollard eats broken glass and spits lasers. Every time Bernard Pollard sneezes, a terrorist dies. If Bernard Pollard catches you watching American Idol, he will split you open with the simple raising of an eyebrow faster than I can say “if you watch American Idol, I’ll still be your friend but I won’t respect you”. If you ask Bernard Pollard to be your friend on Facebook, he will smash your face with a book.
Prediction - Pollard walks into Rick Smith’s office with a hammer. He doesn’t even sit down before he gets $78 million guaranteed for 2 years with an option to do WHATEVER THE HELL HE WANTS!
LB DeMeco Ryans
DeMeco isn’t going anywhere. He’s been tough, durable, consistent, a leader, a mentor to Brian Cushing, and a good soldier through his own contract issues. This guy should have been locked up long-term already, and I’m not sure what the holdup is. Sure, the 2011 lockout is looming – but is that any reason to ignore a guy who is by far the best defensive player to ever put on a Texans’ uniform? I can understand the hesitation with Owen Daniels and Dunta Robinson – but DeMeco is the heart and soul of the Texans’ defense. His price is only going to get higher now that he can cut loose a little more with Cushing out there as the playmaker.
Prediction - Ryans gets a long-term deal. Daniels might, Robinson won’t – but they get it done with Ryans. I think he should hire Bernard Pollard as his agent.
G/C Chris White
The Texans depended a lot on Catfish this year, and while he’s not starter material at this point – he proved to be valuable as a bench player and spot starter. I expect he’ll have to fight a lot harder to see the field in 2010 with Mike Brisiel returning from injury (hopefully) and Antoine Caldwell furthering his development. Couple that with the very real possibility that the Texans will spend a high draft pick on a guard or center, or a guy that can play both – and White may have to fight to stick around… but his versatility will help him a great deal.
Prediction – White stays, but hopefully he won’t have to be starting in 2010.
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Feb 11, 2010 at 10:21:04
I think DeMeco Ryans and Owen Daniels get one year tender offers. No way they get long-term deals with work stoppage looming in 2011. As for Dunta, get him for cheap or kick him to the curb. He regressed a lot last year. Clearly lost some speed due to injury and had to mug guys to make up for it.
Feb 11, 2010 at 10:55:43
I’m glad you said that about Rashad Butler. I’ve read several different places where they think this guy is a goner next season and I just don’t see it. I thought he was very valuable as a swing tackle this year and when he stepped in there wasnt much, if any, of a dropoff. I absolutely think he’s a valuable guy to have on the squad for depth. Maybe I’m just still cringing at the memories of Ephraim getting handled on every single play.
Feb 11, 2010 at 11:03:10
Agree with it all. But I doubt John Busing gets a haircut.
Feb 11, 2010 at 11:46:55
Chris, how do you really feel about BP? I sense a mancrush. Do sign him to a 3-4 yr deal or tender him?
I feel like you, that the labor issue won’t be resolved until the preverbial 12th hour. That said and the labor issue doesn’t get resolved this year. I’ve heard teams will get a franchise tendor and two transition tendors. That being the case who gets what tags. Franchise – Ryans, with Daniels and Pollard being the other two would be my guess if the don’t sign long term.
Feb 11, 2010 at 14:35:07
Why would they franchise OD when they can give him the top tender? Nobody is going to give up a 1st and a 3rd for him…and if they are, the Texans will happily take it. He’s a good player, but TE is just not that important of a position.
Feb 12, 2010 at 12:23:45
Moats single-handedly beat the Bills, so I’m not sure about him.
Feb 12, 2010 at 13:06:59
it was the bills…… so he is gone
Feb 12, 2010 at 15:34:48
Good summary Chris. I particularly liked the Pollard facebook crack. Agree with all of your asessments. I’ve always been a Bulman fan. He play’s like Rudy Ruettiger. Everyone should give the effort he does. What happened to Busing? He went from the answer to Matt Stevens reincarnated. Butler, yes. Daniels, we have to. Moats, numbers game. Pollard, hell yes. Meco, damn well better lock him up with a multiyear deal. White, nice insurance against Chester and Brisiel for C/G depth, but if he is starting, uh oh.
FWIW – Stevie said today that Chester is coming along fine. If he is healthy, I hope that we don’t make him an offer that he can’t refuse. He has been a rock, but he is aging and is not a pro-bowler. Would like to see a new starter or 2 on the OLine this year. Caldwell needs to step up and own a spot, we need to do better than ragdoll at C, and I would love to see 2 of the 1st 4 picks on O Linemen. JD Walton in the 3rd would be sweet, and either a Tackle or Guard at #20 would work for me.
Feb 13, 2010 at 11:02:15
Bulman stays. It appears that the philosophy of Rick Smith is to put high-effort, low-talent players in his reserve spots (as opposed to low-effort, mid-talent guys, I guess), and you can’t faze Bulman’s work ethic, and I haven’t seen enough of Jamison to think he won’t get P-squaded again.
Busing’s out. They won’t bother signing a guy who isn’t any better than Nolan or Barber.
Butler and White SHOULD stay as excellent reserves, but they are question marks. We have an o-line coach taking over as OC and Alex Gibbs has been put to pasture, so there’s a chance for an o-line shakeup.
Moats is gone. Slaton, Foster, and maybe JJ (who, by not playing, never fumbled away his opportunity) are the only backs on the roster with any shot of retaining their employment.
Pollard and Ryans get long-term deals. Smithiak have sucked in some instances, but we have yet to let a premium free agent walk away, and we won’t start now.
Owen Daniels will get the franchise tag. As I have mentioned before, paying him F money is the great compromise, because a long-term deal when he’s coming off of a major injury is foolish, but a simple tender would likely sever ties with him after this season.
And, lastly, now that I’ve actually said out loud the idea of putting Amobi on the nose and drafting Brian Price, it starts sounding more and more like a really good idea. That and trading down. I REALLY want the Texans to trade down. There’s SO MUCH talent in the first three rounds in positions we need that we can’t just settle for three picks.
Feb 13, 2010 at 11:35:16
Is it crazy to think about Maurkice Pouncey at #20? High for a center, but he starts day one.
Feb 13, 2010 at 14:45:54
Good sh*t, Chris. If I posted something like that about Bernard Pollard, the already never ending Bernard Pollard/ Mike jokes would continue forever. And all I said was that he needed to be resigned. Somehow, that turned into I have a “Pollard FOrever” tattoo and a T-Shirt of the same right. Those BRBers…
Feb 13, 2010 at 15:05:02
Yeah, Mike I think the only difference is you have way, WAY more readers over there… if there were that many here I’m sure a few would take a run at me, haha.
I do love me some Pollard… I hope he doesn’t turn out to be Demps 2.0, though he couldn’t be more different on and off the field.
It’s just that – they both are safeties, they both were signed off the street, and they both played well – though Pollard had a MUCH more dramatic effect on the team.
Feb 13, 2010 at 15:05:38
@ JJ
Man, I’ve really been liking Pouncey lately. He’s getting close to the top of my list.