Thanks for all the well-wishes and kind words, everyone. I suppose I should get this up before the start of the free agency period, right? Here’s part one if you missed it.
S Brian Russell
No.
Prediction - No.
T Ephraim Salaam
In 2008 Salaam was publicly upset that Duane Brown was handed his job, but – how can I put this gently? When you get cut by the Lions, pride tends to take a back seat, so Salaam ended up back in Houston at the end of the season.
Prediction – Last year I would have said he’d be a solid backup option, but it’s a year later, and he’s a year older. Good guy, but I can’t imagine him having a spot on this team. Rashad Butler is looking good as the swing tackle, and with all the talk about the Texans drafting for the interior O-line, I won’t be surprised at all if they pick up another tackle as well.
QB Matt Schaub (technically still a FA until they officially pick up his option).
This has probably already happened, but there hasn’t been an official announcement yet, other than the announcement that they would definitely pick up the option. Just a technicality, of course.
LB Chaun Thompson
This guy seems like he could be a decent special teams contributor and a solid bench player, but in two seasons with the team – he can’t stay on the field.
Prediction – He’s done with the Texans. They just can’t wait on him any longer.
P Matt Turk
I’ve been wanting the Texans to go in a different direction at punter for a couple of years now, but Turk has been pretty good at times. In 2009, he was around the middle of the pack as far as net yardage and pinning opponents inside their 20, but he was actually second in forcing fair catches. Or – I’m just misinterpreting the statistics since I don’t actually care about punting numbers.
Prediction – He’ll be back, but I hope he has some serious competition with a yet-to-be-signed undrafted rookie free agent.
WR Kevin Walter
With the Dunta Robinson situation now resolved (by the way, let me remind you again that I predicted he would be an Atlanta Falcon), Walter becomes the biggest question mark of the Texans’ unrestricted free agents. I know the Texans have placed a great value on him for his blocking, route-running, work ethic, consistency, etc. I would like him to come back. The thought of Jacoby Jones as the starter scares me, because as we all know, talent is just a little part of what makes a good pro. I think this team needs Kevin Walter.
Prediction – Someone is going to throw some serious money at Walter. Probably not crazy money, but enough that I don’t see him back in Houston unless he’s willing to take a bit less to finish what the team has started. I hate to say it – but I think he’s gone. If I’m the Texans, I ask Walter to at least give them a chance to match any offer he receives.
DT Jeff Zgonina
No way am I going to bet against this guy again. Some have said he was the Texans’ most consistent defensive lineman in 2009. That’s of course more of a reflection of the defensive line than it is of Zgonina himself. Until the Texans have an influx of talent at the position, I see no reason why Zgonina doesn’t stick, as he doesn’t seem to age at all.
Prediction – Zgonina makes the team once again, much to the dismay of BigFatDrunk. Sorry, BFD.
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Mar 3, 2010 at 09:45:06
Good to have you back, Chris. I seriously hope KW comes back, but like you said, it’s only going to be at the expense of his paycheck. As for Zgonina, he’ll definitely be around through all of the camps, if for nothing else than being the old blue-collar-work-horse example for the young’uns. If he’s on the active list once the season starts, we still got problems on the DL. No offense intended, Mr. Zgonina, sir.
Mar 3, 2010 at 09:59:37
Welcome back Chris,
I really hope Walter isn’t gone. I posted on part one, I like Jacoby, he’s just not as reliable. and I just can’t see what the Texans are thinking. You can’t replace this many starters (including possibly Chester Pitts and Mike Briesel)and be a playoff contender.
Oh, BTW, I had a dream last night that the Texans Draft Toby Gerhart 2nd Rnd.
(I must be watching too much NFL network)
Mar 3, 2010 at 10:03:24
If this happens then we need upgrades/starters for WR2, OG, FS, RB, CB1 and DT. It’s going to be hard to do that this year with a weak Free Agent market in those positions.
Mar 3, 2010 at 12:40:12
First off, Chris it’s cool to have you back! The Texans blog community is not the same without you.
Regarding Kevin Walter, I fail to see how other teams would value him so highly as to offer more than the Texans. He already failed with one team (Bengals). He didn’t make any waves on the Texans staff until year two. He’s not the most talented receiver in terms of speed and it stands to reason that he is at his peak in that regard. Give him a long term contract and you might have a guy who can’t start after a few years when/if he loses a step in that time. One also has to wonder how productive he can be lining up opposite another receiver not named Andre Johnson. I think these things should give other teams pause to offer KW a contract greater than the Texans.
On the other hand, KW has really done the work to find a place within the Texans’ offensive system. Kubiak loves the guy. All the little things add up to a really good #2 with this guy. The ability to put AJ, KW and JJ on the same field at one time is a big part of what makes the passing offense so successful. In other words, I find it hard to believe that other teams would value KW more than the Texans. Now that they’re thankfully done with Dunta and his multi-million dollar wishlist, I fail to see how they’re not going to get a contract done with KW with the available money. If you think differently, help me out here. It just seems like there are too many unknowns regarding KW for another team to offer him more money than the Texans for whom his value is completely quantifiable.
Mar 3, 2010 at 16:11:43
Yay Chris!
How pissed can I possibly be at Zgonina. I mean, he WAS our best NT last year.
Mar 3, 2010 at 18:38:14
@TexanKurt and Chris
Look at K-Dubz this way: If we draft Blair White or Eric Decker in the fifth round, we are getting very similar players to Walter. How much are you willing to spend on a player who can be replaced by a fifth round draft pick?
That said, walterfootball.com has him ranked #18 overall among RFA/UFA wideouts. Last season, Bryant Johnson and Brandon Jones were around that ranking and got 3 Mil a year for 3 and 5 years, respectively. If he was going to get that money from us, he’d've been tendered for that fee (or given a 2nd round tender for less than that fee). So, if some team offers him that kind of paycheck, he’s gone. Hello, Blair White.
Mar 3, 2010 at 18:52:41
Zgonnina WAS the most consistent lineman. That is not good. Mario was hurt yeah yeah yeah. Smith was CRAP until after the cardinals game.
Haden might be falling into our laps, but as much as I hate to admit this, I think Taylor mays should be our pick. And only if spiller is gone.
Bye bye KW, hello Jacoby jones. Uh. Oh.
Mar 3, 2010 at 18:54:30
@Kyle
That doesn’t even make sense to me. How do either of those guy replace Kevin Walter? Walter is proven, consistent, a hard-worker, and has many years in the system. How do either of those guys replace any of that? We don’t know if they’ll be good pros, and we especially don’t know how long it will take them to become good pros if they are.
I saw today that the Ravens might be interested in KW. That seems like a perfect fit for him. I just hope he lets us match any offers.
Mar 4, 2010 at 00:07:04
@Chris
What do you think about the Texans giving their 2nd to Carolina for Richard Marshall? He is probably better than a corner we would draft in the 2nd, and he is still young.
Mar 4, 2010 at 10:10:25
SMH…The ideas people come up with.
I like the Brian Russell prediction, Chris.