If you’ve missed some, catch up on the roster rundowns here… because THEY’RE EXCITING!!!:
Quarterbacks & Running Backs
Tight Ends & Fullbacks
Wide Receivers
Offensive Line
CORNERBACKS
Glover Quin – He’s probably our best corner right now. How scary is that? I like GQ as much as the next guy, but you know who else had a solid rookie season? Fred Bennett. SCARY. Let’s hope this guy is the real deal. When I talk about the attitude injection that the Texans got in 2009, I usually refer to three players: Brian Cushing, Antonio Smith, and Bernard Pollard. In fairness, I probably should have been including Quin in that group all along. He plays with a bit of a mean streak, and he packs a punch. Please, PLEASE avoid the sophomore slump.
Kareem Jackson – The further we get from the NFL Draft, the happier I am with this pick. I love that he was coached in a pro-style defense, thus might not need as much time to acclimate to the NFL as some other players (wishful thinking, perhaps?). He’s good in run support, he’s big, physical, and aggressive – and allegedly a good man-to-man defender. He’s already been handed a starting NFL job on a silver platter, and he seems like the type of kid who can handle that without a problem. Let’s just hope that this plan goes accordingly for the Texans.
Jacques Reeves – You just never know with Reeves. One week he looks like he’s suddenly learned the art of locating the ball, the next week, it passes directly in front of his facemask, and into an opposing WR’s hands for a TD. Clearly the Texans are most comfortable with him as a nickel corner, and to be truthful he has, in my eyes, improved SLOWLY but surely since he joined the Texans. He may have now plateaued, but I don’t think he is the same player now that he was when he first joined the team (that’s a compliment!).
Brice McCain – I really thought nothing of this acquisition in the Draft last year. I wanted McCain’s teammate, Sean Smith. McCain surprised a lot of us, though. Sure, he gets his head handed to him like most late-round rookies do, but they got way more out of that pick than I ever thought they would. Seeing as though his speed apparently doesn’t translate to the return game, I thought the guy was almost a sure thing for the practice squad last year. Instead, he saw significant playing time. Is that because he was that good, or was it because the guys in back of him were that undependable?
Antwaun Molden – Had high hopes for Molden when he was drafted, and I think the fans and coaches still do. Problem is, the guy can’t ever stay on the field for more than a week or two at a time. He hasn’t played much, he hasn’t practiced much – you just wonder if the team will get anything out of him. Well, this year the position is going to be very competitive so I suspect he will be a goner if he gets yet another “injury of undetermined severity” in camp.
Sherrick McManis – McManis seems like a very solid mid-round prospect. Doesn’t seem like a guy who is going to turn into a great pro cover corner, but guys drafted when he was rarely are. McManis is another aggressive guy who doesn’t shy away from contact, but from what I read he’s more the type to hang on and drag a guy to the ground. He doesn’t have the best jam at the line, either, but I’m sure the coaches will be drilling that into him soon enough.
Fred Bennett – Ouch, Fred. Bennett was on his way to fan-favorite status after a promising rookie year, but he’s been in the fan (and coach) doghouse ever since. The guy simply was guilty of making the same mistakes over and over again, and now he’s going to be in a fight for his life just to simply make it at the bottom of the depth chart.
Mark Parson – Parson spent a good part of 2009 on the team’s practice squad after coming in as an undrafted free agent. He was one of the better press corner prospects in last year’s draft, and so far that has at least gotten him this far. He might be a dark horse to sneak up and grab a spot at the end of the depth chart if things don’t go well with Molden and Bennett.
*Pierre Singfield – Singfield is an undrafted free agent out of Arizona State. He’s got decent size at 5-11, 196. That’s about the extent of my knowledge on him. If Parson makes the final 53, Singfield might have his eye on the practice squad.
What I expect
The top three will be as expected: Quin, Jackson, Reeves. After that, it’s a bit of a mess. McCain has earned his stripes, and with another year/offseason under his belt, he hangs on to his spot. Of the Molden/Bennett mess, I expect Molden to hold it together long enough to make the squad. I hate to say it, but I think Bennett gets the chop. If I’m not mistaken, the Texans kept six CBs on the roster for most of 2009. It’s WAY early for roster predictions, but as of now I think it’s Quin, Jackson, Reeves, McCain, Molden, and McManis. Parson hits the practice squad again, while Singfield and Bennett look elsewhere.
*Denotes a reported Undrafted Free Agent signing. These players are only reported to have signed with the Texans but as of this entry none of the signings have been confirmed by the team.
May 16, 2010 at 22:38:16
Best case scenario with KJ stepping in and playing well from Day 1, we are still dangerously thin, or as Martin Riggs would say anorexic, at CB. We can’t afford any costly injuries at CB, or this position group may well be our undoing in 2010.
May 17, 2010 at 11:41:20
I know it’s just wishful thinking, but I’d love to see the Texans trade a 2011 2nd for Jonathan Joseph of the Bengals. He’s #2 behind Leon Hall on the Bengals’ ridiculously underrated secondary, but I think he’d definitely come out a starter against Quin, KJ, and Reeves. He’s also only 26.
The Bengals may consider doing this because he’s just their #2, and he’s in a contract year. A 2nd round pick next year might net them an almost-as-good corner for a lot less.
Again, wishful thinking. The Texans don’t trade for established vets.
May 17, 2010 at 14:21:42
@Kyle: A #2 CB is a starter. Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea, but your reasoning sounded funny to me.
May 17, 2010 at 16:55:57
Jackson, Quin, Reeves, McCain and McManis. Try and trade Molden and/or Bennett for ANYTHING. If that doesnt work, release them and save the roster spot for another position.
May 18, 2010 at 10:35:34
@beef
Yes, a #2 CB is a starter, but the position is not that hard to fill. I mean, we all saw Glover Quin play well as a #2 CB, and he was a fourth-round rookie.
That’s my logic on the Bengals side. They still have Leon Hall, and they have some depth at the corner position, and they can draft a rookie next year that should be able to step in and handle the other team’s not-as-good starting wideout.
I assume that was the confusion. After all, our logic is a 2nd round pick for who is likely to be the best corner on our team in 2010.
May 18, 2010 at 13:59:03
@kyle: I guess my point is, Joseph is a starter, and you don’t give up a starter you’re happy with just because someone’s willing to give you something for him. Until a player is causing SOME SORT of problem (complaining about money, playing time, or getting in trouble), you keep them because they’re an asset to your team. The fact that he’s “just their #2″ is really a compliment to their FO, for being able to hit on two draft picks. It’s no indication of his caliber or standing with the team. Were we talking about #2 QB (i.e. Schaub with Atlanta) then your position makes more sense.
May 18, 2010 at 20:52:39
@beef
You’re right, and, again, this was wishful thinking. It’s just one of those “Why do they get TWO great corners, when we’re not sure we have ONE” moments. :^)
May 19, 2010 at 08:34:27
@Kyle: Oh, I can dig it, brother! Upsets me immensely. I’m just praying we can generate a little more pass rush to negate our holes on the back end.