If you missed any of the previous roster rundowns, check them out here. Do it now, before the oil spill destroys the Internet:
Cornerbacks
Quarterbacks & Running Backs
Tight Ends & Fullbacks
Wide Receivers
Offensive Line
SAFETIES
Bernard Pollard – It’s been said over and over, and it’s absolutely true. Bernard Pollard came in last year after being cut by the Chiefs, and made about the most immediate impact I’ve ever seen from one single football player. Sure, a lot of the Texans’ turnaround last year had to do with Brian Cushing getting some game experience after missing the preseason, and the team getting used to Frank Bush’s new system – but Pollard injected the team with some Swaggitude™ that seemed to last the rest of the season. All Pollard has to do now, is avoid the dreaded curse of the Modern Male, Will Demps. Demps came in a few years back, played surprisingly well, got a new contract – and promptly turned into a pumpkin. A super-sexy, hat turned sideways pumpkin with a bluetooth.
Pollard is an instant fan favorite, and the first Texan safety that actually instills a little bit of fear in opposing players. He settled for his RFA tender this offseason, giving him only a one year deal, and he did it without much complaining. So, 2010 will be (another) contract year for Pollard. Can we keep him Rick? Huh? Huh? Can we keep him?
Eugene Wilson – Wilson holds the title of “far and away the best free safety in Texans history” but we all know that’s like saying “best Martin Scorsese movie since Goodfellas,” or “best Metallica album since the Black Album.” Wilson is just a guy at this point of his career, but if he can stay healthy, he and Pollard can be a decent safety tandem. Unfortunately, Wilson hasn’t been able to stay healthy and the guys filling in for him have left much to be desired.
I’m very much of the opinion that in professional sports, it’s better to let a guy go a year too early than a year too late, whether by trade or outright release. I’m kind of afraid that the sun has set on Wilson and that if he’s healthy he’s still just not going to be very good. If I’m wrong and he stays healthy – we might actually be in decent shape at the position – but I still think the Texans should have drafted a safety at least in the middle rounds.
Dominique Barber – Barber’s a tough nut to crack. He looked good as a rookie, at least enough to have instilled a lot of confidence in the coaches, but to this point has only been able to grab some spot starts. With Pollard in the mix, Barber figures to remain a backup. If Wilson goes down again, Barber is capable of spot starting, but to this point Barber has been too inconsistent to make any of us feel safe, were he to step in as a starter because of injury. One bright spot is that before he was placed on injured reserve last year, Gary Kubiak had said he was playing the best ball of his pro career. The same can’t be said for his not-so-good start to 2009, so clearly he did improve over the course of his second season.
Troy Nolan – Nolan is of course a huge question mark. Drafted in the 7th round in 2009, Nolan spent his entire rookie season on the sideline with a broken hand (*cough*IR stash*COUGHcough*). We really have nothing to go on with Nolan, but he’s a guy who might be worth keeping an eye on in camp and preseason. Hopefully he used his injury time to know the playbook inside and out and nail down the mental side of the game. If not, then what good is he?
*Nicholas Polk
*Aaron Webster
*Torri Williams
So what we have here are two NFL safeties in the entire position group, one who has been inconsistent with a limited ceiling, a guy who was an IR stash missed his entire rookie season with an injury, and three undrafted rookie free agents.
Hm. Hm, I say. Seems like a lot of patchwork for a position that is one injury away from having Pollard/Barber or Wilson/Barber as the starters. Not the most encouraging of the roster rundowns, is it?
What I expect
What I expect? What I expect is to be freaking terrified all season long until 1) Eugene Wilson stays healthy and remains effective and/or 2) Dominique Barber proves to be a capable backup and a continually-improving spot starter. I do not think Pollard is Will Demps 2.0. Pollard likes to hurt people. Demps.. well, Demps likes to get half-naked and have dudes take pictures of him.
*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.
Jul 6, 2010 at 11:31:38
I guess those are our 4 safties this year. Maybe next draft w will address the need early.
Jul 6, 2010 at 11:34:49
Welcome back to the blogiverse, Chris.
Every time I think about our safety situation, I just want to curl up into a ball and weep.
Jul 6, 2010 at 12:18:21
Pollard is a beast, he’ll be a Pro Bowler this season. I’m also worried that Wilson will inevitably get hurt like he always does since he’s been an Texan and they will be exploited at that spot.
Another thing: swaggitude? That’s embarrassing Chris, stick to real words instead of trying to look hip.
Jul 6, 2010 at 15:56:19
You’re not afraid of any regression from Pollard?
Jul 6, 2010 at 17:22:30
I’m much more afraid of regression from Pollard than regression from Eugene Wilson. Wilson has been the same player for virtually all of his career: decent but injury prone. Pollard, on the other hand, has been up and down, and may have had the best year of his career last season.
Jul 7, 2010 at 09:01:25
I don’t think Pollard will regress. Too much is on the line.
Walterfootball.com awarded Pollard “Safety of the Year” last season, which, if nothing else, indicates that he played as well as any safety out there. He’s now in ANOTHER contract year, one that stands on the brink of what John Clayton and others have called “the free agent class to end all free agent classes” next season (in 2011, assuming a deal is made, would include not only the standard slew of free agents, but also EVERY poor schmuck that had to sign an RFA tender this year instead of get paid; it will be EPIC).
Therefore, Pollard should be smart enough to see he’s in a boom/bust situation. If he plays at a high level, not even Pro Bowl but a high level, he will get mad bank as arguably the top strong safety in the class, and you saw what scrubs like Antrel Rolle and Gibril Wilson have gotten recently in deals.
If he fails this season, then a fickle free agent class will forget about this season, and he’ll crawl back to Houston and sign a deal probably $10MM plus or minus off of the top 2011 safety contract.
How well would YOU perform at your job if the difference was about ten million dollars? Lord knows I’d suddenly be the best Army drummer/vocalist in HISTORY! :^)
Jul 7, 2010 at 09:37:45
@BFD – thanks, man! Good to be back. I too am very afraid of the safety situation.
@Rivers – yeah, I guess I am worried about Pollard, but when it comes to the Texans, I’m a worrier anyway. But since it’s another contract year I guess I’m not TOO edgy about it. Another thing I “like” to do is worry about stuff that’s many years away. I did an entry about locking Dunta up two years before it was a problem, LOL. Pollard might be the same deal if he has a stellar 2010.
Jul 7, 2010 at 12:40:14
I guess I’m not much of a believer when it comes to desire affecting performance. The ones without desire in this league get weeded out too fast. My question lies with Pollard’s talent and lack of a sample size. Will the division teams find his weakpoints on tape, and such?
Jul 7, 2010 at 13:08:29
Swaggitude rocks.
That is all.