[EDITOR'S NOTE] I’ve received one comment saying that I “missed” Arian Foster. Read the title of the entry. Foster isn’t going anywhere. He’s an exclusive-rights free agent, and while it might get a little sticky for a while if Rick Smith lowballs him – he has ZERO leverage, despite his stellar season. He’s not on his way out, hence not being on this list.
Original entry:
Every year I do an entry about who may be on the outs with the Texans. This year, the list is pretty long. It’s important to note, though, that the upcoming season is a little more complicated with the CBA strife going on. Obviously, this entry is made under the assumption that they will get a new deal hammered out, and that free agency as we know it will revert back to the way it was.
Also note that there are not only free agents on this list, but players who are under contract going forward as well. If the Texans are truly going to move forward and get to where they want to be at this time next year, they’re going to have to start letting go of guys that aren’t working out, even if they are still under contract.
Alan Burge did a similar entry here. I feel silly linking it, because if you’re reading me but you’re not already reading Alan – then something is wrong with you.
THE FREE AGENTS
WR/PR Jacoby Jones
Contract status: Unrestricted Free Agent.
2010 Performance: Jones has had every opportunity to push past Kevin Walter as the Texans’ #2 WR. What has he done with it? Well, I haven’t seen the official statistics, but I’d be willing to bet he’s amongst the league leaders in drops. Matt Schaub has continued to give him chance after chance, and Jones has dropped a ton of drive-killing easy catches on third down (and many other downs). Jones has also been totally ineffective as a return man, and while that’s not totally his fault, he hasn’t done anything to show he’s “special” as a return guy either.
What would I do? Let him walk. Someone will probably give him decent #2 WR money, and it shouldn’t be the Texans.
FB Vonta Leach
Contract status: Unrestricted Free Agent.
2010 Performance: He’s off to his first Pro Bowl. He’s been good at his worst, and dominant at his best this year. Leach deserves a ton of credit for Arian Foster’s rushing title. Also – he’s the unofficial mascot of this website, so, you know.
What would I do? Free agent priority #1: Sign him. You’ll probably have to pay him a ton, but the last thing the Texans want to do is screw up their running game, which is by far the best thing they’ve got going for them.
OT Rashad Butler
Contract status: Unrestricted Free Agent.
2010 Performance: Filled in admirably for Duane Brown when he was on a four-game PED suspension. Better pass-blocker than run-blocker, but you can do a LOT worse at swing tackle than Butler. I don’t think he wants to be back, because he obviously wants to start – but the Texans should try and bring him back. Good, young swing tackles who can step in and effectively start aren’t as easy to find as you might think. Definitely a commodity in the NFL.
What would I do? Do everything you can to sign him. Make a REAL offer, not a token one, then wish him luck when he turns it down to get more money or a chance to start somewhere else. (He’s not coming back, though I’d love to see him come back.)
TE Owen Daniels
Contract status: Unrestricted Free Agent.
2010 Performance: Daniels was never himself this season. He never seemed to fully-recover from last year’s horrible injury, and when he started showing signs, he went down with a hamstring injury. These last couple of weeks he’s looked a lot better, but you have to wonder if he’ll ever be who he was in 2009.
What would I do? I’d make an offer, but if Owen still wants top-TE money, I wouldn’t even so much as bat an eyelash or hesitate as I wish him luck and let him walk.
RB Derrick Ward
Contract status: Unrestricted Free Agent.
2010 Performance: Ward far exceeded my expectations. He’s been pretty good giving Arian Foster a breather, and has even broken a few long runs/touchdowns. Seems like he’s playing with a purpose, which isn’t surprising considering it’s a contract year.
What would I do? Let him walk. He’s going to want a chance for more playing time anyway, and the Texans have to see what they have in Ben Tate next season. I’d rather see the money he would cost spent on the defense.
OG Mike Brisiel
Contract status: Restricted Free Agent.
2010 Performance: Split snaps with Antoine Caldwell much of the year, while missing several games due to injury. Once he got back to full-strength, it was clear Kubiak preferred Briesiel over Caldwell. Has become an above-average run-blocking guard.
What would I do? Sign him. He’s restricted, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. Unfortunately, Caldwell hasn’t proved that he is better, but there’s always injury concern with Brisiel.
QB Matt Leinart
Contract status: Unrestricted Free Agent.
2010 Performance: Signed by Texans after being cut by the Cardinals. Spent entire year on the roster, but was inactive for every game.
What would I do? Let him walk, unless he can be convinced he’s not going to get a starting job. He’s already said he wants to be gone, so let him be gone. He seems to have a sense of entitlement that I don’t understand. “I’ve paid my dues” he says. True, he has spent a ton of time learning – but when given chances to play, he’s been terrible. Still, if he could be convinced that he’s not going to get a starting job, I’d take him, his issues, and his potential over what we’ve seen from Dan Orlovsky. Remember, for all his faults as a head coach, Gary Kubiak is a quarterback guru and he did wonders for Matt Schaub.
OG Kasey Studdard
Contract status: Unrestricted Free Agent.
2010 Performance: Inactive for most of the season. Got in some time toward the end of the year. Didn’t distinguish himself in any way. Kubiak loves his intensity and nastiness, but it hasn’t netted results.
What would I do? Sign him as depth if he can be had for very cheap. He’s not great but he knows the system. If he bucks at early offers, let him walk. I suspect he won’t garner much interest, if any.
STILL UNDER CONTRACT
WR/KR André Davis
Contract status: Signed through 2011.
2010 Performance: Missed the whole season due to a tailbone injury.
What would I do? Easiest of the bunch – cut him. He was already in decline in 2009, but he still would have been the best kickoff return option in 2010. He’ll be 32 in June and due $4.7 million next season.
RB Steve Slaton
Contract status: Signed through 2011.
2010 Performance: Non-existent. We all know Slaton’s story. We have no idea if he’s fixed his fumble problems, because he can’t get in as a running back. As a kick returner, he’s one of the worst I’ve ever seen. Terrible angles, terrible return instincts. He’s literally just a body back there.
What would I do? Cut him. I hate how his career has spiraled downward, but I see no reason to keep him around unless they find a way to work him into the offense, which seems unlikely.
Jan 5, 2011 at 11:41:29
First off, you missed Arian Foster. To my knowledge he’s an Exclusive Rights Free Agent – which means that, though he is a free agent, we are the only ones that can negotiate with him during the free agent season, so it’s not like we’re worried about losing him. However, he’s a key part of the chess game because running backs aren’t cheap and, if we tender him a “screw you” offer, his questions about effort coming out of college could reanimate in his playing. We should resign him to a respectably low offer, giving him good money but not costing us our chance at others.
Also, to be clear, signing Leach is a priority for sure, but don’t panic people. The highest paid fullback (Atlanta’s Ovie Mughelli) got 6 years, 18 mil. For our math majors, that means that, to pay Leach Top Fullback money, we pay him the same money we pay Dan “Hate Me” Orlovsky.
I agree with most of your points, though I’d resign Derrick Ward. He’s over 30, and his best years were as a compliment back in New York and Houston. His time as a solo artist in Tampa was terrible and everyone knows it. He won’t garner much attention, and he should be smart enough to be happy taking a 4-year deal that can sail him into retirement on the hopes that Foster was a one-year wonder (God, I hope not).
I’d get Andre With An Apostrophe to take a pay-cut, and he would agree to do it. That way, we can see how his two replacements (Holliday on KR and Dickerson as “The Guy who tries to be Andre when Andre is injured”) pan out over the offseason and possibly cut him then. He was certainly a better kick returner than Slaton.
Rashad Butler will be tough, but I don’t think he’ll get too much attention. I think his national image will be tarnished by his battle against DeMarcus Ware, and any team that would be looking for him as a starter will probably look to the draft instead. Swing tackles are rare, but the first two rounds have at least 4 or 5 this year (Sherrod, Love, Carimi just to name a few and not counting the two guys who are exclusive lefters – Castonzo and Solder)
Jacoby earned his way out. We gave him more than enough chances, and for him to regress in a contract year is inexcusable. A #2 WR is a priority in the draft though, and a second round pick on whomever is left from the Jones-Blackmon-Baldwin-Floyd dogpile sounds like a great idea to me right now. (A full pre-Senior Bowl Texans mock is coming, for you to start seeing names that I personally am looking at as future Texans and to provide a forum for early draft strategery.)
Jan 5, 2011 at 11:50:17
I came to vehemently disagree, but it’s hard when you’re making this much sense. Why must you take the fun out of everything?!!
Jan 5, 2011 at 11:52:44
Kyle, I made a special edit at the top of the story just for you.
Jan 5, 2011 at 13:52:35
ZERO leverage? Arian Foster does have a little bit of leverage: he can sit out the next season. If Rick Smith lowballs him with, say, the CBA minimum qualifying offer for a third year player, Foster can choose to sit out the season and go play somewhere else in 2012. He made only $395,000 this year unless there is incentive pay I don’t know about. How many times has there been a 25-year old healthy running back on the free agent market that led the league in rushing? Even after sitting out a year, he’d still be snapped up for top dollar. That’s also leverage that Foster possesses. So technically, while extremely unlikely, Foster “might be on” his “way out”. It depends on Rick Smith.
Jan 5, 2011 at 14:29:18
Arian isnt going anywhere. I’m not even worried about that. I think this might be the year that we might get serious in outside Free Agents
Jan 5, 2011 at 14:31:51
@TK
I touched on that. He deserves more than league minimum, but giving him the kind of contract he’d get in the free agent market would hurt our ability to put his rushing skills to playoff use, so a compromise should be reached, sort of like giving Owen Daniels the 1st-round tender last year.
Basically, send a message saying “I want you on this team” without being stupid about it. Foster’s arguably one of the most intelligent players in football. He’ll understand.
Jan 5, 2011 at 15:38:56
Personally, I don’t see much use in cutting Slaton. He was a 3rd rounder, so he was realtively cheap, and you need to have 3 RB’s on the rose. With Foster likely getting paid, and a 2nd round Ben Tate contract, keeping Slaton around to play out his contract actually makes sense.
Hopefully, we won’t have to use him…..
Jan 5, 2011 at 17:27:01
Leinart was active for every game.
Jan 5, 2011 at 17:33:04
No he wasn’t. He was inactive emergency QB3. Big difference between that and being active.
Jan 6, 2011 at 08:32:22
I rather resign Derrick Ward then keep Slaton. Please cut him. And Leinart was never active for the games with the Texans.
Jan 6, 2011 at 13:03:29
Kyle I like your style, maybe the Texans could use someone like you in the head office. I say keep Ward and get rid of Slaton, hopefully Tate will be the next best thing. With Foster holding the rushing title and Ward wanting to start will them work harder against each other next season.
Jan 6, 2011 at 13:31:37
Chris,
If the Texans do most of what you suggest, I think they’ll be in good shape – on offense anyway. I think I agrre with Wayne about Slaton. At least I wouldn’t be too quick to cut him. I’d love the Texans to draft a speedy back/receiver (McCluster/Best/Harvin type) that could line up as receiver or back and possibly add to special teams. I’d kind of like to let Slaton compete for a job and see if he used his offseason to get in the best shape possible. The thing about Slaton that wasn’t apparent to me until I watched Foster is his lack of vision. It really shows up in the KO returns. Still, if he can get over the injuries and the fumbles and get back to 2008, he’s not a bad 2nd or 3rd string option. Of course, that’s IF they choose not to keep Ward. Foster, Ward, and that speedy back. I can’t wait to read your suggestions/thoughts on the defense. That’s going to be a little more work.
Jan 6, 2011 at 19:18:41
The future defensive version of this article is going to be FUN!!!!!!!!!!
I’ll right a 10 paragraph essay on the suckage of Eugene Wilson…
Jan 7, 2011 at 19:37:59
you also have to take into account that if the labor deal does not get done then people like daniels are restricted fa due to the cut off going from 6 years to 5.
Jan 14, 2011 at 15:59:30
I totally agree with you Chris. Jacoby Jones should go and Steve Slaton should get cut. The Texans have Dorin Dickerson who is the tallest receiver on the team and has some speed. He can return punts or kickoffs although they might have Ben Tate returning kicks next season if he is the third string running back. I don’t see Trindon Holliday making the team next season as he’ll probably suck as he did in the preseason before he got hurt and Andre Davis will get cut. Dorin should get more playing time and with a healthy David Anderson and Keven Walter they aren’t going to miss Jacoby much. I also believe that letting Owen Daniels go (if he asks for too much money) wouldn’t hurt the team since they are stacked in the tight end position with good players like James Casey and Joel Dreessen.
The obvious – Texans need to spend their time and money on free agents and draft picks for the defense.