Love him or hate him, but former three-time Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall knows the position he played in the NFL for three teams over his 14 seasons.
Hall, who is now an analyst for NFL Network, released his 10 best free agent cornerbacks, and a Houston Texans corner set to hit free agency is second-best on his list.
Roby impressed Hall so much he almost landed the top spot over the Denver Broncos’ Chris Harris.
I was this close to putting Roby at No. 1, but he isn’t as consistent as his former Broncos teammate. Roby bet on himself last season by signing a one-year contract with the Houston Texans, and it paid off for both parties. The 27-year-old cornerback, who I expect will get a long-term deal this offseason, is an asset on the perimeter or in the slot. He’s a versatile corner who can make an immediate impact for the team that signs him.
Roby produced 38 tackles, two tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, eight pass breakups, and a forced fumble. The problem was Roby, who had missed just one game since the Denver Broncos drafted him in the first round in 2014, missed six with the Texans due to a hamstring injury. This injury, along with a slew of others, led the Texans to trade for former Oakland Raiders 2017 first-round pick Gareon Conley and claim ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-rounder Vernon Hargreaves off waivers.
Houston will have to make big decisions at cornerback in the offseason. Roby was a starter alongside two-time Pro Bowler Johnathan Joseph, who will also hit free agency on March 18. If the Texans let Joseph and Roby go, they will lose their starters from Week 1.
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