Tag: Chris Clark

Texans to move on from OT Roderick Johnson, but at what cost?

The Houston Texans did not tender offensive tackle Roderick Johnson, who was the club’s swing tackle in 2019.

The Houston Texans elected to not tender offensive tackle Roderick Johns on Wednesday. As a result, they are in the market for a new swing tackle.

Currently, the club has Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil and former 2019 first-round pick Tytus Howard under contract as the starting left tackle and right tackle. However, in pro football, where injuries play a part in a team’s “luck,” having a reliable fill-in is almost as necessary as finding starting quality at the first two bookends.

The Cleveland Browns drafted Johnson in Round 5 of the 2017 NFL Draft from Florida State. The Browns cut the 6-7, 311-pound tackle in June of 2018 with the Texans scooping him up that same month.

Brown bounced up and down between the Texans’ 90-man roster, 53-man roster, and practice squad throughout the 2018 season with just one game day activation under his belt. In 2019, Brown was active for all 16 games and started in three of them with a start at left tackle in Week 17 to rest Tunsil.

When Howard’s rookie season was shelved after his first eight games due to an MCL injury, Brown was part of a rotation at right tackle alongside veteran Chris Clark. The rotation was a key part of the Texans’ offense, which took care of the New England Patriots 28-22 on Sunday Night Football in Week 13 at NRG Stadium.

“I think that was just something we felt, again, was in the best interest of the team,” coach Bill O’Brien said of the rotation on Dec. 2, 2019. “We felt like both of those guys had earned the right to play and we felt that that was a good way to do it.”

Now, the Texans will have to find another tackle as good as Johnson to help be a part of another rotation, if injury hits the Texans’ bookends, or perhaps a swing tackle who can fill both positions.

2020 NFL Free Agency: Best Texans options for the Saints

The New Orleans Saints will consider Houston Texans free agents like Bradley Roby, Vernon Hargreaves, and Chris Clark during free agency.

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The New Orleans Saints will consider pending free agents from every team around the league, so we’re surveying the potential free agent class in a daily series that will run up to the beginning of the signing period. Today’s entry focuses on the Houston Texans, who offer the Saints some interesting options at a few key positions:

  • CB Bradley Roby
  • CB Johnathan Joseph
  • CB Phillip Gaines
  • CB Vernon Hargreaves
  • DT Brandon Dunn
  • DT D.J. Reader
  • FS Mike Adams
  • ILB Dylan Cole (RFA)
  • K Ka’imi Fairbairn
  • LS Jon Weeks
  • LT Chris Clark
  • OLB Barkevious Mingo
  • OLB Tyrell Adams
  • QB A.J. McCarron
  • QB Joe Webb
  • RB Carlos Hyde
  • RB Lamar Miller
  • RB Taiwan Jones
  • SS Jahleel Addae
  • TE Darren Fells
  • T Roderick Johnson (ERFA)
  • WR Deandre Carter (ERFA)

The Saints should be in on all of the Texans cornerbacks, though Bradley Roby and Johnathan Joseph figure to be the most expensive. With just three corners under contract right now, it’s important that the Saints start adding warm bodies to the depth chart, and Vernon Hargreaves would make sense as a backup with starter’s upside. He led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in snaps played last year before he was cut (following a bad game against Michael Thomas), and the Saints should be familiar with him given their past clashes in the NFC South.

A reunion with Chris Clark might make sense. The backup left tackle spent the 2019 offseason with the Saints before landing on injured reserve, leaving a few days later with an injury settlement. He joined the Texans in midseason and played frequently at right tackle, appearing on 342 snaps during seven games. It might be wise for the Saints to bring him back into the fold as a backup plan for oft-injured left tackle Terron Armstead.

Don’t sleep on backup quarterbacks Joe Webb and A.J. McCarron. The Saints are likely to lose Teddy Bridgewater in free agency, and might not match a contract offer for Taysom Hill if other teams set a high price. Even if their job is just to hold a clipboard on the sidelines, the Saints should look for an experienced backup to Drew Brees after his five-game absence last year.

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4 pending free agents for Cardinals fans to watch in Texans-Chiefs playoff game

The Arizona Cardinals could target a few players who will be free agents playing for the Texans or Chiefs.

While the Arizona Cardinals are not in the playoffs, their fans can certainly watch the two Sunday playoff games with the Cardinals on their minds. Free agency approaches in a couple of months and the Cardinals are expected to be active players in adding talent.

There are some potential free agent targets for the Cardinals in the early postseason matchup on Sunday between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs.

Who are the pending free agents to watch?

Chiefs DT Chris Jones

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Jones is going to be one of the big-ticket free agents. The Cardinals need to upgrade the defensive line and Jones would be a huge upgrade. He had nine sacks this season and 15.5 in 2018 from the defensive interior.

The Cardinals could have drafted him in 2016 but took Robert Nkemdiche instead.

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Roderick Johnson or Chris Clark: Who is the Texans’ answer at right tackle?

The Houston Texans have a choice between Roderick Johnson and Chris Clark at right tackle. One stands out far above the other.

The age-old quandary: Chris Clark or Roderick Johnson?

With their starting right tackle on injured reserve, Tytus Howard (meniscus), the Houston Texans have taken an unorthodox approach to the position.

Recently, those tuning in can get accustomed to seeing Chris Clark, No. 77, and Roderick Johnson, No. 63,  rotate through the position.

Since the Texans placed Howard on injured reserve before Week 13, Clark has played in 60% in both games, while seeing starts in each. Johnson has taken the remaining 40%. That’s odd.

One of Houston’s right tackles stands as a massive upgrade over the other. It’s the 24-year-old Johnson, who has out-paced the 34-year-old Clark as the candidate that should secure the job heading into a vital three-week stretch.

According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson is playing the part of one of the best tackles in the NFL. While Clark receives the majority of the snaps, Johnson is 12th in the NFL in overall blocking grade and 11th in pass-blocking in those last two weeks.

Though Johnson’s analytical prowess has come while playing minimal stats, it remains a promising number. It’s also one that many expected.

In the preseason, Johnson warranted legitimate consideration to be the Texans’ starting left tackle of the future. Ultimately, that didn’t happen. Houston traded for Laremy Tunsil, who is playing the part of a top-5 player at his position. Howard, a first-round rookie, settled in at right tackle.

Johnson’s performance in exhibition games and training camp earned him a fan in quarterback Deshaun Watson.

“He’s a guy that works his tail off; he plays hard; he has a lot of effort; he’s very disciplined and he doesn’t make too many mistakes,” said Watson on Aug. 17. “He’s been doing a heck of a job and I’m comfortable sitting in the pocket with him at left tackle.”

Johnson, according to PFF, hasn’t allowed a sack since Week 2, a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 252 snaps, he grades in at a 67.3, 17.1 points higher than Clark.

Clark is 10 years older than Johnson. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. Johnson will be a restricted free agent.

In his limited playing time, Johnson has proven to be a productive and promising member of the offensive line. Clark, not so much. If the Texans want to do what’s best for their blocking unit, it’s clear who will get the start in Week 15 against the Tennessee Titans.

Bill O’Brien: Texans right tackle position is ‘week-to-week’

Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien says the team’s right tackle position is “week-to-week” with Roderick Johnson and Chris Clark.

Without rookie tackle Tytus Howard (injured reserve – MCL), the Houston Texans are taking a new approach to their right tackle position: rotating between their two backups.

Chris Clark, 34, and Roderick Johnson, 24, have each started two games at right tackle. In Week 13’s win over the New England Patriots, Clark played 61% of right tackle snaps, while starting, and Johnson played 39%.

In Week 9, an international win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Clark and Johnson evenly split snaps at left tackle.

Texans coach Bill O’Brien isn’t sure who will start at right tackle in Week 14’s tilt with the Denver Broncos.

“I think it’s more week-to-week. I think we thought that that was decent the way that it went last week, but this week’s a whole different ball game,” O’Brien told the Denver media in a conference call Tuesday. “I think there’s always competition on our roster at certain spots. I think it’s a lot about practicing and competition and things like that.”

Whoever does play may have to block against pass-rusher Von Miller, who isn’t a sure thing to play on Sunday (knee). Whether it’s Clark or Johnson, they will undoubtedly have a tough task at NRG Stadium on Dec. 8.

Texans believe rotating right tackles is in the team’s best interest

The Houston Texans aren’t approaching right tackle normally, as they rotate between Roderick Johnson and Chris Clark. They say it’s for the better.

The Houston Texans have taken an unorthodox approach to replace rookie starting right tackle Tytus Howard, who is on injured reserve for a partially torn MCL.

Rather than stick with one player, the Texans have rotated Chris Clark and Roderick Johnson at the right tackle position. In Week 13’s win over the New England Patriots, Clark started and playing 61% of snaps (34) while Johnson played 39% (22).

The Texans allowed three sacks in the 28-22 win over the Patriots.

Coach Bill O’Brien says rotating between the two offensive tackles is in the best interest of the team.

“I think that was just something we felt, again, was in the best interest of the team. We felt like both of those guys had earned the right to play and we felt that that was a good way to do it,” Bill O’Brien told reporters Monday.

Johnson, 24, has two starts at right tackle. Clark, 34, can say the same, while also picking up a start at left tackle in a Week 9 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Similar to the Texans’ current plan at the right-side, Clark and Johnson each played 50% of snaps in that Week 9 win.

According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson has one sack allowed in 222 snaps, grading in at 64.6. Meanwhile, Clark has one in 146 snaps while measuring in at a 50.6 grade.