Tag: Secondary

Texans re-sign cornerback Bradley Roby to 3-year contract

The Houston Texans have re-signed cornerback Bradley Roby to a three-year contract.

The Houston Texans will have some continuity with their starting cornerback group after all.

According to James Palmer, Mike Garafolo, and Ian Rapoport, the Texans are signing Bradley Roby to a three-year contract worth $36 million.

Roby played in 10 games for the Texans in 2019, starting in all of them. The former Denver Broncos 2014 first-round picked collected 38 tackles, 1.0 sack, two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, eight pass breakups, and a forced fumble in the fewest games of Roby’s career. The 5-11, 194-pound cornerback was limited with a hamstring injury, but apparently that is not enough of a concern for the Texans to bring back the former Ohio State Buckeye, who will be 28 years old come Week 1.

“I think that Bradley, he’s got a lot of talent, right,” coach Bill O’Brien said on Dec. 4, 2019. “He’s got good speed, good feet, good ball skills. The big thing with Bradley has been health. Just making sure that he can be available to the team, that’s the big thing. If he stays available to the team, he’s healthy, then he can help us.”

If Roby is healthy beyond 10 games for the Texans in 2020, he will certainly help them in their secondary, which will be new-look now that two-time Pro Bowler Johnathan Joseph is set to hit free agency.

Texans re-sign cornerback Phillip Gaines to a 1-year contract

The Houston Texans have re-signed cornerback Phillip Gaines to a one-year contract.

The Houston Texans have decided to keep at least one of their free agent cornerbacks.

On Saturday, the Texans reached an agreement to bring back cornerback Phillip Gaines on a one-year contract, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Gaines didn’t play in many games for the Texans in 2019, just six total and starting in two of them. However, in the biggest game of the season at that point, Week 6 at the Kansas City Chiefs, the former 2014 third-round pick from Rice collected three tackles and tipped away a pass. In Week 7 at the Indianapolis Colts, his final game of the season before sustaining a left ankle injury that ended his season.

What the Texans like about Gaines may have been seen in glimpses, but Houston believes they can get the whole package in 2020.

“He’s a guy that can play inside and outside, a guy that’s had production in the league,” coach Bill O’Brien said on Sept. 11, 2020. “He’s played for a while, smart guy, good movement skills and a versatile skillset. We’ll see how it goes this week, but I think he has a chance to help us.”

Cornerback Johnathan Joseph and the Texans mutually decided the two-time Pro Bowler would enter free agency on March 18. Houston’s other starting cornerback from last year, Bradley Roby, is also set to become a free agent.

Texans and CB Johnathan Joseph mutually decide to part ways

The Houston Texans and cornerback Johnathan Joseph have mutually decided that the two-time Pro Bowler will enter free agency on March 18.

The Houston Texans and Pro Bowl cornerback Johnathan Joseph have mutually decided that the 36-year-old will enter free agency when the new league year begins on March 18 at 3:00 p.m. Central Time.

The team released a statement thanking Joseph for his professionalism and also his leadership since coming over as a free agent from the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011.

“Johnathan has been a consummate professional, team captain and one of the leaders of our defense for the past nine years. It is rare for a player to sustain such a high level of play for over a decade and that says so much about him and his dedication to the game. He is an exceptional teammate, mentor, husband and father. His impact on and off the field makes him quite possibly the most celebrated free agent signing in franchise history. The entire Houston Texans organization thanks Johnathan for the contributions he made to our team and the Houston community. We wish him and his family all the best as he pursues free agency.”

Joseph will leave the Texans as the franchise’s all-time leader with 17 interceptions, 118 pass breakups, 410 interception yards, and four interceptions returned for touchdowns. Joseph will also leave Houston tied for the third-most games played for the Texans with 133 and fifth in total tackles with 482.

The former South Carolina Gamecock seeks to extend some of his NFL career marks in his 15th season in 2020, but with a new team. Joseph is sixth in career pass breakups with 194 and has the most games in NFL history with multiple pass breakups with 50.

The other starting cornerback for the Texans in 2019 was Bradley Roby, who was limited to 10 games with a hamstring injury. If the Texans also decide to let Roby walk, then they will have two completely new cornerbacks starting on the outside in 2020.

Another mock draft projects safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to Seattle

With the combine in the books, Luker Easterling is projecting Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. to the Seattle Seahawks int he NFL draft.

The Seahawks are well known for their former, formidable secondary, the famous Legion of Boom. However, with the original members now no longer in Seattle, the team could look to the NFL draft to restore an imposing group of defensive backs.

With the scouting combine in the books and the pro days next up on the NFL calendar, Luke Easterling of Draft Wire has updated his mock projections. He now has the Seahawks selecting safety Antonine Winfield Jr. out of Minnesota in the first round of April’s draft.

“Gone are the days of Earl Thomas roaming the Seattle secondary, but if the Seahawks want to try and recreate that kind of presence for the future, Winfield is about as close as they can get,” Easterling notes.

“The son of a Pro Bowler by the same name,” Easterling continues. “Winfield was a one-man wrecking crew for the Golden Gophers, and he could instantly bring the swagger back to what was once one of the NFL’s most feared defensive backfields.”

Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire recently took a more in-depth look at Winfield Jr.’s playing style, a potentially perfect fit for the Seahawks.

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Seahawks anticipate 3rd-year jump for cornerback Tre Flowers

The Seattle Seahawks anticipate a third-year jump for cornerback Tre Flowers in 2020, much like fellow CB Shaquill Griffin did last year.

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tre Flowers has been up and down throughout his two years in the NFL but could be in for a breakout season in 2020.

Flowers’ fellow cornerback Shaquill Griffin had a stellar third season of his own, and Seattle is hoping that Flowers can follow in his footsteps.

In 2019, Flowers tied for the team lead in interceptions with three and opposing quarterbacks had a combined 72.5 passer rating when targeting him throughout the year.

However, he missed 15 tackles on the year and did not have a strong postseason performance, drawing two pass interference penalties against the Eagles in the wild-card round, and playing perhaps the worst game of his career against the Packers in the divisional round. Flowers gave up the majority of the 160 receiving yards that wide receiver Davante Adams accumulated, including both of his touchdowns in that game.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll emphasized that 2020 is a pivotal year for Flowers.

“Tre is a hard-working kid,” Carroll said. “He wants to get it done. I thought he was pretty much the same one year, two years. Now this is a good chance for him to really make a jump. There’s no reason that he shouldn’t with the experience that he’s had. All the playtime that he’s gathered in, he should be ready to make a good step forward.”

Carroll is correct. Flowers is entering the most important season of his career and must take the next step to help improve Seattle’s secondary.

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Seahawks GM John Schneider states secondary needs improvement

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider stated in his 2020 NFL Combine press conference that the secondary needs improvement.

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider has expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of his defensive backfield heading into the 2020 season.

In his press conference at the 2020 NFL Combine, Schneider told reporters that he would be truthful in his assessment of the secondary and stated that the unit must improve to take the team as a whole to the next level.

“I think just like every position, you’re constantly looking to tweak it and figure out how you get better,” Schneider said. “Whether it’s a strong safety, free safety—obviously we want to get better. If I told you we were satisfied with the performance, I’d be lying. We all need to get better.”

However, he stated that rookie Ugo Amadi played well when pressed into active duty in the nickel corner slot.

“Ugo [Amadi] did a nice job when he got out there,” Schneider said. “We didn’t play a ton of nickel last year. You’ve got to look at the nickel position like a starter, right? Detroit got [Justin] Coleman, gave him a nice contract, he did a great job for them again. But we need to keep preparing along the way.”

The Seahawks’ secondary is certainly not as daunting as it was in years past and they finished No. 15 in pass defense DVOA last year. However, free agency and the draft still await and the Seahawks have plenty of opportunities to improve the secondary.

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Seahawks select safety in USA TODAY Sports pre-combine mock draft

The Seattle Seahawks select safety Grant Delpit out of LSU at No. 27 overall in USA TODAY Sports pre-combine mock draft.

Ahead of the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine which kicked off this week, nearly every mock draft out there has the Seattle Seahawks selecting a defensive player in the first round, barring a trade down, of course.

And while most of the mocks tend to predict defensive tackles or edge prospects to the Seahawks, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA TODAY Sports has Seattle shoring up its secondary with the addition of LSU safety Grant Delpit at No. 27 overall.

“He’s not the next Earl Thomas – who is? – but Delpit would be a tantalizing option for coach Pete Caroll and GM John Schneider if he’s still on the board here,” Middlehurst-Schwartz writes.

Another Thomas isn’t likely to land in Seattle’s lap anytime soon but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other great safeties worth meriting a closer look.

Things could change for Delpit and the Seahawks after the defensive backs show off their skills Sunday afternoon but Seattle will always be looking to resurrect a new Legion of Boom.

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2020 NFL Scouting Combine: A look at the safeties planning to attend

A look at the safeties planning to attend the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine the Seattle Seahawks could scout ahead of the NFL draft in April.

The Seattle Seahawks have prided themselves on a stout defense, however, the team has gone through a thorough restructuring over the last few years and the changes are likely to continue into the 2020 season.

Here’s a look at the safeties planning to attend the NFL scouting combine the Seahawks could consider.

SAFETIES
Julian Blackmon, S, Utah
Antoine Brooks Jr., S, Maryland
Terrell Burgess, S, Utah
Shyheim Carter, S, Alabama
Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois
Rodney Clemons, S, SMU
Brian Cole II, S, Mississippi State
Kamren Curl, S, Arkansas
Ashtyn Davis, S, California
Grant Delpit, S, LSU
Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jalen Elliott, S, Notre Dame
Jordan Fuller, S, Ohio State
Alohi Gilman, S, Notre Dame
Jaylinn Hawkins, S, California
Brandon Jones, S, Texas
Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
Josh Metellus, S, Michigan
Chris Miller, S, Baylor
Tanner Muse, S, Clemson
J.R. Reed, S, Georgia
L’Jarius Sneed, S, Louisiana Tech
Geno Stone, S, Iowa
Daniel Thomas, S, Auburn
K’Von Wallace, Clemson

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2020 NFL Scouting Combine: Cornerbacks expected to attend

A look at the cornerbacks planning to attend the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine the Seattle Seahawks could scout ahead of the NFL draft in April.

The original Legion of Boom is no more and the Seattle Seahawks will likely continue their rebuilding of the secondary through this year’s NFL draft come April.

Below is a look at the cornerbacks planning to attend the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

CORNERBACKS
Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
Grayland Arnold, CB, Baylor
Trajan Bandy, CB, Miami
Essang Bassey, CB, Wake Forest
Myles Bryant, CB, Washington
Nevelle Clarke, CB, Central Florida
Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State
Javaris Davis, CB, Auburn
Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
A.J. Green, CB, Oklahoma State
Javelin K. Guidry, CB, Utah
Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
Harrison Hand, CB, Temple
C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
Lavert Hill, CB, Michigan
Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA
Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn
Dane Jackson, CB, Pittsburgh
Lamar Jackson, CB, Nebraska
Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
BoPete Keyes, CB, Tulane
Michael Ojemudia, CB, Iowa
Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
James Pierre, CB, Florida Atlantic
Troy Pride, CB, Notre Dame
John Reid, CB, Penn State
Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech
Reggie Robinson II, CB, Tulsa
Stanford Samuels, CB, Florida State
Josiah Scott, CB, Michigan State
A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
Stantley Thomas-Oliver, CB, Florida International
Kindle Vildor, CB, Georgia Southern

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Todd McShay mock draft 2.0 has Cowboys choosing Xavier McKinney over Grant Delpit

The Cowboys need help at the safety position, but ESPN’s Todd McShay thinks they’ll bypass the one most fans are clamoring for.

Grant Delpit got all the safety love, it seemed, from NFL teams who closed out 2019 looking to bolster their back ends in 2020. Playing for the national champs certainly helped catapult the two-time consensus All-America selection and Jim Thorpe Award winner into the spotlight. Even causal fans who may have tuned to see what all the Joe Burrow fuss was about probably came away impressed by the ballhawking defensive back who’ll certainly be a first-round talent come April.

Draft guru Todd McShay, in his most-recently-updated mock (paywall), indeed thinks Dallas will go with an SEC safety to provide the team some much-needed secondary help. But with the 17th overall pick, he has the Cowboys zigging when everyone expects them to zag.

Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama

Jerry Jones has quite an offseason ahead of him. Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, Robert Quinn and Byron Jones headline a talented — and expensive — list of players headed toward free agency. If cornerback Jones is one of the odd men out, a secondary that mostly held passing offenses at bay but struggled to produce takeaways gets weaker. And the Cowboys have needed a safety since the days when Roy Williams and Darren Woodson roamed the defensive backfield. McKinney has some range as a deep safety — he pulled in three interceptions on the back end for Bama last season.

McShay believes the Cowboys will actually pass on Delpit, leaving him on the board to land in New England with the 23rd pick.

McKinney, bidding farewell to Tuscaloosa as a junior, is listed as a 6-foot-1-inch 200-pounder. He played in 13 games as a true freshman coming out of Roswell, Georgia. He became a starter for the Crimson Tide as a sophomore and ended the season as MVP of the 2018 Orange Bowl. Last season, he recorded 95 tackles, 3 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles to go with his three interceptions. He was named first-team All-SEC for those efforts.

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